Fernando Ortega

I have held the official Andalusian guide licence since 2004, and before that I taught history for seven years at a secondary school in Dos Hermanas. Teaching left me with a habit I have never lost: I explain the why before the what. The Alcázar is not only beautiful tilework. It is a palace built by a Castilian king in the style of his Muslim rivals, and that contradiction tells you most of what you need to know about medieval Seville. I work mainly in Spanish, English and Italian. My tours are structured, punctual and paced for people who want to understand what they are looking at rather than collect photographs. I do not rush through the cathedral, and I will ask you to keep your phone in your pocket for at least one room. I live in Santa Cruz, three streets from where I meet my groups, and I still spend Tuesday mornings reading in the Archivo de Indias. From Seville, I now guide on live video with my phone, and the chat stays open for your questions the whole time.