Seville is a city of rich history and culture. The city has inspired music, opera and plays through the ages. Yet, as a MICE destination, it is somewhat less popular than Madrid and Barcelona. This is partly due to the fact that the city is not well connected by air to other parts of the world, including Asia. But Seville is connected with Madrid through high-speed rail, hence it is not inconceivable for MICE organizers to plan a two-city programme.

There is so much to see and experience in Seville, and there is no shortage of unique venues for MICE activities. Discovering the historic city centre and the neighbourhood of Santa Cruz by foot can be a team-building exercise in itself. Build team spirit by meandering through a maze of narrow cobblestone lanes to discover stately palaces, courtyards filled with flowers, orange trees, romantic legends, memories and charm.

A key attraction is the Gothic-styled Catedral de Sevilla, one of the greatest of all Christian cathedrals in the world, yet the bell tower, La Giralda, was formerly a minaret of the original mosque. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Also in the vicinity is Real Alcázar Palace, a royal palace that dates back to the Middle Ages and is still in use today. Its architecture is a culmination of different religious and cultural influences, including Islamic, Mudejar, Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance. It is possible for MICE organizers to arrange private tours with cocktail reception after normal visiting hours. Then there is the quaint district of Triana across the river where many traditional restaurants can be found.

In a way, modern Seville is defined by the Spanish-American Expo of 1929 and World Expo 1992. Many hotels and developments are built for the expos and today, they remain key venues and hotels supporting MICE events. Plaza de España was built for the Spanish-American Exhibition of 1929 amongst many other buildings. Its grand architecture and spacious open plaza is perfect for large outdoor theme reception. At the World Expo 1992 Expo ground, the Pabellón de la Navegación provides good exhibition space besides being a museum on the history of navigation.

All these historical and cultural influences also resulted in rather varied styles of hotel accommodation, from ‘quarters’ to palaces, from the Middle Ages to modern contemporary. MICE delegates will surely have an extraordinary experience in Seville. Click here to view photo gallery.

For more information, please visit: www.sevillacb.com