World City Guide

Mini Guide of Seville

City Overview

Of all the cities in Spain, many would argue that Seville is the most Spanish. Although the architecture is a layered blend of Christian and Moorish styles, those clichés that are most associated with Spain are all to be found huddled in Andalucia’s compact capital. From flamenco to fiestas and tapas to bullfights, here you’ll find the biggest and the best. ‘Romantic’, ‘flamboyant’, ‘intriguing’ and ‘embracing’ – these are all words that have been used to describe Seville, but so have ‘wild’ (think bullfights and frenzied flamenco), ‘reserved’, ‘conspicuous’ and ‘insular’. Such is the city, a hybrid of contrasts visible at every turn. The merciless bullring looms over romantic walkways whilst shark-fin bridges over the Rio Guadalquivir poke ominously through a terracotta skyline and mournful laments drift lazily through the cobbled alleyways of one of Europe’s most upbeat cities.

Seville is a man for all seasons and a season for all men. Party with the in-crowd at Plaza Alfalfa or Calle Betis or soak up the solitude within the Parque de Maria Luisa. Culture vultures swoop on the numerous museums and megalithic monuments of a time gone by, whilst eagle-eyed visitors find new fascination in every small detail.

Seville is unique, the whole of Spain encapsulated in a postcard-sized bite, with enough attractions to keep a loyal following entranced time and time again and with a Carmenesque allure that rarely fails to seduce all newcomers.

Getting There By Air

San Pablo (SVQ)
Tel: (954) 449 000.
Website: www.aena.es

The airport is located 10km (6 miles) northeast of the city.

There are two ATMs located on the first floor. Car hire services are available from Atesa, Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz. Other facilities include a tourist information desk, open daily 0900-2100 (tel: (954) 449 128), duty free shopping, left luggage, post box, pharmacy, first aid centre, shops, restaurants and bars. There is no business centre at the airport but AENA and Iberia both provide VIP lounges.

An airport bus service (tel: (902) 210 317) runs to Puerta de Jerez via Avenida Eduardo Dato every 30 minutes weekdays 06.45-23.30 and every hour weekends and public holidays 06.45-23.30 (journey time 30 minutes).

Taxi ranks are located opposite the terminal.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Motorways (autopista) are prefixed with the letter ‘A’, or ‘AP’ if it’s a toll road (peaje) i.e. A-4 or AP-4. The speed limit on these roads is 120kph (74mph). Dual carriageways (autovias) and other major roads (carretera nacional) are generally indicated with three digits, i.e. A376. The speed limit on these roads is 100kph (62mph). Within towns, the speed limit is 50kph (31mph).

Assistance in case of breakdowns may be sought from the Spanish Royal Automobile Club (RACE) (tel: (902) 404 545; website: www.race.es).

Eurolines international coach services (tel: (954) 907 844 or (902) 405 040; website: www.eurolines.es) use Estacion Plaza de Aramas, Avenida Cristo de la Expiración (tel: (954) 908 040). From Seville, Eurolines operate to many other parts of Spain and also to destinations in Morocco and Portugal. The Alsa coach company (tel: (954) 907 800 or (902) 422 242; website: www.alsa.es) also operate out of the same station, with routes throughout the rest of Spain in addition to services to France and Switzerland.

Getting There By Rail

Estacion de Santa Justa, Avenida de Kansas City is the city’s main railway station. The Spanish rail network is operated by RENFE (tel: (902) 240 202; website: www.renfe.es).

Seville has good rail links to Almeria, Barcelona, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Málaga and Valencia. An hourly high-speed AVE service links Seville to Madrid in 2 hours 30 mins.

Getting Around

Public Transport
Public transport is operated in Seville by the TUSSAM bus company (tel: (954) 557 200; website: www.tussam.es) with 10 different lines. Seville is a relatively compact city and its major attractions are all within walking distance. However, a reliable bus service does operate in and around the city. The most useful for visitors are the C1, C2, C3 and C4 circular lines operating through the city centre. Buses run from 0600 until 2345 in winter, 2400 in summer. After these times a night service operates on the hour until 0200. On Fridays and Saturdays extra buses are in operation from 0300 until 0600. Single tickets are available for purchase from the driver and cost ¬1. Passes for discounted travel are available and can be purchased in advance from tobacconists, kiosks and TUSSAM ticket offices.

Taxis
Reliable companies include Tele Taxi (tel: (954) 622 222), Radio Taxi Giralda (tel: (954) 675 555) and Radio Taxi (tel: (954) 580 000).

Car Hire
Supplements are often charged for drivers under the age of 25 wishing to rent a car in Spain. A valid passport is required for proof of identity. Along with several smaller rental agencies, the following major companies provide car hire in Seville; Atesa (tel: (954) 514 735; website: www.atesa.es), Avis (tel: (954) 449 122; website: www.avis.es), Budget (tel: same as Avis, (954) 449 122; website: www.budget.com), Europcar (tel: (954) 254 298; website: www.europcar.es) and Hertz (tel: (954) 449 126; website: www.hertz.es).

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
The lack of hills makes Seville an ideal city to explore by bike. Bicycles are available to hire from Cyclotour, Parque de Maria Luisa, Avenida de Hernan Cortes (tel: (954) 274 566). The tight winding streets of the old district are better suited to two-wheeled motors rather than the four-wheeled variety. Scooters can be rented on a daily basis from Rentamoto, Calle Padre Mendez Casariego 17 (tel: (954) 417 500; website: www.rentamoto.net).

Horse-drawn Carriages
A more sedate way to see the sights of the city is to hire a horse-drawn carriage by the hour. Hop aboard at one of a number of stops including Cabo Noval, Plaza Virgen de los Reyes, Plaza del Triunfo, Puerta de Jerez and the Torre del Oro (tel: (954) 924 015).

Business

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Thankfully Seville is a relatively compact city with most of its major sights within walking distance. Locals refer to the cathedral as the central point. A slow climb up the bell tower to take in the view is highly recommended for getting your bearings.

From the cathedral, the labyrinth of narrow walkways and surprising patios of the old Santa Cruz quarter are just a few steps away. In the opposite direction, it’s an easy stroll to the grandeur of the Torre del Oro and Maestranza bullring in the Arenal quarter. Even crossing the river to Triana is no real toil for the moderately healthy, spurred on no doubt by the thought of a riverside drink at one of several terrace-bars located along Calle Betis. The only major sights where public transport would be preferable to blistered feet are the Isla Magica and the old city walls in La Macarena quarter.

Tourist Information
Oficina de Informacion Turistica de la Provincia
Plaza del Triunfo 1
Tel: (954) 210 005 (province) or (954) 595 288 (Seville).
Website: www.turismosevilla.org

Passes
The Sevilla Card offers discounts on a range of shops, bars, restaurants and shows plus free admission to most of the city’s museums and monuments. The card also entitles unlimited use of public transport (TUSSAM bus lines) and sightseeing buses. The card is available from the main tourist offices, the airport, rail station, travel agencies or online at www.sevillacard.es

Key Attractions

Reales Alcázares (Royal Palaces)
Dating from the 14th century, the Reales Alcazares complex provides a perfect example of Moorish architecture and houses some prime examples of mudéjar artistry plus the most ornate gardens in Seville.

Patio de Banderas
Tel: (954) 502 324.
Website: www.patronato-alcazarsevilla.es

Catedral de Sevilla & La Giralda (Seville Cathedral and the bell tower)
Built in the 15th century on the foundations of the al-Moharrem Great Mosque, this gargantuan cathedral is the world’s largest Gothic temple and third largest Christian church after St Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. La Giralda was formerly the minaret of the former mosque and in its day was the highest tower in the world, affording the best views of Seville’s terracotta and white.

Fray Caferino Gonzalez
Tel: (954) 214 971.
Website: www.catedralsevilla.org

Torre del Oro and Museo Naval (Tower of Gold and Naval Museum)
Formerly a Moorish watchtower when it was built in the early 13th century, the Torre del Oro marked the edge of the city’s defences, later becoming a storage depot for gold and riches gathered on voyages to the Americas. Today it houses a small naval museum.

Paseo de Colón
Tel: (954) 222 419.

La Maestranza (Bullring of the noble Maestranza fraternity)
This yellow and white bullring is emblematic of the many cultural traditions still revered by Andalucians and is considered to be one of the most important bullfighting arenas in Spain. Guided tours of the museum are conducted regularly.

Paseo de Colón
Tel: (954) 224 577 or 56759 (for tickets).
Website: www.realmaestranza.com

Plaza de España
The Plaza de España is a huge public area bordered by a crescent of government buildings facing a monumental fountain. A moat flows under ornate staircases and gently past a succession of brightly tiled alcoves, one for each of Spain’s provinces.

Plaza de España, next to Parque de Maria Luisa

Further Distractions

Hospital de los Venerables (Hospital for the Venerable)
Constructed in 1676 as a rest home for priests, Santa Cruz’ best known building is now used to promote culture in the city. The interior patio is deemed to be one of the prettiest in the whole of southern Spain.

Plaza de los Venerables
Tel: (954) 562 696.
Website: www.focus.abengoa.es

Isla Magica
A legacy of the great expo of ’92, Isla Magica is now a multi-ride amusement park themed around the golden days of Seville’s illustrious seafaring trade.

Pabellon de España, Isla de Cartuja
Tel: (902) 161 716.
Website: www.islamagica.es

Tours of the City

There’s a multitude of means to take in the city. To capture the sites on foot, Guiapolis employ official guides to walk you around the main points of interest (tel: (958) 210 158; website: www.guiapolis.com). Self-guided walks using audio headsets are available through This Is Sevilla (tel: (954) 270 714).

Alternatively, two bus companies operate open-topped double-decker tours of the city, Sevillatour (tel: (954) 502 099; website: www.sevillatour.com) and Sevirama (tel: (954) 560 693; website: www.busturistico.com).

Cyclotour offer guided tours on two wheels (tel: (954) 274 566; website: www.cyclotouristic.com) or if you prefer to just sit back and take it all in, Cruceros Torre del Oro provide a relaxing one-hour cruise along the Guadalquivir River (tel: (954) 561 692; website: www.crucerostorredeloro.com).

Excursions

Some 9km (6 miles) north of Seville in the town of Santiponce you’ll find the remains of Itálica, one of the largest cities in the Roman empire. Highlights include a huge amphitheatre seating 25,000 and the monastic complex of San Isidro del Campo (tel: (955) 998 028; website: www.ayto-santiponce.es).

Located about an hour’s drive south-west towards Huelva, Doñana National Park is the largest aviary reserve in Europe. Secluded beaches, huge sand dunes and forests of pine and cork are just some of the features to be explored in this biosphere reserve (tel: (959) 448 711; website: www.mma.es/en/parques/lared/donana).

Sport

Shopping

The heart of the shopping district is Calle Sierpes and the streets running parallel - Calle Velazquez Tetúan and Calle Cuna. Here you’ll find a vast array of both traditional, and designer, shops. Waft yourself silly with all manner of fans at Dizal, Calle Sierpes 48, or spare some time to clock Enrique Sanchis, Calle Sierpes 19, antiquated purveyors of timepieces. Nervión near Santa Justa station is a shopping mall containing several department stores. The old railway station of Plaza de Armas also houses an eclectic collection of modern shops.

The biggest and best open-air markets are the Mercadillo de Los Jueves, Plaza Alameda de Hércules (0700-1500 Thursday) and the Mercadillo del Duque y la Magdalena, Plaza del Duque/Plaza de la Magdalena (1000-2100 Thurday to Sunday).

Most shops open at 0930/1000, closing at 1330/1400 for siesta and reopening at 1700 until 2000 on weekdays. On Saturdays they generally only open for half a day and on Sunday remain closed, however several bigger stores stay open all day including Saturdays.

Culture

Seville isn’t all about the stamping of flamenco heels and bullfighter’s shoes. More refined culture is an important part of Sevillan life. Opera and classical music are often performed at the Teatro de la Maestranza, Paseo de Colón 22 (Tel: (954) 226 573; website: www.teatromaestranza.com) also the home of the Royal Symphonic Orchestra of Seville. Tickets from the box office (Jardin de la Caridad). In addition to classical music, theatre and flamenco, Teatro Central on the Isla de la Cartuja, Calle José de Galvez (tel: (955) 037 200; website: www.teatrocentral.com) offers more contemporary entertainment in the form of pop concerts, as does the Teatro Lope de Vega, Avenida de Maria Luisa (tel: (954) 590 867). Outdoor pop, rock, opera and theatre of all descriptions also take place at Europe’s largest open-air venue, El Auditorio, Isla de la Cartuja (tel: (954) 467 538; website: www.auditoriodesevilla.com).

There are several cinemas screening original language films, from the modern multi-screen complexes such as Cines Warner Lusomondo, Plaza de Armas (tel: (902) 233 343) to the ‘old-style’ splendour of Cine Cervantes, Calle Amor de Dios (tel: (954) 380 157).

For more information on cultural events visit www.sevilla.org/cultura or pick up a copy of Guia del Ocio, a what’s on and leisure guide available from kiosks and bookshops.

Nightlife

There are a great many number of watering holes in Seville catering for all styles of outing. For a quiet drink ideal for people-watching head to the area surrounding the cathedral. A good starting point to the evening is at one of the bars in the Santa Cruz district. From there, Calle Betis and Plaza Alfalfa is where most of the action continues until the early hours.

Drinking on the streets and plazas is tolerated if not wholly legal. A nationwide ban put paid to the practice recently, but Seville is one of the very few cities in Spain where el botéllon is still practised.

Bars: P. Flaherty, Calle Alemanes 7, is a lively Irish-themed bar and a popular meeting spot next to the cathedral. In the same area, Antiguedades, Argote de Molina 40, is another busy bar with a bizarre theme that changes from month to month. Fundición, Calle Betis 49, is a friendly bar playing good music right in the middle of Calle Betis, and Burbujas, Calle Radio Sevilla, is a bubbly bar serving an assortment of champagne cocktails. Maya Soul, Calle Betis 41, meanwhile, has trendy sofas with big-screen TV, free WiFi connection and sushi bar (Wed and Thurs).

Clubs: Discoteca Boss, Calle Betis 67 (website: www.discotecaboss.com) is a huge club, busy in the week and packed at weekends. Aduana, corner of Avenida Raza and Cardenal Bueno Monreal (website: www.aduana.net), one of Seville’s most popular nightspots, plays house, electro and electro on one dance floor, pop on the other. And Bestiario, Calle Zaragoza 33, is a funky café bar often staying open until sunrise.

Live Music: La Carbonería, Calle Levies 18, is a busy, three-stage bar with an eclectic bill of performances from poetry to flamenco. Also worth checking out are Café Jazz Naima, Calle Trajano 45, a small and hip jazz bar with live music at the weekends, and La Sirena, Alameda de Hércules 34, a favourite haunt featuring local live bands and musicians.

City Statistics

Location: Andalucia, Southern Spain.
Country dialling code: 34.
Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 11°C (52°F).
Average July temp: 27°C (81°F).
Annual rainfall: 564mm (23 inches).

Special Events

Temporada Taurina, Easter Sunday until 12 October, bullfighting season, Real Maestranza
Semana Santa, Mar/Apr, eight days of religious parades, various venues
La Feria de Abril, Apr/May, seven-day fair celebrating Andalucian rural life, Real de la Feria
Corpus Christi, May/Jun, religious processions and song of the Seises, cathedral and various venues
Vela de Santa Ana, Jul, local religious celebration, Triana
Bienal de Flamenco, Sep, world flamenco showcase, Teatro Maestranza and various venues
Feria Mundial de Flamenco, Oct, exhibition and shows from the world of flamenco, Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones
Fiesta de Immaculada Concepcion, 8 Dec, local religious celebration, cathedral

Cost of Living

1 Euro (¬1) = £0.68; US$1.19; C$1.39; A$1.56
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005