Καρμόνα

Spring and autumn are best. Summers are very hot, with temperatures often above 40 °C in July and August, so visit early in the morning or in the evening. Winters are mild and can be rainy.

Holy Week (Semana Santa) has processions, and the town is crowded. The local fair takes place in September.

• Necrópolis is the Roman necropolis, with hundreds of family tombs from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD.
• Anfiteatro romano de Carmona is the Roman amphitheatre, next to the necropolis.
• The Museo de la Necrópolis Romana presents finds from the site.
• Alcázar Puerta de Sevilla is the Alcázar of the Seville Gate, a fortified gateway of Roman and Moorish origin at the entrance to the old town.
• The Puerta de Córdoba is a second monumental gate at the other end of the old town.
• The Alcázar del rey Don Pedro is a ruined fortress on the highest point, now partly a parador (state hotel), with views of the plain.
• The Iglesia Prioral de Santa María de la Asunción is the main church, with a Gothic and Mudéjar structure and a Moorish courtyard.
• Convento de Santa Clara is a convent with a Baroque church.
• The Museo Ciudad de Carmona tells the story of the town.
• The old town has many Renaissance and Baroque mansions.

• Walk through the Roman necropolis and the amphitheatre.
• Climb to the fortress-parador for the view over the plain.
• Wander the old town and its gates, and have a drink in a patio or on a square.
• Visit during Holy Week to see the processions.

• Seville (about 30 km, 40 minutes by bus): the capital of Andalusia.
• Antequera (about 130 km): a town of dolmens and churches.
• Ronda (about 150 km): a town on a gorge.
• Écija (about 50 km): a town of Baroque towers, known as the "city of towers".

Other places nearby:

• Andalusia: Antequera, Ronda, Marbella and Baeza.

• By bus: Buses run from Seville's Plaza de Armas station in about 40 to 50 minutes.
• By air: Seville airport is about 45 km away.
• By car: The A-4 motorway and the A-398 link Carmona with Seville, about 30 minutes away.

• On foot: The old town is compact and hilly, with cobbled streets. The necropolis and amphitheatre are on the edge of the hill, about 15 minutes' walk from the Seville Gate.
• Taxi: Available at the main square, useful in the summer heat.

• Is a car worth it?: Useful if you combine Carmona with the rest of Andalusia. For a day trip, the bus from Seville is easier.
• Parking: Park outside the old town walls and walk in. The streets inside are narrow.

Andalusian food is the basis in Carmona. Try espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with chickpeas), grilled meats, local olive oil and olives, fried fish, and tapas in the squares. Convent sweets, made by nuns and sold at the convents, are a local tradition.

Carmona is a safe town. The summer heat is intense, so avoid the middle of the day, wear a hat and drink water. The cobbled streets are uneven, so wear good shoes.

Carmona has been settled since prehistoric times. It was an important Roman town, and the necropolis and amphitheatre date from that period. The Moors ruled the town from the 8th century, and King Ferdinand III took it in 1247.

King Pedro I (Peter the Cruel) rebuilt the fortress in the 14th century as a royal residence. The town prospered again in the 16th century, and many of the mansions and churches date from then.

Quick practical facts for Spain at a glance: