Écija is a municipality that forms part of the province of Seville that is home to an atmosphere bursting at the seams with symbols surrounded by natural landscapes full of charm that lead way to the Genil Valley which is worth taking the time to get lost in.
It’s also an ideal destination to spend a few days in as it has a wide range of things on offer for any type of tourist, one thing that’s certain is that here you’ll live a truly unique experience. Its population is almost as large as 40,000 people!
What is there for you to see in Écija? It’s a city full of points of interest, where you’ll be able to find some curious spots and monuments spread out through the whole map that will allow you to journey through history.
The city centre has been given the name of “A collection of artistic history” (Conjunto Histórico Artístico) since 1966 so you can only begin to imagine the amount of stops you can take here.
Écija is also known the City of Towers (Ciudad de las Torres), and it is home to a total of eleven bell towers and twenty bell gables that draw its skyline. This collection is the most famous in the whole city, its tallest tower being the Tower of Santa María.
Just by taking a stroll through the streets, you’ll be able to get to know these towers devoted to the churches of Santa María Nuestra Señora, Santa Bárbara, San Francisco or the Iglesia Mayor de Santa Cruz amongst others you’ll come across on your lovely walk.
The religion and architecture are tied to one another, proof of that is the Convent of Santa Inés del Valle from the 17th century and the Convent of the Visitación de Santa Isabel and Santo Domingo.
There exist other representations of religious architecture you can discover, although in terms of civil architecture there are numerous amounts such as palaces and palace like houses that adorn the very streets you’ll be strolling down. We must highlight the following ones: Peñaflor, Benamejí, Valdehermoso and Santaella.
In the centre we would encourage you to visit the Plaza Mayor, where you’ll also be able to enjoy the local food experience thanks to its bars and restaurants where you can try the bizcochos, cakes and the famous yemas (a dessert made from sugar, water and egg yolks). The Plaza de Abastos is another pitstop you must make where the local market is celebrated where you’ll be able to get up to date with the culture and the housing of the locals or the town council building.
In the area of the settlement of the Plaza de Armas, there are some remains of the primitive city that date back to the 9th century BC which is a visit you don’t want to miss out on.
In terms of the climate, the warm temperatures really stand out, so much so, Écija is referred to as the frying pan of Andalucía.
What is the best way to get here? The easiest way is by motorway and the most comfortable way is by car, although you also have the option to go by bus as there is a bus station in the town.
For those that want to live the complete tourism experience and spend a few nights, there are several accommodation options depending on the type of trip you wish to take. You can rent a chalet in the outskirts or a holiday cottage in Écija, as well as a traditional Spanish holiday home.