FLT MANAGERS SERIES, PART 2: TAPAS AND MUST DOS IN SEVILLE WITH BAPTISTE
In Part 2 of our FLT City Managers Series, we are chatting with FLT Seville Manager, Baptiste! He tells us about the activities that are a must do in Seville, and more importantly, about the city’s food! Let’s dive in and learn all about the essential Seville!
Full name:
Baptiste Rogé
About me:
Born and raised in Verdun, France, I left my hometown to go study marketing and business at the University of Nancy. Upon completing my studies, I decided it was the best time to discover new things. So, I packed my bags and took a plane for the first time to live in Dublin for one year. Dublin was another world for me but it was so much fun. This is where I met my wife, who is from Seville. “What a terrible place to live,” I thought at the time and suddenly, without even realizing it, here I am living in Seville!
During the last 13 years in Seville, I’ve discovered amazing food and traditions built around the local gastronomy. Here, food is a masterpiece and sharing good food with friends and family is almost sacred. It took me a while to realize I could spend my life eating, so I worked in many different industries, such as tourism and software. Although I enjoyed what I did, I always had the feeling that the best was yet to come. When I heard what this crazy French guy, Matthieu Floret, was doing in Barcelona, I immediately knew I was destined to bring Food Lover Tour to Seville.
In 2015 I started Food Lover Tour Seville and I immediately observed the satisfaction it brought to our guests. The city has it all and is the typical post card from Spain: the classic southern city with thousands of years of history. It is also a place where you can feel at home with friendly people and has a great choice of places to stay. Finally, it is the ultimate kingdom of tapas with a variety of flavors and drinks that can hardly be beaten. A food tour is a must do in Seville to get to experience the city with all you senses!
This is where I live and where I want to spend many more years to come. Let me take you wandering through these streets where the tapas are king!
How long have you lived in Seville? What drew you to it?
I am originally from France and I have been living in Seville for the last 13 years. Everything started when I met my Sevillana wife during a 1-year stay in Dublin.
What do you love about Seville? What is your favorite neighborhood? What are some of your favorite things to do here?
I came to Seville for personal reasons, but since the first day I arrived I knew there was something special about it. I have lived in different places in the city but the neighborhoods I enjoy the most are San Lorenzo area, Santa Catalina, and the Alameda de Hércules. I am obviously a passionate foodie and the experience I have had with food here is incomparable. The concept of tapas isn’t only about the size of the dish, I soon discovered that tapas is a social thing. It is sharing and enjoying food with each other, as well as tasting many different dishes. This makes the experience so fun and exciting, a must do in Seville.
What things should visitors in Seville see and do during their stay?
If you come to Seville, you definitely should visit the 3 great monuments of the city: The Real Alcazar, the Cathedral, and Plaza de España. However, Seville has so much more to offer. Anyone who visits might instantly fall in love with the narrow streets, fragrant orange trees and the amazing architecture influenced by so many civilizations over the years. Seville is also the birth place of passionate flamenco and one of the greatest cities in Spain to enjoy food and wine.
What is the foodie scene like in Seville?
Regarding food, Seville is one of the greatest cities in Spain because of its variety and very reasonable prices. In total, Seville has more than 1200 tapas bars. Sevillanos are always happy to eat in the street and share some delicious food together. Wines are also part of the panorama as the region has been one of the references for white wines for thousands of years. There are 7 denominations of origin in Andalusia: Condado de Huelva, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Málaga, and Montilla-Moriles. In other words, food and wine is a major part of the culture here and that’s the best way to understand the city and its culture.
What’s your favorite local dish in Seville?
It’s always hard to choose when you have so many mouth-watering dishes to choose from, but here are some of the tapas I enjoy the most:
- Salmorejo: originally from CĂłrdoba, this cold tomato soup is so refreshing on hot days.
- Cured ham: a classic, but how can you resist this monument of the local gastronomy?
- Croquetas: made with béchamel and either ham, chicken, shrimp, spinach, or almost anything you want to. It is a great bite!
- Spinach with chickpeas: a very Sevillano recipe that might reconcile you with spinach.
What is something about Seville that you want people to know?
Seville is not only a beautiful and tasty city, it is also a great place to mix with the crowd. Locals are very friendly and always welcoming (especially if you go to the most local parts of the city). Also, it is mostly a safe city where you can talk to anyone and enjoy your holidays like a local.
