The beautiful Spanish city that is one of the most walkable with 36C summer heat

There is a beautiful city in with easily walkable sites in a part of the country where the mercury can reach in excess of 36C. The capital of Spain's Andalusia region, Seville offers an incredible mix of Spanish art, culture, history and more.

I visited Seville in January when the average daily temperature is just a bit over 16C, which felt balmy compared to a British winter. Arriving at the city's Santa Justa train station, it took about 25 minutes to walk into central Seville, side-stepping smashed oranges fallen from trees lining the streets. After quickly dropping off my bags, I walked to Seville's Plaza del Triunfo, site of the city's majestic Cathedral and La Giralda bell tower. The Cathedral is large and worth spending a few hours looking around. Highlights include the tomb of Christopher Columbus and the main altar, which is dripping in gold and depicts the life of Christ and the Cathedral's patron saint, Santa Maria de la Sede.

La Giralda is also well-worth the climb to the top. Built as a minaret, a belfry was added after the Catholics expelled Spain's Muslims. The view from the top is pretty decent, if you can get past the crowds.

A few yards away from La Giralda is Royal Alcázar, an incredible, ornate palace where and of Spain still stay when in the city.

It gets really busy so I'd recommend booking well in advance and securing an early slot to beat the crowds. There are gardens to explore as well, although these were closed when I went so it could be worthwhile checking if they're open for your visit.

Another highlight in a city chock-full of them, was Plaza de Toros, Seville's bullfighting ring. I'm not a fan of it, but the culture and history surrounding it was fascinating. The building itself is impressive too and you can even walk into the middle of the arena and imagine what it would feel like to have a ton of bull bearing down on you.

Guided tours cost €25 euros but you can access an audio guide online which is really helpful, explaining the building and steps a matador goes through before entering the ring. Again, book early. In January it was fairly quiet, but in high season I imagine it gets full of sightseers.

Seville's Plaza de España is another must see site. About a 20 minute walk from Seville Cathedral, it's a great place to people watch.

Built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition the following year, it's a palatial, semi-elliptical plaza designed by Seville architect Aníbal González. It also has enough space to get well clear of people posing for selfies. When I visited, they tended not to venture too far from the exit. In January, there were also plenty of locals milling about, soaking up the relaxed atmosphere.

I was in Seville for three nights and ate out a couple of times, getting a taste of Spanish hospitality, which felt warm and welcoming where I went. The seemingly carefree approach to the way spirits were measured was also a highlight.

The food, wine and staff at Bendala Brasseria in Paseo de Catalina de Ribera were all excellent. I'd also highly recommend SedeMéxico in Plaza de la Alianza. The square is seconds away from Plaza del Triunfo and feels like it's off the beaten track. If you like Mexican food, it's an ideal spot.

Getting around Seville was pretty easy and straightforward. Most sites are within walking distance of one another. There's also regular buses and trams.

Traffic permitting, the airport is less than an hour away from the centre of the city by bus. Flights to Seville are available from London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and Belfast.

It takes about two hours and 45 minutes to get there, with Ryanair, British Airways, easyJet, Vueling Airlines, BA Euroflyer, Qatar Airways, Iberia and Malta Air flying direct.

The estimated best price Skyscanner found at the time of writing for a return flight was £38.