Seville's bullring - or the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Cabellería de Sevilla, to give it its due - is the oldest in Spain. It was here that the corrida, or bullfight, moved from horseback to foot, and many of the cherished theatrical traditions of the matador evolved.
The building was completed in the late 18th century and is a yellow-and-white baroque beauty. It's easy to imagine Bizet's Carmen meeting her passionate end here.
During the Feria de Abril, a week-long celebration of all things Seville, the season's most prestigious fights are held. Every afternoon, crowds pack the Plaza de Toros (or 'the Cathedral' as the locals call it) to see man take on bull.
If the spectacle turns your stomach, you might like to visit the museum and leave it at that. Here you'll find the chapel where the matadors pray, the infirmary where they're patched up, bulls' heads, and matador's costumes. Look out for the one worn by Joselito El Gallo, the famed matador who bought the diamonds and emeralds worn by La Macarena, the city's beloved statue of the Virgin. (When he was killed in the ring, the Virgin wore black!)
