Sevilla was unbelievable!!

I had doubts about going to Sevilla (Seville) because everyone I knew was going to Barcelona or Madrid. The reality was that all of my friends who visited me from those cities said they wished they had studied in Sevilla. Sevilla is concentrated, Spanish culture everywhere you turn. My spanish was pretty beginner when I got there and what helped me improve the most was that all of the locals spoke spanish to me rather than english. I lived in a "casa universitaria," a housing option unique to Sevilla where I lived with 6 other American students in a 3 story house with a rooftop terrace, 3 doors down from our host mom, the sweetest, best cook I have ever met! She only spoke english to us and sat with us for every meal so that we were forced to speak the language. Sevilla's Alcazar (palace + gardens) is probably the most beautiful place I have ever visited. My friends and I would walk through the gardens (with human maze inside!) on sunny afternoons. The city is full of orange trees and makes the whole place smell fresh and delightful! My friends and I would take a bottle of wine and some cheeses and sit by the beautiful river most afternoons. The architecture in Sevilla is amazing as well. Most of the buildings are from the baroque era and are painted orange and white...The streets are cobble stone and you really feel like you're still in the 17th century. Until you go out at night in which case the club and bar scene is super fun! We also met a bunch of Spaniards and became friends with them which was a great way to improve my Spanish and get to know the culture more. The people of Sevilla are so friendly and really made the experience a welcoming one. I honestly made my best friends while studying abroad who were in my program. I can't say more positive things about Sevilla and would love to live there one day.