In the early twentieth century, Seville was a city that was left behind. It didn’t follow the galloping pace of industrialization that took Northern Europe by storm and its urban centre remained secluded behind the city walls. In 1929 an international fair was held in the city. The aim was to bring together all countries that had once been Spanish colonies in the Americas, as well as the US, Morocco and Portugal, in order to establish a new relationship of friendship. The city was about to receive international delegacies and celebrities, so the exhibition was a timely opportunity for restoring the monuments and various parts of Seville, such as the Santa Cruz quarter. Modern hotels were built and streets were widened to welcome the new visitors. The 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition was, thus, the first time Seville was marketed as a travel destination!