Palacio de las Duenas (Palace of Duenas), Seville (must see)

The Palace of Duenas is one of Seville’s most atmospheric historic residences and a key example of the city’s aristocratic heritage. Built in the 15th century, the palace belongs to the powerful House of Alba, which has owned it for generations. Its name derives from the nearby Monastery of Saint Mary of Duenas, once home to nuns and servants of Saint Ferdinand and Alfonso X “the Wise.” The monastery stood on the edge of the palace grounds until its demolition in 1866.

Architecturally, the palace reflects a rich blend of Renaissance design with Gothic and Moorish accents, a combination typical of Seville’s late medieval and early modern architecture. Although the palace originally featured eleven courtyards, only one remains today, enclosed by an elegant gallery that preserves the intimate rhythm of noble domestic life. Inside, visitors encounter a grand staircase beneath a vaulted roof, ceilings with gilded alfarje woodwork, and rooms filled with refined decorative detail.

The palace has long been associated with literature and the arts. Several notable poets and artists were born or lived here, most famously Antonio Machado, who was born in the palace in 1875. At one point, the residence also housed Lord Holland, a passionate admirer of Spanish literature and author of a memoir on playwrights Lope de Vega and Guillén de Castro.

Today, the interiors display an impressive collection of Italian and Spanish paintings, antiques, ceramics, sculptures, tapestries, and mosaics.