You will be picked up at your hotel by your private guide and an air-conditioned vehicle. Enjoy a short scenic drive to Italica, the ancient Roman city just 9 kilometers from Seville. Italica was the birthplace of the Roman emperors Trajan, Hadrian, and Theodosius. It was founded in 206 BC and became a wealthy and powerful outpost of the Empire. It lost its influence from the 3rd century onwards, and the city fell into ruin. Today Italica is famous for its well-preserved, stunning mosaics, thermal baths, wealthy villas, and an amazing 25,000-seater amphitheater.
Your guide will show you around the tranquil ruins of this ancient city bringing it back to life with stories of the people who lived here two thousand years ago. You’ll see the Roman bath houses – with their exquisite mosaics and visit the public toilets! You will walk down streets lined with shops and villas, and visit the spectacular amphitheater, which was used as the filming location for the final episode of Game of Thrones season 7.
Then, return to central Seville for a guided tour of the exquisite Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija, the former home of Countess Lebrija. The countess, a noted traveler, and archeologist, bought this opulent 15th-century mansion in 1901 to house her vast collection of antiquities and art. The building is itself a work of art, with Renaissance and Moorish influences. The ground floor is paved exclusively with ancient Roman mosaics from Italica, and the house is full of art: from Greco-Roman busts to pieces from China, Persia, and the Moorish era as well as paintings by masters such as Van Dyke. Upstairs, the lavish family rooms include an extensive library, private chapel, dining room, and sitting rooms filled with major works of art, archeology, and fine ornaments. Your tour will end inside the Lebrija Palace where you can take a little longer with the incredible mosaics if you wish.