Seville Travel Guide

From Wikitravel

View of the Gothic cathedral and the Moorish bell-tower La Giralda (the former minaret of the mosque), Seville

Seville (Sevilla) [1] is the capital of Andalucia, the cultural and financial centre of southern Spain. A city of just over 700,000 inhabitants (1.6 million in the metropolitan area, making it Spain's 3rd largest city), Seville has much to offer the traveller.

Understand

According to legend, Seville was founded by Hercules. It was known as Hispalis under the Romans, and Isbiliya (أشبيليّة) during the Moorish occupation. The high point in its history was following the discovery of America.

The city is situated on the banks of the smooth, slow Guadalquivir River, which divides the city into two halves: Sevilla and Triana. The river head is located much further West, and its basin is very large. The river mouth is located in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and crosses the Doñana National Park (one of the most important wetlands in Europe, breeding ground to many species of birds). The Guadalquivir (known as Betis by the Romans and as Betik Wahd-Al-Khabir by the Arabs) has had a major impact in the history of the city. The location of Sevilla is roughly coincident with the point where the Guadalquivir stops being useful for navigation. It is at this point that the cereal producing region of the Guadalquivir Valley starts, and Sevilla has acted as a sea-port for commerce of agricultural goods produced further West. Intense trade existed in the area from Roman times, later in Araba times, and finally, a major explosion of wealth ensued from commerce with the Americas. As trade from the Americas dwindled (due to the rise of [Cádiz]), the city entered a period of relative decline.

Seville has played host to two international exhibitions - the Iber-Americano Exhibition in 1929 and the International Exposition in 1992.

Inhabitants of the city are known as Sevillanos.

Get in

By plane

Sevilla International Airport [2] is located about 25 minutes drive from the city centre.

A bus service (http://www.tussam.es/) [3] runs about every 30 minutes from just outside the Arrivals hall during most of the day (though with longer gaps 1pm-4pm) and costs approx. €2.40. Taxis are always available next to the bus stop and run on a fixed fare to Seville centre, just under €18 during the day and just under €21 after 10pm and at weekends / holidays. Much controversy has been stirred by some taxi drivers trying to overcharge tourists, so be careful to pay no more than this if you are travelling into the city. Other destinations outside Seville obviously cost more and are matered. Tips are NOT necessary, though €1-2 for a polite, helpful service is appreciated.

By train

Sevilla Santa Justa Station is located on the eastern edge of Seville city centre. Completed in 1991, the station is the southern terminus of the Spanish high speed AVE train service.

High-speed, less than an hour to wonderful city of Córdoba, less than three hours trains run from Madrid to Seville; however, slower trains remain a a bargain. And, there is an overnight train that runs from Barcelona to Seville in under 11 hours.

By car

Driving is also always an option for long distance travel in Spain, but isn't as convenient or as useful once in town.

By bus

Regular buses run to/from most major cities, departing either from the Plaza de Armas bus station near the river, or the Prado de San Sebastián station near the University/Santa Cruz.

See

Visitors to Seville should consider the Sevilla Card [4], designed to aid city exploration and conserve precious travel funds. The card includes free admission to most Seville museums and monuments, unlimited use of public transportation (TUSSAM Buslines, NB: only for Cards with Public Transport), a guided visit of the Real Alcazar of Seville, the unlimited use of sightseeing buses, boat rides on the Guadalquivir River and admission to the Isla Mágica Theme Park. The card also allows access to significant discounts in shops, restaurants, shows and leisure centres for adults and children. The Sevilla card is accompanied by a guide and city map.

The Sevilla card comes in three denominations of 1, 2 or 3 days’ duration in blocks of 24 hours from the time of first activation when inserted into the electronic validation terminal of the suppliers associated with the Sevilla Card Programme (be careful not to activate too soon).

Prices: 1 day €50 (with transport €53), 2 days €60 (with transport €66), 3 days €65 (with transport €72). The 2 and 3 day options attract a discount of €3 per card when purchased on the website.

The Sevilla Card can be purchased by the folllowing means: Online [5]; by telephone +34 91 600 21 21 / 902 088 908; and, once in Seville, at tourism offices, the airport, the train station, travel agencies and through national and international tour operators (check the website for addresses).

• Another way to see and visit Sevilla is with an official Tour Guide. Antonio Doblas organizes monumental tours, wine & tapas, bike tours, flamenco nights, cruise along the Guadalquivir river, sightseeings by typical horse carriages,..etc for groups and individuals. http://es.geocities.com/guiassevilla

Landmarks

• the Cathedral of Seville was once judged the third largest church in the world after Saint Peter's in Rome and Saint Paul's in London; it is now arguably the largest church in the world when compared using the measurement of volume. Seville's fifteenth century cathedral occupies the site of the former great mosque built in the late twelfth century. The central nave rises to an awesome 42 metres over a total area of 11,520 square metres. The Cathedral is the final resting place of the remains of Christopher Columbus.
  • La Giralda is a large and beautiful minaret tower, originally intended for the chief mosque, but now the magnificent bell tower of the Cathedral and symbol of Seville. Climb the stairs for a great view of the city.
• Alcázar is a beautiful Moorish palace, begun in the early tenth century.
• The Jewish Quarter is located near La Giralda
• the Hospital de los Venerables, Plaza de los Venerables, admission adults €4.75 - a 17th century retirement home and hospital for aged and sickly retired priests, recently restored by the Fundación Focus-Abengoa to preserve an example of Andalusian architecture at its very best. Includes a resplendent Baroque chapel - not to be missed. Admission includes an informative audioguide.
• Torre de Oro is a thirteenth century tower, the top of which was once covered in gold. It now houses the local maritime museum.
• Parque María Luisa was built for the 1929 Iber-Americano World's Fair and now is landscaped with attractive monuments and museums.
• Plaza de España is the site of the Spanish pavilion from the 1929 exhibition.
• Universidad de Sevilla is an old, beautiful university set near the Parque Maria Luisa.

Museums and Galleries

• the Museo de Bellas Artes, Plaza del Museo, 9, tel +34 954 22 18 29, +34 954 22 07 90, open Tu 3pm-8pm, We-Sa 9am-8pm, Su 9am-2pm; closed Mondays - considered by some as the second most important fine arts museum in Spain after the Prado in Madrid. The museum building is a former mercy convent renewed in the 17th century and the fifteen exhibition rooms show a comprehensive picture of Sevillian art from the Gothic period to the early trends of the 20th century.

Do

• Semana Santa - the sombre Easter week processions feature thousands of people and go on all week - a spectacular display of conspicuous Catholicism
• Feria de abril - a release after the sombreness of Semana Santa, a huge party of eating and drinking
• Go out - the nightlife of Seville is fantastic; no other European city has so many bars per inhabitant than Seville. In summmer go to Isla Cartuja and find out why the Spanish night doesn't stop before 7 AM. There you can find plenty of open-air discoteques.
• Flamenco - Flamenco is in fact very popular at the moment in Spain and is not just for tourists, however finding the right place is hard (unless you ask a local). El Arenal is one place to consider. The Cultural Centre, C/ Ximénez de Enciso, 28 (Santa Cruz). Tel 954 56 06 70, is a good spot to see real flamenco, performances are daily at 9:00pm, it costs €22, €10 for students and Sevillians, €6 for kids (4 to 10).
• Walking Tours, mailto:info@sevillawalkingtours.com, 902 158 226, 616 501 100, [6] - fascinating and integral to the enjoyment of a city are all the little bits and stories that audioguides don't provide. The guide is interesting and interested in what she does—if she doesn't know something she will endeavour to find out. Entry to buildings is not included—consider combining the tour with a Seville tourist card. Reductions are available for taking various combinations of these tours.
  • City Tour, Mo-Sa, fee €10, meets at 10:30am in front of the statue in Plaza Nueva
  • Cathedral Tour, Mo, We, Fr, fee €6, meets at 1:00pm in the Plaza del Triunfo
  • Alcazar Tour, Tu, Th, Sa, fee €6, meets at 1:00pm in the Plaza del Triunfo.
• Horse drawn carriage rides found near the cathedral take you to the nearby park and other sites of interest - for the sake of the animals, try to avoid / discourage the use of carriage rides in the heat of the day in summer

Entrance to the Bull Fighting Arena, Seville

• Attend a Bull Fight at the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza - not for the squeamish or those with convictions on animal welfare! Failing that, a visit to the arena and the attached museum of bull-fighting (€4.00) is well worth the time...

Buy

Seville is home to many beautiful artifacts; some of the more popularly known are plates and Spanish tiles. There are stores that custom design plates and tiles near the cathedral, but across the river in Triana there are even more stores offering pottery items not to be missed.

Clothing

Seville offers a wide variety of retail clothing... The main shopping district is home to all the big international and Spanish clothing lines (such as Zara - at least 4 separate stores!) The winding streets and alleyways of the Santa Cruz area (around the Cathedral) do a roaring trade in Spanish- and Andaludian-themed T-shirts for all and inexpensive flamenco dresses for little girls.

• Toro de Fuego, [7], Hernando Colon, 38 local 3, tel 954 215 176 - an above-average and tasteful T-shirt boutique, offering a large number of variations on the popular "bull of fire" theme... Printing is high quality, the fabric is good quality and proprietor María Gutiérrez is friendly and helpful. T-shirts average €16 for all sizes.

Eat

Seville, like most Andalucian destinations, is known for its tapas. There are many great tapas places around the foot of the cathedral in the center of town. You can't go wrong, simply order one of everything to find your favorite!

Drink

• There are quite a few teterias in Triana across the river offering teas, shakes and middle eastern pastries in a cozy cushion filled environment

• Across from the cathedral sits a coffee shop called Cafe de Las Indias where you can buy delicious chocolate shakes and coffees.

• Just down the road from Cafe de Las Indias you will find a patisserie shop selling wonderful chocolate covered palmeras, a wonderful afternoon treat after a long day touring the sites.

• Don't miss 'Cervecería La Internacional', one of the best beer shops in Spain. More than 250 types of beer, wonderful tapas and good connections: it's located in Calle Barcelona, just 1 minute away from Plaza Nueva, where the Town Hall is.

Sleep

Accommodation prices in Seville are slightly higher than the rest of Andalusia. They also change with the tourist seasons. High season is August - September, Mid - High Season is May-June. During "Semana Santa" in April, Seville is packed, as well during the "Feria" time. For a more intimate experience on a budget, wander into Santa Cruz, the old Jewish Quarter and you will wonderful "pensiones" offering comfy beds and typical courtyard views.

Most places have air conditioning but be sure to ask in summer, you will need it. Your room is really the place where you siesta.

Budget

• Oasis Backpackers' Hostel [8]. Centrally located right next to the Cathedral and bus station. It is a very sociable place with guest kitchen, and a terrace. The hostel regularly organises tapas tours and other social activities. €18 dorms / €40 double including internet access, room safes, and breakfast.

Mid-range

• Grupo Piramide, (between the Alazar and the Indian Archives) [9]. A Group of four hotels named after artists offering good accommodation. Each offers a slightly different form of accommodation, Hospederia Dalí, Hotel Zurbarán, Hostal Van Gogh, Hostal Picasso. Contact information and map are available on their website. (Hostal Van Gogh, double room with private bathroom, €50 in June)
• Hotel Amadeus Alvarez Quintero 52. Small boutique hotel in a good location.
• Seville hotel listing, list of hotels in the city centre of Seville [10]. Useful map and hotel details for information on selecting a central hotel.

Splurge

• Hotel Alfonso XIII [11] - the most luxurious hotel in Seville, built for the Exposicion in 1929, and with prices to match!
• Las Casas de la Judería, Callejón Dos Hermanas, 7. (in Santa Cruz), [12]. A lovely old collection of houses beside a church that was once a synagogue. Very expensive (rooms start at €150 (prices less than this probably do not include breakfast.(€32)). Rooms are often nothing special, apparently offers a pool. You can get a slightly smaller room elsewhere for two thirds the price. Perhaps wander in for a look around at its court yards but if you want a special night or two, look elsewhere. Room and reception service incredibly slow, virtually unresponsive without repeated requests!
• Casa Romana Hotel Boutique Trajano 15. $200 and up.
• San Gil hotel Doctor Cortezo 3. [13]. A converted palace dating back to 1901, the hotel San Gil is listed as one of the hundred best buildings in Seville. Positioned in the Old Quarter of the city it was completely renovated and extended four years ago, and now boasts 61 guest rooms which include air-conditioning, phone, satellite TV, minibar and safe. The small rooftop pool and sun terrace provide enchanting views and a traditional style bar/coffee shop and adjacent breakfast room complete the San Gil's facilities.

Get out

• Nearby Cordoba is a wonderful day trip (about an hour by train) or 2 days to see everything. Visit the Mezquita with peppermint striped arches or the old white walled Jewish quarter where every turn offers a new view and don't forget Medina Azahara archeological site! You can also take a bath in Hamam, Arabic baths massage included, very relaxing.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Cordoba_%28city%29 Córdoba city in Wikitravel.

• Nearby Granada is possible on a long day trip, but better for an overnight or long weekend.

• Nearby Cadiz a wonderful, ancient (oldest city in Europe) city. It's an hour and a half by train, a little less by car. Walk its downtown, bath in its beaches and taste its delicious fish. And if it's Carnival time, don't miss one of the more massive Carnival in the world (and surely one of the funniest ones).

• Even nearer, Italica [14], a partially excavated Roman city, is only a bus ride away (from Plaza de Armas Bus Station). Most of it is lost under the village of Santiponce, but several streets and the footings of houses and public buildings with mosaic tiled floors can be seen. The highlight is one of the largest known Roman amphitheatres.