ANDALUCíA, SPAIN
Andalucía, Spain
The scent of orange blossom, the swish of a flamenco dress, the first glimpse of the Alhambra: memories of Andalucía linger. Immortalised in operas and vividly depicted in 19th-century art and literature, Andalucía often acts as a synonym for Spain as a whole, a spirited and passionate place where the atmosphere sneaks up and envelops you when you least expect it – perhaps as you’re crammed into a buzzing tapas bar sipping one of the superb local sherries.
Start at Andalucía’s two great cities, Granada and Seville. Both are filled with magnificent architectural and cultural treasures and are unmissable.
Two Days in Andalucía
Granada’s extraordinary Alhambra can easily fill two days. Fully exploring this hilltop Moorish citadel with its extraordinary gardens and views is not an experience you should rush. However venturing elsewhere in this beautiful, inviting city will let you see sites like the Mirador San Nicolás and Basílica San Juan de Dios. Later bar-hop around the city enjoying free tapas.
Four Days in Andalucía
In Seville, marvel at the mind-blowing Mudéjar decor and gardens of the Real Alcázar royal palace complex. Then pay homage to architectural and artistic treasures at the Catedral, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, then surveying sensational views from its belltower, the Giralda. Contemplate artistic masterpieces from Seville’s Golden Age at the Hospital de los Venerables Sacerdotes. Later, stroll medieval streets cafe-hopping.
Next stop: Andalucía is pleasantly situated between Barcelona and Lisbon.
Arriving in Andalucía
Seville’s airport has regional connections from Europe. Seville and Granada are both connected to Madrid by high-speed trains. Regional train and bus service connects towns and cities across Andalucía as well as with the rest of Spain. Your own vehicle is useful for exploring backroads and hilltop villages, but for the most important places, public transport will serve you well.
Where to Stay
Granada has plenty of hotels and hostels, many in the compact area around the cathedral. Some of the prettiest lodgings are in the hilly Albayzín district.
Seville has a good selection of places to stay in the three most atmospheric areas: Barrio de Santa Cruz (walkable from Prado de San Sebastián bus station), El Arenal and El Centro (both nearer Plaza de Armas bus station).
TOP EXPERIENCE
Alhambra
The Alhambra is part palace, part fort, part World Heritage Site and part lesson in medieval architecture. It is unlikely that, as a historical monument, it will ever be surpassed.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
Patio de los Leones, the Alhambra’s centrepiece and gateway to the inner sanctum.
8Need to Know
%958 02 79 71, tickets 858 95 36 16; www.alhambra-patronato.es; adult/12-15yr/under 12yr €14/8/free, Generalife & Alcazaba adult/under 12yr €7/free; 
h8.30am-8pm Apr–mid-Oct, to 6pm mid-Oct–Mar, night visits 10-11.30pm Tue & Sat Apr–mid-Oct, 8-9.30pm Fri & Sat mid-Oct–Mar
5Take a Break
Bring a picnic and behave like royalty by relaxing in the Generalife gardens.
oTop Tip
Reserve tickets in advance at https://tickets.alhambra-patronato.es/en/
Palacios Nazaríes
The central palace complex, the Palacios Nazaríes (map Google map; Nasrid Palaces), is the pinnacle of the Alhambra’s design. Highlights include the Patio de Arrayanes where rooms look onto the rectangular pool edged in myrtles, and the Salón de los Embajadores (map Google map) , where the marvellous domed marquetry ceiling uses more than 8000 cedar pieces to create its intricate star pattern representing the seven heavens.
The adjacent Patio de los Leones (map Google map; Courtyard of the Lions), built in the second half of the 14th century, has a fountain that channelled water through the mouths of 12 marble lions as its centrepiece. The stucco work hits its apex here, with almost lacelike detail. On the patio’s northern side is the Sala de Dos Hermanas (map Google map; Hall of Two Sisters) whose dizzying ceiling is a fantastic muqarnas dome with some 5000 tiny cells. A reflecting pool and terraced garden front the small Palacio del Partal (Palace of the Portico), the oldest surviving palace in the Alhambra, from the time of Mohammed III (r 1302–09).
Generalife
From the Arabic jinan al-’arif (the overseer’s gardens), the Generalife is a soothing arrangement of pathways, patios, pools, fountains, tall trees and, in season, flowers. At the north end is the emirs’ summer palace, a whitewashed structure on the hillside facing the Alhambra. The courtyards here are particularly graceful; in the second courtyard, the trunk of a 700-year-old cypress tree suggests what delicate shade once graced the patio. Climb the steps outside the courtyard to the Escalera del Agua, a delightful bit of garden engineering, where water flows along a shaded staircase.
Alcazaba & Christian Buildings
The western end of the Alhambra grounds are the remnants of the Alcazaba, chiefly its ramparts and several towers including the Torre de la Vela (Watchtower), with a narrow staircase leading to the top terrace where the cross and banners of the Reconquista were raised in January 1492.
By the Palacios Nazaríes, the hulking Renaissance-era Palacio de Carlos V, built in 1527 after the Reconquista, clashes spectacularly with its surroundings. Inside, the Museo de la Alhambra (map Google map; %958 91 80 29; www.alhambra.org/en/museum-alhambra.html; EU/non-EU citizens free/€1.50; h8.30am-8pm Wed-Sat, to 2.30pm Sun & Tue mid-Mar–mid-Oct, 8.30am-6pm Wed-Sat, to 2.30pm Sun & Tue mid-Oct–mid-Mar) has a collection of Alhambra artefacts and the Museo de Bellas Artes (map Google map; Fine Arts Museum; %958 56 35 08; EU/non-EU citizens free/€1.50; h9am-3.30pm Tues-Sun mid-Jun–mid-Sep, 9am-7.30pm Tue-Sat mid-Mar–mid-Jun & mid-Sep–mid-Oct, to 6pm mid-Oct–Mid-Mar, 9am-3.30pm Sun) displays paintings and sculptures from Granada’s Christian history.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Sherry Tasting & Tapas
In the sun-dappled vineyards of western Andalucía, sherry, an often-misunderstood fortified wine, is enjoying a renaissance; you can dig deeper with tours, tastings, sherry-pairing menus and more. Savour its oakiness in the Sherry Triangle towns of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
Jerez de la Frontera’s Fiestas de la Vendimia (hSep) and Sanlúcar de Barrameda’s Feria de la Manzanilla (hlate May/early Jun).
8Need to Know
Fast trains link Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa María with Seville (1¼ to 1½ hours). A web of frequent buses link both to Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Driving from Jerez de la Frontera to El Puerto de Santa María is 18km and to Sanlúcar de Barrameda is 25km.
5Take a Break
Jerez de la Frontera’s Bodegas Tradición (%956 16 86 28; www.bodegastradicion.com; Plaza Cordobeses 3; tours €25; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat Sep-Jun, 8am-3pm Jul & Aug), renowned for its 30-year-old sherries, has a standout art collection.
oTop Tip
Sip sherries straight so you can fully appreciate the range of flavours, from bone dry and briny to richly sweet like raisins.
Tasting Sherry
Fortified white wine has been produced since Phoenician times, enjoyed by everyone from Christopher Columbus to Francis Drake. A distinctly Spanish product, sherry is a result of aging and the mixing of various wines. Its popularity has waxed and waned but is again on the upswing as quality products replace plonk best left for guzzling or cooking.
The main distinctions in sherry are fino, very dry and straw coloured, and oloroso (sweet and dark, with a strong bouquet). Important variations include the amontillado, a moderately dry fino with a nutty flavour and a higher alcohol content; cream sherry, an oloroso combined with a sweet wine; and manzanilla, a fino produced in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, with a delicate flavour that comes from sea breezes.
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez is a vibrant modern city and Andalucía’s sherry capital. On its winding streets, traditional, early-20th-century tabancos (humble taverns serving sherry from the barrel) have burst back into life, reinvigorated under keen new ownership. Jerez (the word even means ‘sherry’) also has around 20 sherry bodegas. Most require bookings for visits; the tourist office (%956 33 88 74; www.turismojerez.com; Plaza del Arenal; h9am-3pm & 5-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-2.30pm Sat & Sun) has details.
El Puerto de Santa María
With its abundance of sandy blonde beaches and smattering of architectural heirlooms, El Puerto is southern Andalucía in microcosm. Bodegas Osborne (%956 86 91 00; www.bodegas-osborne.com; Calle los Moros 7; tours from €12, tastings €8-30), with its famous bull logo (a highly recognisable symbol of Spain), was founded and retains its headquarters here, as do half a dozen other sherry bodegas.
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Sanlúcar cooks up some of the region’s best seafood on a hallowed waterside strip called Bajo de Guía. The town’s seaside location results in the much-admired one-of-a-kind manzanilla.
Founded in 1821, Bodegas Barbadillo (%956 38 55 21; www.barbadillo.com; Calle Sevilla 6; tours €10; htours noon & 1pm Tue-Sun, in English 11am Tue-Sun, open Mon Jul & Aug, closed Sun Nov-Mar) was the first family to bottle manzanilla. Tours end with a four-wine tasting.
Granada
Drawn by the allure of the Alhambra, many visitors head to Granada unsure of what to expect. What they find is a gritty, compelling city where serene Islamic architecture and Arab-flavoured street life go hand in hand with monumental churches, old-school tapas bars and counterculture graffiti art.
The city, sprawled at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, was the last stronghold of the Spanish Moors; their legacy lies all around.
There’s also an energy to Granada’s streets, packed as they are with bars, student dives, bohemian cafes and intimate flamenco clubs, and it’s this as much as the more traditional sights that leaves a lasting impression.
1Sights
Basílica San Juan de DiosBasilica
(map Google map; www.sjdgranada.es; Calle San Juan de Dios 19; €4; h10am-1pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat, 4-7pm Sun)
Head to this historic basilica, built between 1737 and 1759, for a blinding display of opulent baroque decor. Barely a square inch of its interior lacks embellishment, most of it in gleaming gold and silver. Frescos by Diego Sánchez Sarabia and the Neapolitan painter Corrado Giaquinto adorn the ceilings and side chapels, while up above, the basilica’s dome soars to a height of 50m. The highlight, however, is the extraordinary gold altarpiece in the Capilla Mayor (main chapel).
Mirador San NicolásViewpoint
(map Google map; Plaza de San Nicolás)
This is the place for those classic sunset shots of the Alhambra sprawled along a wooded hilltop with the dark Sierra Nevada mountains looming in the background. It’s a well-known spot, accessible via Callejón de San Cecilio, so expect crowds of camera-toting tourists, students and buskers. It’s also a haunt of pickpockets and bag-snatchers, so keep your wits about you as you enjoy the views.
Capilla RealHistoric Building
(map Google map; Royal Chapel; %958 22 78 48; www.capillarealgranada.com; Calle Oficios; adult/concession/child €5/3.50/free; h10.15am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun)
The Royal Chapel is the last resting place of Spain’s Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs), Isabel I de Castilla (1451–1504) and Fernando II de Aragón (1452–1516), who commissioned the elaborate Isabelline-Gothic-style mausoleum that was to house them. It wasn’t completed until 1517, hence their interment in the Alhambra’s Convento de San Francisco (map Google map) until 1521.
Their monumental marble tombs (and those of their heirs) lie in the chancel behind a gilded wrought-iron screen created by Bartolomé de Jaén in 1520.
Catedral de GranadaCathedral
(map Google map; %958 22 29 59; http://catedraldegranada.com; Plaza de las Pasiegas; adult/reduced €5/3.50; h10am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 3-5.45pm Sun)
From street level it’s difficult to appreciate the immensity of Granada’s cavernous cathedral. It’s too boxed in by other buildings to stand out, but it’s nonetheless a monumental work of architecture. Built atop the city’s former mosque, it was originally intended to be Gothic in appearance, but over the two centuries of its construction (1523–1704) it underwent major modifications. Most notably, architect Diego de Siloé changed its layout to a Renaissance style, and Alonso Cano added a magnificent 17th-century baroque facade.
2Activities
Play GranadaCultural
(map Google map; %958 16 36 84; www.playgranada.com; Calle Santa Ana 2; tours from €20)
On foot, by electric bike, on a Segway – this outfit offers a choice of tours, taking in the city and its historic quarters, as well as packages for the Alhambra. Reckon on €29 for a two-hour 8km Segway ride, and from €49 for a guided tour of the Alhambra.
5Eating
Bodegas CastañedaTapas€
(map Google map; %958 21 54 64; Calle Almireceros 1; tapas €2-5; h11.30am-4.30pm & 7.30pm-1am Mon-Thu, to 2am Fri-Sun)
Eating becomes a contact sport at this traditional tapas bar where crowds of hungry punters jostle for food under hanging hams. Don’t expect any experimental nonsense here, just classic tapas (and raciones) served lightning fast, with booze poured from big wall-mounted casks.
Hicuri Art RestaurantVegan€
(map Google map; %858 98 74 73; www.restaurantehicuriartvegan.com; Plaza de los Girones 3; mains €8-12, menú del día €14; hnoon-11pm Mon-Sat; 
v)
Granada’s leading graffiti artist, El Niño de las Pinturas, has been let loose inside Hicuri, creating a psychedelic backdrop to the vegan food served at this friendly, laid-back restaurant. Zingy salads, tofu, and curried seitan provide welcome alternatives to the traditional meat dishes that dominate so many city menus.
Carmela RestauranteSpanish€€
(map Google map; %958 22 57 94; www.restaurantecarmela.com; Calle Colcha 13; tapas €7, mains €9-20; h8am-midnight, kitchen noon-midnight)
Traditional tapas updated for the 21st century are the star turn at this smart all-day cafe-restaurant at the jaws of the Realejo quarter. Bag a table in the cool brick-lined interior or on the outdoor terrace and bite into croquettes with black pudding and caramelised onion, or tuna tataki with soy reduction.
El Bar de FedeInternational€€
(map Google map; %958 28 88 14; www.elbardefede.com; Calle Marqués de Falces 1; raciones €11-21; h9am-2am)
The ‘Fede’ in the name refers to home-town poet Federico García Lorca, whose free spirit seems to hang over this hip, gay-friendly bar. It’s a good-looking spot with patterned wallpaper and high tables set around a ceramic-tiled island, and the food is a joy. Standouts include chicken pâté served with orange sauce and heavenly melt-in-your mouth grilled squid.
La Fábula RestauranteGastronomy€€€
(map Google map; %958 25 01 50; www.restaurantelafabula.com; Calle de San Antón 28; mains €23.50-34, tasting menus €75-90; h2-3.30pm & 8.30-10.30pm Tue-Sat)
It’s hard to avoid the pun: Fábula is pretty fabulous. A formal fine-dining restaurant set in the refined confines of the Hotel Villa Oniria, it’s the domain of chef Ismael Delgado López whose artfully composed plates of contemporary Spanish cuisine will impress. Be sure to book.
Andalucía’s White Towns
Choosing your favourite pueblo blanco (white town) is like choosing your favourite Beatles album: they’re all so damned good, it’s impossible to decide. Most people hunt down the classic calling cards: a thrillingly sited location and an evocative old town.
Arcos de la Frontera The quintessential Cádiz white town, with castle, church and centuries-old houses clinging to a crag.
Vejer de la Frontera Cavernous restaurants, ornate tiled fountains, esoteric festivals, luxury boutique hotels and a magical timelessness.
Zahara de la Sierra Wander sun-bleached, bougainvillea-wrapped streets below a crag-top Moorish castle, in prime Cádiz province mountain-hiking country.
Segura de la Sierra Steeply stacked Jaén province village with medieval castle amid the mountains of Andalucía’s largest protected area.
Cómpeta One of Málaga province’s most popular whitewashed hill towns, with good walking and excellent restaurants.
6Drinking & Nightlife
BotánicoBar
(map Google map; %958 27 15 98; www.botanicocafe.es; Calle Málaga 3; h1pm-1am Mon-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat, to 6pm Sun)
Dudes with designer beards, students finishing off their Lorca dissertations, and bohemians with arty inclinations hang out at Botánico, a casual eatery by day, a cafe at merienda (afternoon snack) time (5pm to 7pm), and a buzzing bar come the evening.
Taberna La TanaWine Bar
(map Google map; %958 22 52 48; Placeta del Agua 3; h12.30-4pm & 8.30pm-midnight)
With bottles stacked to the rafters, hanging strings of garlic, and a small wood-and-brick interior, friendly La Tana is a model wine bar. It specialises in Spanish wines, which it backs up with some beautifully paired tapas. Ask the bartender about the ‘wines of the month’ and state your preference – a suave (smooth) red, or something more fuerte (strong).
Unmissable Córdoba
One of the world’s great works of Islamic architecture, Córdoba’s magnificent mosque (Mosque; %957 47 05 12; www.mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es; Calle Cardenal Herrero; adult/child aged 10-14/child under 10 €10/5/free; h10am-7pm Mon-Sat, 8.30-11.30am & 3-7pm Sun Mar-Oct, 8.30am-6pm Mon-Sat, 8.30-11.30am & 3-6pm Sun Nov-Feb, Mass 9.30am Mon-Sat, noon & 1.30pm Sun) is a grand symbol of the time when Islamic Spain was at its cultural and political peak, and Córdoba, its capital, was western Europe’s largest, most cultured city. In the Mezquita’s interior, mesmerising rows of horseshoe arches stretch away in every direction. The most intricate surround the gold-mosaic-decorated portal of the mihrab (prayer niche). While most Córdoba visitors rightly make a beeline for the Mezquita, you’ll find the old city that grew up around it just as fascinating.
High-speed AVE trains link Córdoba to Seville in a little over an hour.
8INFORMATION
Information is available at various offices in town:
Alhambra Tourist Information Point (%958 02 79 71; www.granadatur.com; Calle Real de la Alhambra Granada, Alhambra; h8.30am-8.30pm) Up in the Alhambra.
Municipal Tourist Office (%958 24 82 80; www.granadatur.com; Plaza del Carmen 9; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun) The official city tourist office.
Regional Tourist Office (%958 57 52 02; www.andalucia.org; Calle Santa Ana 2; h9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-3pm Sat & Sun) For information on the whole Andalucía region.
this.is:granada (%958 21 02 39; www.thisisgranada.com; Plaza de Cuchilleros; h9.30am-2pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat, to 6pm Sun) An agency selling tickets for flamenco shows, city tours and buses.
8GETTING THERE & AWAY
Granada Airport (Aeropuerto Federico García Lorca; %913 211 000; www.aena.es) is 17km west of the city. There are limited flights to Spanish and and European cities.
The train station (%902 240 202; Avenida de Andaluces) is 1.5km northwest of the centre. Service includes Barcelona (7¾ hours), Madrid (four hours) and Seville (3¼ hours).
8GETTING AROUND
Opened in 2017, Granada’s metro – in fact more a light rail link as all but a 3km stretch is overground – runs between Albolote in the north and Armilla in the southwest. Buses cover the city. Transit tickets cost €1.40.
Seville
1Sights
Catedral de Sevilla & GiraldaCathedral
(map Google map; %902 09 96 92; www.catedraldesevilla.es; Av de la Constitución; adult/child €9/free, incl rooftop guided tour €15; h11am-3.30pm Mon, to 5pm Tue-Sat, 2.30-6pm Sun)
Seville’s immense cathedral is awe-inspiring in its scale and majesty. The world’s largest Gothic cathedral, it was built between 1434 and 1517 over the remains of what had previously been the city’s main mosque. Highlights include the Giralda, the mighty bell tower, which incorporates the mosque’s original minaret, the monumental tomb of Christopher Columbus, and the Capilla Mayor with an astonishing gold altarpiece. Note that children must be aged 11 years and over to access the rooftop tours. Audio guides cost €3.
Real AlcázarPalace
(map Google map; %954 50 23 24; www.alcazarsevilla.org; Patio de Banderas; adult/concession/child €11.50/2/free; h9.30am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar)
A magnificent marriage of Christian and Mudéjar architecture, Seville’s Unesco-listed palace complex is a breathtaking spectacle. The site, which was originally developed as a fort in 913, has been revamped many times over the 11 centuries of its existence, most spectacularly in the 14th century when King Pedro added the sumptuous Palacio de Don Pedro, still today the Alcázar’s crown jewel. More recently, the Alcázar featured as a location for the Game of Thrones TV series.
Hospital de los Venerables SacerdotesMuseum
(map Google map; %954 56 26 96; www.focus.abengoa.es; Plaza de los Venerables 8; adult/child €10/5, 1st Thu of month free; h10am-2pm Thu-Sun)
This gem of a museum, housed in a former hospice for ageing priests, is one of Seville’s most rewarding. The artistic highlight is the Focus-Abengoa Foundation’s collection of 17th-century paintings in the Centro Velázquez. It’s not a big collection, but each work is a masterpiece of its genre – highlights include Diego Velázquez’ Santa Rufina, his Inmaculada Concepción, and a sharply vivid portrait of Santa Catalina by Bartolomé Murillo.
Museo del Baile FlamencoMuseum
(map Google map; %954 34 03 11; www.museodelbaileflamenco.com; Calle Manuel Rojas Marcos 3; adult/reduced €10/8; h10am-7pm)
The brainchild of sevillana flamenco dancer Cristina Hoyos, this museum showcases the dance with interactive displays, paintings and photos of revered erstwhile (and contemporary) performers, and a display of period dresses. Even better are the fantastic nightly performances (at 5pm, 7pm and 8.45pm; €22) staged both in the courtyard and the more intimate basement space (€30 including one drink). Combined museum and flamenco show tickets (€26) are a good option.
TTours
Pancho ToursTours
(%664 642 904; www.panchotours.com) 
F
Runs excellent free tours, although you’re welcome to tip the hard-working guide who’ll furnish you with an encyclopedia’s worth of anecdotes, stories, myths and theories about Seville’s fascinating past. Tours kick off daily, normally at 11am – check the website for exact details. Pancho also offers bike tours (€25), skip-the-line cathedral and Alcázar visits (from €12.50) and nightlife tours (€10 to €15).
5Eating & Drinking
Manu Jara DulceríaPastries€
(map Google map; %675 873 674; Calle Pureza 5; pastries €1.60-3.50; h10am-2pm & 4.30-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8.30pm Sat-Sun)
This exquisite patisserie has heavenly cakes laid out in a traditional wood-and-tile interior. Try the creamy milhojas (mille feuille, aka vanilla slice) with chantilly cream. There’s another branch in Nervión by the Sevilla FC stadium, as well as a Bocasú stall in nearby Triana Market.
La BrunildaTapas€
(map Google map; %954 22 04 81; www.labrunildatapas.com; Calle Galera 5; tapas €3.20-7.50; h1-4pm & 8.30-11.30pm Tue-Sat, 1-4pm Sun)
A regular fixture on lists of Seville’s best tapas joints, this backstreet Arenal bar is at the forefront of the city’s new wave of gourmet eateries. The look is modern casual with big blue doors, brick arches and plain wooden tables, and the food is imaginative and good looking. The word is out, though, so arrive promptly or expect to queue.
FargoAndalucian€€
(map Google map; %955 27 65 52; www.facebook.com/fargobio; Calle Pérez Galdós 20; tapas €6-9, mains €15-21; h12.30-3pm & 7.30-11pm; v
c)
Excellent restaurant in the Alfalfa serving locally sourced, almost exclusively organic food, with a pleasantly different vibe: relaxed decor, low lighting and soft music create a calm ambience. Standouts are the salads, fresh juices, and ceviche using fish from Parque Nacional de Doñana. Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, as well as natural (sulphate-free) wines; at the back, there’s a children’s area.
Bar-Restaurante EslavaFusion, Andalucian€€
(%954 90 65 68; www.espacioeslava.com; Calle Eslava 3; tapas €2.90-4.50, restaurant mains €16.50-26; hbar 12.30-midnight Tue-Sat, restaurant 1.30-4pm & 8.30-midnight Tue-Sat)
A hit with locals and savvy visitors, much-lauded Eslava shirks the traditional tilework and bullfighting posters of tapas-bar lore in favour of a simple blue space and a menu of creative contemporary dishes. Standouts include slow-cooked egg served on a mushroom cake, and memorable pork ribs in a honey and rosemary glaze. Expect crowds and a buzzing atmosphere.
El Viajero SedentarioCafe
(%677 53 55 12; Alameda de Hércules 77; h9am-2pm & 6pm-2am)
With its bright murals, shady courtyard and tiny book-stacked interior, this boho book cafe is a lovely place to hang out. From breakfast to the early hours people stop by, and it’s not uncommon to find people dancing to low-key jazz tunes on sultry summer nights.
8INFORMATION
Tourist information is readily available at official tourist offices throughout the city.
Airport Tourist Office (%954 78 20 35; www.andalucia.org; h9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-3pm Sat & Sun)
Tourist Office (%954 78 75 78; www.turismosevilla.org; Plaza del Triunfo 1; h9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-7.30pm Sat & Sun)
Train Station Tourist Office (www.andalucia.org; Estación Santa Justa; h9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-3pm Sat & Sun)
8GETTING THERE & AWAY
Seville Airport (Aeropuerto de Sevilla; %902 44 90 00; www.aena.es; A4, Km 532), 7km east of the city, has flights to/from Spanish cities and destinations across Europe. The EA Bus (%955 01 00 10; www.tussam.es; one way/return €4/6) connects the airport to the city centre.
Frequent high-speed AVE trains serve Madrid (2½ hours). Other trains serve Barcelona (5½ hours) and Seville (3¼ hours).
8GETTING AROUND
Central Seville is relatively compact and best explored on foot. Getting around by bike is also an option – the city is flat and bike lanes are ubiquitous. Buses are also useful for getting around the main visitor areas. Driving is not recommended in the city centre.