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The City

Seville is a city bursting with life and has something to offer everyone. From unique wondrous architecture to bustling night life or a tranquil cruises down the river. Whatever you are interested in, you will find it in Seville. Orange trees, getting lost amongst the medieval streets and tapas are all essential components of the Seville experience.

The city centre spans the very popular Santa Cruz area and stretches out towards the alternative Alameda de Hercules. The main shopping streets are Calle Tetuan and Sierpes. They run parallel to each other, beginning at La Campana and stretching up to Plaza Nueva.

The main tourism hot spots are in the Santa Cruz area where you will find the Cathedral and the Alcázar, as well as along the river where you will encounter various touts trying to sell you “Tour por Seville” hop on- hop off bus tickets. The centre and the main tourist attractions are all relatively compact. So these bus trips really aren’t necessary and you will have a much better chance to explore on foot.

There is an urban myth that the city was constructed purposely in the Middle Ages to make navigation difficult for invading armies. Exploring the narrow streets can feel like a tribute to the past and is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Seville is a wonderful city and if you have the opportunity to spend a few months here you are very lucky. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

The Cathedral & The Alcazar- there are a multitude of tourist attractions here and the Cathedral is a good point to start from. However if you’re not a fan of tourist trekking and you do nothing else touristy while in Seville, take a walk around the stunning Plaza de España. This is an architectural highlight not to be missed. A visit to the “Alcazar” is also well worth the effort in Plaza del Triunfo right opposite the Cathedral. The Arab architecture is stunning and the gardens lovely. Flash your student card and it’s free as well.

If you are more interested in pampering yourself, the Arab baths are a real treat. Tucked away on Calle Aire, a short walk from the Cathedral it would be easy to overlook them. Relax and enjoy a massage or simply soak up the ambience in the various different baths.

Triana and Los Remedios- just the other side of the river, opposite the Plaza de Toros is Triana and a little further on, Los Remedios. A short walk from the centre these residential areas are pretty popular for students to live in. Parque de los Principios is a lovely place to hang out in and the Triana market is well worth a look. The Feria de Abril takes place in Los Remedios as well.

Semaña Santa- or Easter week is a very emotional time for the locals and they take it very seriously indeed! It involves a number of gold laden processions by day and night, followed by crowds offering their adorations of the virgin. Each procession travels from its church of origin to the Cathedral through the city centre over the course of a few hours. You can pick up timetables from local papers and there’s live coverage on local TV channel “Giralda” if you don’t feel like braving the crowds! Over the course of Semaña Santa, many of the main routes into the city centre are closed so be prepared for it to take longer than normal to get about.

The Feria de Abril- takes place in the last week of April and is a release from the solemnity of Semaña Santa. Walking through the site is an amazing experience as you see an array of colourful dresses, horses and carts and “Casetas”. These are tents, some private and some public, where they spend the day eating, drinking, dancing and socialising. There is also a funfair for the kids and for those who didn’t manage to get an invitation to a private caseta!

Bull fighting- whatever your opinion may be of Bull fighting, it is an integral part of Spanish culture and even if you are not planning on seeing a match, the museum and the Bullring are worth a look. The season runs from April until October and the best place to buy a ticket is at the Plaza de Toros (the bullring) itself as touts hanging around outside will overcharge.

Flamenco- there is an array of different venues in which to watch some flamenco dancing. These range from shows purely for tourists to more authentic environments. La Carboneria, which can be found on Calle Levies (you will certainly need a map!) is a great spot. It does attract mainly tourists but the performances are high quality and there’s a show on every night. It’s also free whereas many other venues charge and there’s a great atmosphere. The gardens are also nice to relax and have a drink in afterwards. Amongst varying spots all over the city every Tuesday at El Laberinto, just off Plaza de la Encarnacion, there are performances from local artists and often novices ad lib much to the delight of the crowd.

Transport

The centre of the city is relatively compact and most places are within walking distance. The centre is very pedestrian friendly although there is a very comprehensive bus network. A single journey is just 1€ or you can buy “Bonobus” tickets from local newspaper stands for a set of 10 or 20 journeys which work out cheaper. The city council is also in the process of building a tram and metro system which will make getting about even easier. There are of course, a multitude of taxis around the city at all hours. More unusually, there is an army of horse and cart drivers, particularly around the Cathedral and Plaza de España, if you are looking for a more traditional experience. An hour long trip around the centre costs around 40€, although you may be able to negotiate a better rate if you are good at bartering!

Getting out of the city- Seville had excellent bus and train links to the rest of the country. Estación Santa Justa (the train station) is on Avenida Kanzas City 1.5 km north of the city centre. There is a ticket office in the centre on Calle Zaragoza. The main bus station, Prado de San Sebastian, is in the Plaza de San Sebastian (a 5 minute walk from the University). There is also a bus station at the Plaza de Armas. Malaga and Granada each take just 2 ½ hours and Faro in Southern Portugal can be reached in a couple of hours. Morocco can also be reached by bus and ferry in just 8 hours. If you fancy a day trip, Cadiz is very relaxed little town and has some beautiful surrounding beaches.

University

There are several universities in Seville; the “Universidad de Sevilla” can be accessed from Calle San Fernando or Avenida El Cid. Both of which are a five minute walk from the Cathedral. Housed in an old tobacco factory which was converted in the 1970s, the university building is another tribute to classic Sevillian architecture with its 18th century water fountains and courtyards. The onsite tapas bar is also fantastic!

If you are taking a language course, the “Instituto de Idiomas” can be found on Calle Reina Mercedes. It’s a bit of a walk from University but the number 34 bus from Puerta de Jerez stops right outside. There are a multitude of foreign students at the university who come from all over Europe and the US, making the university environment very diverse and friendly.

Food and Drink

Tapas, Tapas, Tapas!- Seville is the place to come for tapas. There is a tapas bar on every corner and I have yet to find one with bad food. A few of my favourite spots are around Plaza Alfalfa, El Meson Serranito on Calle Alfonso xii, El Patio on San Eloy which boasts some Romanesque marble steps and El Meson Infanta. This gem of a bar is hidden just slightly off the beaten track, yet still very accessible. Turn right off Avenida de la Constitucion onto Dos de Mayo and you will find it on the right. There is also El Rinconcillo for a truly authentic tapas experience. It is supposedly the oldest tapas bar in Seville and can be found on Calle Gerona.

“Tinto de Verano”- is a very typical Sevillian drink, consisting of simply red wine and lemonade and is a nice accompaniment to tapas on those scorching hot days. If you are a coffee fiend you are in luck as Café con leche (a shot of espresso with a dash of milk), or a solo (simply a shot of espresso) are considered essential components of a relaxing afternoon.

Seville’s reputation for a fine array of tapas is well deserved; however, other varieties of food are in short supply in comparison. There are several Italian restaurants throughout the city. A very good one is “Il Tagiatelli” on Calle Alfonso xii. The Oriental food at Buddha del Mar (in the Plaza de Armas shopping centre) is also very good.

While eating out, tipping is not expected and most bills will include tax but no service charge.

Out on the Town

The Andalusian love of socialising is well reputed with many clubs and bars staying open all night. Everything starts a little later here with most bars and clubs not really kicking off until 12 or 1am. Clubbing is not particularly expensive in Seville, with most places either being free or not costing more than 10€ to get in and once inside drinks are relatively cheap.

Possibly the largest concentration of bars and clubs is around the Alameda de Hercules, just a 10 minute walk form Plaza Nueva. Here the establishments range from cosmopolitan restaurants to grungy, relaxed bars and clubs which are open until 5 or 6 am. Fun Club and Jackson’s are just a couple of good spots, with Fun offering live music some nights.

Calle Betis, which runs along the river just over the Puente de Triana, has a multitude of Bars and clubs. Also, in the Plaza de Armas you’ll find Buddha del mar, a 3 storey club and restaurant combined which has really good oriental food and is a slightly more upmarket environment.

In keeping with most cities, Seville has an array of Irish pubs, popular with tourists and students. Flaherty’s is just opposite the Cathedral on Calle Alemanes and The Merchant is on Calle Canelejas.
If it’s a low key evening you’re after, the Avenida Cinema just opposite Plaza de Armas shows films in their original versions whereas at all other cinemas they are dubbed.

General Information

As in most cities, bag snatching and pick pocketing is common in Seville, particularly around by the river and in Parque Marie Luisa. So watch your bags! However incidents can be avoided by exercising a little common sense such as not placing valuables on display.

Andalusia is a very traditional region and attitudes to women are changing. However, the machismo culture is still alive and well. This is not something that is going to change overnight so ladies expect to get whistled at!

Seville is reputably the hottest city in Europe. So if you are not used to high temperatures, its best to get here in plenty of time to try and accustom yourself gradually to the heat. A few simple measures can be taken such as avoiding extensive walking about in the hottest part of the day (12-4pm) and keeping your shutters down and windows closed during the day.

Get yourself a “Guia Verde” from any major book store in the centre. It’s a complete guide to the city’s streets and an essential tool to navigating round those windy medieval streets.

Shopping- On Sundays, the relaxed atmosphere contrasts the hustle and bustle of Saturday activity. You will find only cafes and restaurants are open with most shops and supermarkets closed until Monday. The towering Corte Ingles buildings dominate the city but there are much better and cheaper supermarkets. There are two large Mercadona’s in Plaza de Armas and La Macarena and various other less well equipped chains such as Super Sol’s.

The boring stuff

To view information about Bank Accounts & Money transfers, Internet & Telephone and Health, visit our Spanish homepage.

Guide written by Helen Robertson, English exchange student Seville, 2006/2007.

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