During our bike- and walking tours, we show you the Triana neighborhood. To make the most of your stay in Seville, you definitely should not skip this authentic, passionate and colorful quarter of the city. The vibrant old quarter is located on the shore of the Guadalquivir River across the center and is connected to the center of the city by the iconic Isabell ll Bridge, also known as Puente de Triana.
The neighborhood used to be known as Seville’s gypsy neighborhood, but nowadays it has evolved into a lively area full of charming streets, authentic ceramic shops, beautiful churches, many tapas bars and Spanish traditions. Not only is Triana well-known for its vibe and its beautiful market (Mercado de Triana), there are some more things that shaped Triana into the district it is today. Let’s take a look at those!
Ceramic
Since Roman times, Seville has been famous for its ‘azulejos’, the ceramic tiles that you can see everywhere throughout the city. Close to the Mercado de Triana, you can visit Centro Ceramica Triana which is located in the old Ceramica Santa Ana factory. It is a museum that tells the history of this craft and how almost any tile you see in Seville’s churches, hotels as well as the breathtaking Plaza de España has been made here in Triana. If you want to bring home an original ceramic tile as a souvenir, the shops in Triana are the place to go!
Bullfighting
On the side of the bridge, you will find a statue of the bullfighter Juan Belmonte (1892- 1962) who grew up in the district of Triana. When he was 10, he started his bullfighting career and toured around Spain in a children’s bullfighting group. Later in his career, his technique was unlike other matadors, he did not mind standing within inches of the bull instead of staying far away from the animal to avoid the horns. This made him stand out from the other bullfighters, but also left him with many serious wounds. When looking at the statue, you see he is looking at the bullfighting arena, La Maestranza, on the other side of the river.
Flamenco
Because the art of Flamenco and its history has been passed on as worth of mouth, we have not much information about its origin. What we do know is that the Spanish culture and especially the culture of the gypsies have had a big influence on the Flamenco. When crossing the bridge to Triana, the first thing you will see is a beautiful statue of a flamenco dancer, who is dressed in the beautiful iconic flamenco dress and is holding a guitar in her hands. With her foot, she is standing on an anvil. The husbands of the gypsy women often worked as blacksmiths and to make their work more interesting, they started to make rhythms while smashing on the anvil. Later, the women started dancing on these rhythms and the rhythmic culture had started.
Triana is a quarter full of history, incredible stories and Sevillians that are proud of their city and its history. Take a walk through the district and take a break for some tapas!