On a recent trip to Spain, I included stays in Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, and a day trip to Tangier, Morocco. Of all of these places, the one that got me feeling the most inspired creatively was Seville. Spain’s fourth largest city buzzes with art festivals, breathtaking architecture, flamenco dancing, hand-stitched shawls and lovely ladies’ fans.

Even the air is inspirational, filled with the fragrance of orange trees, jacaranda, and myrtle. The author, James Michener, wrote that Seville doesn’t have ambience, it is, ambience. While taking a cruise down the Guadalquivir River, I thought of the literature Seville has inspired, including the opera Carmen. Strolling around this city, it’s easy to imagine finding a corner table in a coffee shop, opening up the laptop and creating stories.