Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza

1016 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

4/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

February, 2015

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Partner

Reasons for trip

Bullfighting is like fox hunting. It’s a subject you don’t discuss with people until you know how they feel about it.
As the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza is said to be one of the finest in Spain and because I knew little about what really happens, we took a tour of Seville’s bullring.
The exterior is brilliant white and whether or not you agree with bullfighting, you cannot failed to be amazed at its beauty.
After paying €6.50 each we found we were just in time for the 2.30pm tour (every 30 minutes) in English along with 10 others, including a squawking child.
Inside the bullring our guide Lisa, pointed out it was actually oval rather than round as expected. The ring has five doors: one for the matador to enter, one for the bull to enter, one for the horses to enter when they take the bull out, and one which leads injured matadors to hospital. The final gate Puerta del Príncipe, or the Prince’s Gate, is where the matador will be carried by the audience if he becomes a prince by getting two ears and a tail from the same bull or three ears from two bulls.
The 14,000 seater stadium has a sunny and shady side with the first of the 65 seasonal fights starting on Easter Sunday. Tickets range from €150 down and get cheaper as you get up the stadium with the sunny side being half price – the action happens on the shady side and this is where the ‘royal box’ is.
We then moved into the museum and a gallery of pictures and then were shown through four separate sections dating from the 18th to 21st centuries. Here we saw costumes (small and bejeweled and costing up to €100,000), models of how the bull is killed (fights last 20 minutes) and taken away by the horses (the meat is served in local restaurants).
Outside the museum there is a chapel where the matador prays before his fights and we saw the area where the animals are tied up beforehand. The bulls arrive the day before the fight to undergo drugs tests and after the draw takes place to see which matador gets which bull. A matador can earn €30,000 per fight.
It was really interesting although I’m not convinced I’d like to see a real fight. Oh and I could have done without the squawky child.
www.realmaestranza.com

Helen Jackson

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.