Flamenco on the Guadalquivir: Industry and Artistry in Seville’s Triana

Across the Guadalquivir River from Seville’s historic centre lies Triana. This colourful neighbourhood was relatively isolated from the rest of the city until the first fixed bridge opened in 1852. On this walking tour, you’ll come to understand how this working-class district forged its own strong identity based on its industrial past and rich cultural heritage.

You’ll start the tour on the Puente de Triana bridge before diving into the narrow streets near the river, once home to Triana’s renowned ceramics industry and a royal soap factory. You’ll see beautiful tilework adorning Baroque churches, including Nuestra Señora de la O, and ornate Regionalist-style buildings like the former Montalván ceramics factory.

You’ll pass an example of Triana’s traditional housing, corral de vecinos, where the shared courtyards fostered a strong sense of community. You’ll wind through the former Cava de los Gitanos, where the passionate art of flamenco emerged from generations of Roma families gathering to express their emotions through song and dance. After passing the striking yellow Casa de las Columnas, the former headquarters of Seville’s seafarers’ guild, the tour ends with a spectacular view back across the river to Seville’s iconic skyline.

On this 90-minute walking tour, you’ll:

• Admire the Capilla del Carmen, an exquisite chapel designed by the architect behind Seville’s Plaza de España
• Discover how Castillo de San Jorge, once the headquarters of the dreaded Spanish Inquisition, has been transformed into the Mercado de Triana, a bustling and atmospheric market
• Hear the story of Juan Belmonte, the father of modern bullfighting who grew up in Triana
• Learn how ceramics production evolved from Islamic geometric designs to the intricately-painted smooth tiles that you see on buildings throughout Seville
• Discover the surprising story of manufacturing that’s hidden in the heart of this historic district
• Hear about Triana’s seafarers, including the first European to set eyes on the Americas, and visit their chapel, the Capilla de los Marineros
• Visit Santa Ana church, affectionately called ”Triana’s cathedral”, with its Gothic-Mudéjar architecture
• Find out where to sample local tapas and experience an authentic flamenco performance

By the end of the tour, you’ll have a taste of this distinctive and creative neighbourhood that keeps hold of its traditions despite the changing times.