View all River Guadalquivir Cruises
From the Arabic Wadi al-kabir, meaning ‘great river’, the Guadalquivir cuts a 408-mile course through the heart of Andalusia from the Sierra de Cazorla to the Gulf of Cadiz and Atlantic Ocean. Since the time of the Phoenicians, maritime cultures have recognised the importance of this ocean to river link. Sieges, defences and conquests were fought on its waters, and exploits and crossings have been forged from its shores with ancient Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans and Moors all leaving their legacy. Today the Guadalquivir is only navigable from Seville to the sea but following this waterway of ancient sailors promises a unique glimpse into Andalusia’s distinctive cultural heritage and the region’s rich history.
Things to know
- Lying 70 miles from the sea, Seville is Spain’s only inland port
- In Roman times the Guadalquivir River was navigable to Cordoba
- The first voyage around the world left from Seville in 1519
- The river provides water for the fertile valleys of Andalucia
- The coastal marshes along the Guadalquivir estuary called ‘Las Marismas’ are rich in wildlife and birdlife.
- Guadalquivir mean “the great river” in Arabic
- Rising in the mountains of Jaѐn, it flows 408 miles to the Alantic Ocean on the gulf of Cadiz
- The surrounding mountains are cover in pine trees but mostly olive groves