▲▲▲FLAMENCO
WEST OF AVENIDA DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN
Map: Sevilla Restaurants & Flamenco Bars
BETWEEN THE CATHEDRAL AND THE RIVER
Flamboyant Sevilla (seh-VEE-yah) thrums with flamenco music, sizzles in the summer heat, and pulses with the passion of Don Juan and Carmen. It’s a place where bullfighting is still politically correct and little girls still dream of growing up to become flamenco dancers. While Granada has the great Alhambra and Córdoba has the remarkable Mezquita, Sevilla has a soul. (Soul—or duende—is fundamental to flamenco.) It’s a wonderful-to-be-alive-in kind of place.
The gateway to the New World in the 16th century, Sevilla boomed when Spain did. The explorers Amerigo Vespucci and Ferdinand Magellan sailed from its great river harbor, discovering new trade routes and abundant sources of gold, silver, cocoa, and tobacco. In the 17th century, Sevilla was Spain’s largest and wealthiest city. Local artists Diego Velázquez, Bartolomé Murillo, and Francisco de Zurbarán made it a cultural center. Sevilla’s Golden Age—and its New World riches—ended when the harbor silted up and the Spanish empire crumbled.
In the 19th century, Sevilla was a big stop on the Romantic Grand Tour of Europe. To build on this tourism and promote trade among Spanish-speaking nations, Sevilla planned a grand exposition in 1929. Bad year. The expo crashed along with the stock market. In 1992, Sevilla got a second chance at a world’s fair. This expo was a success, leaving the city with impressive infrastructure: a new airport, a train station, sleek bridges, and the super AVE bullet train (making Sevilla a 2.5-hour side-trip from Madrid). In 2007, the main boulevards—once thundering with noisy traffic and mercilessly cutting the city in two—were pedestrianized, dramatically enhancing Sevilla’s already substantial charm.
Today, Spain’s fourth-largest city (pop. 700,000) is Andalucía’s leading destination, buzzing with festivals, color, guitars, castanets, and street life, and enveloped in the fragrances of orange trees, jacaranda, and myrtle. James Michener wrote, “Sevilla doesn’t have ambience, it is ambience.” Sevilla also has its share of impressive sights. It’s home to the world’s largest Gothic cathedral. The Alcázar is a fantastic royal palace and garden ornamented with Mudejar (Islamic) flair. But the real magic is the city itself, with its tangled former Jewish Quarter, riveting flamenco shows, thriving bars, and teeming evening paseo.
On a three-week trip, spend two nights and one day here. On even the shortest Spanish trip, I’d zip here on the slick AVE train for a day trip from Madrid. With more time, if ever there was a Spanish city to linger in, it’s Sevilla.
The major sights are few and simple for a city of this size. The cathedral and the Alcázar can be seen in about three hours, and a wander through the Barrio Santa Cruz district takes about an hour. Tour groups clog the Alcázar and cathedral in the morning; go late in the day to avoid the crowds, or at least reserve a time slot on the Alcázar website to minimize the ticket lines.
You could spend a second day touring Sevilla’s other sights. Stroll along the bank of the Guadalquivir River and cross Isabel II Bridge to explore the Triana neighborhood and to savor views of the cathedral and Torre del Oro. An evening in Sevilla is essential for the paseo and a flamenco show. Stay out late to appreciate Sevilla on a warm night—one of its major charms. Or consider a bullfight if one is taking place during your visit (see here).
Córdoba (see next chapter) is a convenient and worthwhile side-trip from Sevilla, or a handy stopover if you’re taking the AVE to or from Madrid or Granada.
For the tourist, this big city is small. The bull’s-eye on your map should be the cathedral and its Giralda bell tower, which can be seen from all over town. Nearby are Sevilla’s other major sights, the Alcázar (palace and gardens) and the lively Barrio Santa Cruz district. The central north-south pedestrian boulevard, Avenida de la Constitución, stretches north a few blocks to Plaza Nueva, gateway to the shopping district. A few blocks west of the cathedral are the bullring and the Guadalquivir River, while Plaza de España is a few blocks south. The colorful Triana neighborhood, on the west bank of the Guadalquivir River, has a thriving market and plenty of tapas bars, but no major tourist sights. With most sights within walking distance, taxis or buses are only needed to get to the Basílica de la Macarena and the Plaza de Armas bus station.
Sevilla has tourist offices at the airport (Mon-Fri 9:00-19:30, Sat-Sun 9:30-15:00, tel. 954-782-035), at Santa Justa train station (just inside the right-hand doors of the main entrance, same hours as airport TI, tel. 954-782-003), and near the cathedral on Plaza del Triunfo (Mon-Fri 9:00-19:30, Sat-Sun 9:30-19:30, tel. 954-210-005).
At any TI, ask for the English-language magazine The Tourist (also available at www.thetouristsevilla.com) and a current listing of sights with opening times. The free monthly events guide—El Giraldillo, written in Spanish basic enough to be understood by travelers—covers cultural events throughout Andalucía, with a focus on Sevilla. At the TI, ask for information you might need for elsewhere in the region (for example, if heading south, pick up the free Route of the White Towns brochure and a Jerez map). Helpful websites are www.turismosevilla.org and www.andalucia.org.
Steer clear of the “visitors centers” on Avenida de la Constitución (near the Archivo General de Indias) and at Santa Justa train station (overlooking tracks 6-7), which masquerade as TIs but are private enterprises.
By Train: Most trains arrive at modern Santa Justa station, with banks, ATMs, and a TI. Baggage storage is below track 1 (follow signs to consigna, security checkpoint open 6:00-24:00). The easy-to-miss TI sits by the sliding doors at the main entrance, to the left before you exit. The plush little AVE Sala Club, designed for business travelers, welcomes those with a first-class AVE ticket and reservation (across the main hall from track 1). The town center is marked by the ornate Giralda bell tower, peeking above the apartment flats (visible from the front of the station—with your back to the tracks, it’s at 1 o’clock). To get into the center, it’s a flat and boring 25-minute walk or about an €8 taxi ride. By city bus, it’s a short ride on #C1 or #21 to the El Prado de San Sebastián bus station (find bus stop 100 yards in front of the train station, €1.40, pay driver), then a 10-minute walk or short tram ride (see next section).
By Bus: Sevilla’s two major bus stations—El Prado de San Sebastián and Plaza de Armas—both have information offices, basic eateries, and baggage storage.
The El Prado de San Sebastián bus station, often called just “El Prado,” covers most of Andalucía (daily 8:00-20:00, information tel. 954-417-111, generally no English spoken; baggage lockers/consigna at the far end of station, same hours). From the bus station to downtown (and Barrio Santa Cruz hotels), it’s about a 10-minute walk: Exit the station straight ahead. When you reach the busy avenue (Menéndez Pelayo) turn right to find a crosswalk and cross the avenue. Enter the Murillo Gardens through the iron gate, emerging on the other side in the heart of Barrio Santa Cruz. Sevilla’s tram connects the El Prado station with the city center (and many of my recommended hotels): Turn left as you exit the bus station and walk to Avenida de Carlos V (€1.40, buy ticket at machine before boarding; ride it two stops to Archivo General de Indias to reach the cathedral area, or three stops to Plaza Nueva).
The Plaza de Armas bus station (near the river, opposite the Expo ’92 site) serves long-distance destinations such as Madrid, Barcelona, Lagos, and Lisbon. Ticket counters line one wall, an information kiosk is in the center, and at the end of the hall are pay luggage lockers (purchase tokens from info kiosk). Taxis to downtown cost around €7. Or, to take the bus, exit onto the main road (Calle Arjona) to find bus #C4 into the center (stop is to the left, in front of the taxi stand; €1.40, pay driver, get off at Puerta de Jerez).
By Car: To drive into Sevilla, follow Centro Ciudad (city center) signs and stay along the river. For short-term parking on the street, the riverside Paseo de Cristóbal Colón has two-hour meters and hardworking thieves. Ignore the bogus traffic wardens who direct you to an illegal spot, take a tip, and disappear later when your car gets towed. For long-term parking, hotels charge as much as a normal garage. For simplicity, I’d park at a garage (€18-22/day) on one of the drivable major avenues and catch a taxi to my hotel. Try the Cristóbal Colón garage by the Puente de Isabel II (near the bullring), or the one at Avenida Roma/Puerta de Jerez (cash only). For hotels in the Barrio Santa Cruz area, the handiest parking is the Cano y Cueto garage near the corner of Calle Santa María la Blanca and Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo (about €22/day, open daily 24 hours, at edge of big park, underground).
By Plane: Sevilla’s San Pablo Airport sits about six miles east of downtown (airport code: SVQ, tel. 954-449-000, www.aena.es). The Especial Aeropuerto (EA) bus connects the airport with both train stations, both bus stations, and several stops in the town center (2-3/hour from 4:30 to 24:00, about 40 minutes, €4, buy ticket from driver). The two most convenient stops downtown are south of the Murillo gardens on Avenida de Carlos V, near El Prado de San Sebastián bus station (close to my recommended Barrio Santa Cruz hotels); and on the Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, near the Torre del Oro. Look for the small EA sign at bus stops. If you’re going from downtown Sevilla to the airport, the bus stop is on the side of the street closest to Plaza de España. To taxi into town, go to one of the airport’s taxi stands to ensure a fixed rate (€22 by day, €25 at night and on weekends, extra for luggage, confirm price with the driver before your journey).
Most visitors have a full and fun experience in Sevilla without ever riding public transportation. The city center is compact, and most of the major sights are within easy walking distance (the Basílica de la Macarena is a notable exception). However, on a hot day, air-conditioned buses can be a blessing.
By Taxi: Sevilla has plenty of taxis. You can hail one showing a green light anywhere, or find a cluster of them parked by major intersections and sights (weekdays: €1.35 drop rate, €1/kilometer, €3.60 minimum; Sat-Sun, holidays, and after hours, 21:00-7:00: €1.60 drop rate, €1.15/kilometer, €4.50 minimum; calling for a cab adds about €3). A quick daytime ride in town will generally fall within the €3.60 minimum. Although I’m quick to take advantage of taxis, because of one-way streets and traffic congestion it’s often just as fast to hoof it between central points.
By Bus, Tram, and Metro: A single trip on any form of city transit costs €1.40. A Tarjeta Turistica card is good for one (€5) or three (€10) days of unlimited rides (€1.50 deposit, buy at TUSSAM kiosks, airport, or Santa Justa station). For half-price trips, you can buy a Tarjeta Multiviaje card that’s rechargeable and shareable (€7 for 10 trips, €1.50 deposit; buy at kiosks or at the TUSSAM transit office near the bus stop on Avenida de Carlos V, next to El Prado de San Sebastián bus station, daily 8:00-20:00; scan it on the card reader as you board; for transit details, see www.tussam.es).
The various #C buses, which are handiest for tourists, make circular routes through town (note that all of them except the #C6 eventually wind up at Basílica de La Macarena). For all buses, buy your ticket from the driver or from machines at bus stops. The #C3 stops at Murillo Gardens, Triana, then La Macarena. The #C4 goes the opposite direction, but without entering Triana. And the spunky little #C5 is a minibus that winds through the old center of town, including Plaza del Salvador, Plaza de San Francisco, the bullring, Plaza Nueva, the Museo de Bellas Artes, La Campana, and La Macarena, providing a relaxing joyride that also connects some farther-flung sights.
A tram (tranvía) makes just a few stops in the heart of the city, but can save you a bit of walking. Buy your ticket at the machine on the platform before you board (runs about every 7 minutes Sun-Thu until 23:00, Fri-Sat until 1:45 in the morning). It makes five city-center stops (from south to north): San Bernardo (at the San Bernardo train station), Prado San Sebastián (next to El Prado de San Sebastián bus station), Puerta Jerez (south end of Avenida de la Constitución), Archivo General de Indias (next to the cathedral), and Plaza Nueva (beginning of shopping streets).
Sevilla also has an underground metro, but most tourists won’t need to use it. It’s designed to connect the suburbs with the center and only has one line. There are stops downtown at the San Bernardo train station, El Prado de San Sebastián bus station, and Puerta Jerez.
Festivals: Sevilla’s peak season is April and May, and it has two one-week spring festival periods when the city is packed: Holy Week and April Fair.
While Holy Week (Semana Santa) is big all over Spain, it’s biggest in Sevilla. It’s held the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday (for 2018, starts March 25 and culminates on Easter Sunday, April 1). Locals start preparing for the big event up to a year in advance. What would normally be a five-minute walk can take an hour if a procession crosses your path, and many restaurants do not offer meat options during this time. But any hassles become totally worthwhile as you listen to the saetas (spontaneous devotional songs) and let the spirit of the festival take over.
Then, after taking two weeks off to catch its communal breath, Sevilla holds its April Fair (April 15-22 in 2018). This is a celebration of all things Andalusian, with plenty of eating, drinking, singing, and merrymaking (though most of the revelry takes place in private parties at a large fairground).
Book rooms well in advance for these festival times. Prices can go sky-high and many hotels have four-night minimums. Food quality at touristy restaurants can plummet.
Rosemary Scam: In the city center, and especially near the cathedral, you may encounter women thrusting sprigs of rosemary into the hands of passersby, grunting, “Toma! Es un regalo!” (“Take it! It’s a gift!”). The twig is free...and then they grab your hand and read your fortune for a tip. Coins are “bad luck,” so the minimum payment they’ll accept is €5. While they can be very aggressive, you don’t need to take their demands seriously—don’t make eye contact, don’t accept a sprig, and say firmly but politely, “No, gracias.”
Wi-Fi: Sevilla is fairly Wi-Fi friendly. You’ll find free Wi-Fi at the Museo de Bellas Artes, and in Plaza de la Encarnación, among other public spaces.
Post Office: The main post office is at Avenida de la Constitución 32, across from the Archivo General de Indias (Mon-Fri 8:30-20:30, Sat 9:30-13:00, closed Sun).
Laundry: Lavandería Tintorería Roma offers quick and economical drop-off service (Mon-Fri 10:00-14:00 & 17:30-20:30, Sat 10:00-14:00, closed Sun, a few blocks west of the cathedral at Calle Arfe 22, tel. 954-210-535). Near the recommended Barrio Santa Cruz hotels, La Segunda Vera Tintorería has two self-service machines and drop-off service (Mon-Fri 9:30-14:00 & 17:30-20:30, Sat 10:00-13:30, closed Sun, about a block from the eastern edge of Barrio Santa Cruz at Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo 11, tel. 954-536-376).
Holy Week—the week between Palm Sunday and Easter—is a major holiday throughout the Christian world, but nowhere is it celebrated with as much fervor as in Andalucía, especially Sevilla. Holy Week is all about the events of the Passion of Jesus Christ: his entry into Jerusalem, his betrayal by Judas and arrest, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. In Sevilla, on each day throughout the week, 60 neighborhood groups (brotherhoods, called hermandades or cofradías) parade from their neighborhood churches to the cathedral with floats depicting some aspect of the Passion story.
As the week approaches, anticipation grows: Visitors pour into town, grandstands are erected along parade routes, and TV stations anxiously monitor the weather report. (The floats are so delicate that rain can force the processions to be called off—a crushing disappointment.)
By midafternoon of any day during Holy Week, thousands line the streets. The parade begins. First comes a line of “penitents” carrying a big cross, candles, and incense. The penitentes perform their penance publicly but anonymously, their identities obscured by pointy, hooded robes. (The penitents’ traditional hooded garb has been worn for centuries—long before such hoods became associated with racism in the American South.) Some processions are silent, but others are accompanied by beating drums, brass bands, or wailing singers.
A hush falls over the crowd as the floats (los pasos) approach. First comes a Passion float, showing Christ in some stage of the drama—being whipped, appearing before Pilate, or carrying the cross to his execution. More penitents follow—with hundreds or even thousands of participants, a procession can stretch out over a half-mile. All this sets the stage for the finale—typically a float of the Virgin Mary, who represents the hope of resurrection.
The elaborate floats feature carved wooden religious sculptures, most embellished with gold leaf and silverwork. They can be adorned with fresh flowers, rows of candles, and even jewelry on loan from the congregation. Each float is carried by 30 to 50 men (los costaleros), who labor unseen—although you might catch a glimpse of their shuffling feet. The bearers wear turban-like headbands to protect their heads and necks from the crushing weight (the floats can weigh as much as three tons). Two “shifts” of float carriers rotate every 20 minutes. As a sign of their faith, some men carry the float until they collapse.
As the procession nears the cathedral, many pass through the square called La Campana, south along Calle Sierpes, and through Plaza de San Francisco. (Some parades follow a parallel route a block or two east.) Grandstands and folding chairs are filled by VIPs and Sevilla’s prominent families. Thousands of candles drip wax along the well-trod parade routes, forming a waxy buildup that causes shoes and car tires to squeal for days to come.
Being in Sevilla for Holy Week is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a remarkable spectacle, but it’s extremely crowded. Parade routes can block your sightseeing for hours. Check printed schedules if you want to avoid them. If you do find a procession blocking your way, look for a crossing point marked by a red-painted fence, or ask a guard. Even if all you care about on Easter is a chocolate-bearing bunny, the intense devotion of the Andalusian people during their Holy Week traditions is an inspiration to behold.
Supermarket: Spar Express has all the basics, plus a takeaway counter for sandwiches, salads, and smoothies (Mon-Sat 9:00-23:00, Sun from 10:30, Calle Zaragoza 31, tel. 954-221-194). Also look for Carrefour Express stores around town for prepared foods and picnic supplies (daily 10:00-23:00).
Bike Rental: Sevilla is an extremely biker-friendly city, with designated bike lanes and a public bike-sharing program (€14 one-week subscription, first 30 minutes of each ride free, €1-2 for each subsequent hour, www.sevici.es). Ask the TI about this and other bicycle-rental options.
Concepción Delgado, an enthusiastic teacher who’s a joy to listen to, takes small groups on English-only walks. Using me as her guinea pig, Concepción designed a fine two-hour Cultural Show & Tell walk. In this introduction to her hometown, she shares important insights the average visitor misses. I think it’s worthwhile even if you’re only in town for one day (€15/person, Mon-Sat at 10:30, check website for schedule in Dec-Feb and Aug, meet at statue in Plaza Nueva).
For those wanting to really understand the city’s two most important sights, the company offers in-depth visits to the cathedral and the Alcázar, each lasting about 1.25 hours (€10 each plus entrance fees, €3 discount if you also take the Show & Tell tour; meet at 13:00 at statue in Plaza del Triunfo; cathedral tours—Mon, Wed, and Fri; Alcázar tours—Tue, Thu, and Sat).
Other tours include one for fans of the TV series Game of Thrones (visits to key locations; only available as add-on to Alcázar tour), and the Only Culture tour (social life and popular traditions).
Although you can just show up for Concepción’s tours, it’s smart to confirm departure times and reserve a spot (4-person minimum, none on Sun or holidays, tel. 902-158-226, mobile 616-501-100, www.sevillawalkingtours.com, info@sevillawalkingtours.com). Because she’s a busy mom, Concepción sometimes sends her equally excellent colleagues Alfonso and Mercedes to lead these tours.
This group of three licensed guides (Susana, Jorge, and Elena) offers good, family-friendly private tours and day trips (€130/3 hours, €160/half-day, mobile 606-217-194; monument tours leave Mon-Sat at 11:15 from Plaza del Triunfo—€22, www.allsevillaguides.com, info@allsevillaguides.com).
Englishman David and Sevillian Luis have teamed up to show off their city with several creatively conceived, good-value walks and bike rides—all run with small groups and a personal touch. Their Seville Bike Tour takes riders on a 2.5-hour journey around the city, stopping at—but not entering—all the major sights (€25, 2-10 people per group, includes bike, daily at 10:00, meet near the cathedral by the tall white monument in Plaza del Triunfo). Each morning they also lead a two-hour Seville Walking Tour (€20, 2-10 per group, daily at 10:00), then give you the option to tack on a lunchtime tapas tour (€35 more). Call or email to confirm before showing up (tel. 955-113-912, www.reallydiscover.com, davidcox@reallydiscover.com).
Two competing city bus tours leave from the curb near the riverside Torre del Oro. You’ll see the parked buses and salespeople handing out fliers. Each tour does about an hour-long swing through the city with recorded narration. The tours, which allow hopping on and off at four stops, are heavy on Expo ’29 and Expo ’92 neighborhoods—both zones of little interest nowadays. While the narration does its best, Sevilla is most interesting in places buses can’t go (€16, green bus slightly cheaper online, daily 10:00-22:00, off-season until 18:00, green bus: http://sevilla.busturistico.com, red bus: www.city-sightseeing.com).
A carriage ride is a classic, popular way to survey the city and a relaxing way to enjoy María Luisa Park (€45 for a 45-minute clip-clop, much more during Holy Week and the April Fair, find a likable English-speaking driver for better narration). Look for rigs at Plaza de América, Plaza del Triunfo, the Torre del Oro, the Alfonso XIII Hotel, and Plaza de España.
Boring one-hour panoramic tours leave every 30 minutes from the dock behind the Torre de Oro. The low-energy recorded narration is hard to follow, but there’s little to see anyway (overpriced at €16, April-Oct 11:00-22:00, last boat at 19:00 off-season, tel. 954-561-692, www.crucerosensevilla.com).
Of Sevilla’s once-thriving Jewish Quarter, only the tangled street plan and a wistful Old World ambience survive. This classy maze of lanes (too tight for most cars), small plazas, tile-covered patios, and whitewashed houses with wrought-iron latticework draped in flowers is a great refuge from the summer heat and bustle of Sevilla. The streets are narrow—some with buildings so close they’re called “kissing lanes.” A happy result of the narrowness is shade: Locals claim the Barrio Santa Cruz is three degrees cooler than the rest of the city.
Orange trees abound—because they never lose their leaves, they provide constant shade. But forget about eating the oranges. They’re bitter and used only to make vitamins, perfume, cat food, and that marmalade you can’t avoid in British B&Bs. But when they blossom (for three weeks in spring, usually in March), the aroma is heavenly.
The barrio is made for wandering. Getting lost is easy, and I recommend doing just that. But to get started, here’s a self-guided plaza-to-plaza walk that loops you through the corazón (heart) of the neighborhood and back out again.
Tour groups often trample the barrio’s charm in the morning. I find that early evening (around 18:00) is the ideal time to explore the quarter.
1 Plaza de la Virgen de los Reyes: Start in the square in front of the cathedral, at the fountain in the middle that dates from Expo ‘29. This square is dedicated to the Virgin of the Kings—see her tile on the white wall, diagonally across from the cathedral. She is one of several different versions of Mary you’ll see in Sevilla, each appealing to a different type of worshipper. This particular one is big here because the Castilian king reportedly carried her image with him when he retook the town from the Moors in 1248. To the left of Mary’s tiled plaque is a statue of newly sainted Pope John Paul II, who performed Mass here before a half-million faithful Sevillians during a 1982 visit. The reddish Baroque building on one side of the square is the Archbishop’s Palace.
Notice the columns and chains that ring the cathedral, as if put there to establish a border between the secular and Catholic worlds. Indeed, that’s exactly the purpose they served for centuries, when Sevillians running from the law merely had to cross these chains—like crossing the county line. (People in trouble didn’t escape justice; they just had a bit of a choice as to who would administer it.) Many of these columns are far older than the cathedral, having originally been made for Roman and Visigothic buildings, and later recycled by medieval Catholics.
From this peaceful square, look up the street leading away from the cathedral and notice the characteristic (government-protected) 19th-century architecture. The ironwork, typical of Andalucía, is the pride of Sevilla. Equally ubiquitous is the traditional whitewash-and-goldenrod color scheme.
Another symbol you’ll see throughout Sevilla is the city insignia: “NO8DO,” the letters “NODO” with a figure-eight-like shape at their center. Nodo means “knot” in Spanish, and this symbol evokes the strong ties between the citizens of Sevilla and King Alfonso X (during a succession dispute in the 13th century, the Sevillians remained loyal to their king).
• Keeping the cathedral on your right, walk toward the next square.
2 Nun Goodies: The white building on your left was an Augustinian convent. Step inside the door at #3 to meet (but not see) a cloistered nun behind a fancy torno (a lazy Susan the nuns spin to sell their goods while staying hidden). The sisters raise money by producing local goodies, such as tasty communion wafer tabletas or the leftover bits called recortes (€1—eating them is like having sin-free cookies) and lovely rosaries (€4). Consider buying something here just as a donation. The sisters, who speak only Spanish, have a sense of humor (Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 & 16:45-18:15, Sun 10:00-13:00).
• Then step into...
3 Plaza del Triunfo: The “Plaza of Triumph” is named for the 1755 earthquake that destroyed Lisbon but only rattled Sevilla, leaving most of this city intact. A statue thanking the Virgin for protecting the city is at the far end of the square, under a stone canopy and surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. That Virgin faces another one (closer to you), atop a tall pillar honoring Sevillian artists, including the painter Murillo.
• Before leaving the square, consider stopping at the TI for a map or advice. Then pass through the arched opening in the Alcázar’s crenellated wall. You’ll emerge into a courtyard called the...
4 Patio de Banderas: The Banderas Courtyard (as in “flags,” not Antonio) was once a military parade ground for the royal guard. The barracks surrounding the square once housed the king’s bodyguards. A Moorish palace also stood here; archaeologists excavated what remains of it, then covered the site of the dig for protection. The far-left corner of this square is a favorite spot for snapping a postcard view of the Giralda bell tower (do a 180-degree turn).
• Exit the courtyard at the far-left corner, through the Judería arch. Go down the long, narrow passage. Emerging into the light, you’ll be walking alongside the Alcázar wall. Take the first left at the corner lamppost, then go right, through a small square and follow the narrow alleyway called...
5 Calle Agua: As you walk along the street, look to the left, peeking through iron gates for occasional glimpses of the flower-smothered patios of exclusive private residences. If its blue security gate is open, the patio at #2 is a delight—ringed with columns, filled with flowers, and colored with glazed tiles. The tiles are not merely decorative—they keep buildings cooler in the summer heat (if the gate is closed, the next door is often open; or just look up to get a hint of the garden’s flowery bounty). Emerging at the end of the street, turn around and look back at the openings of two old pipes built into the wall. These 12th-century Moorish pipes once carried water to the Alcázar (and today give the street its name). You’re standing at an entrance into the pleasant Murillo Gardens (through the iron gate), formerly the fruit-and-vegetable gardens for the Alcázar.
• Don’t enter the gardens now, but instead cross the square diagonally to the left, and continue 20 yards down a lane to the...
6 Plaza de Santa Cruz: Arguably the heart of the barrio, this pleasant square, graced by orange trees and draping vines, was once the site of a synagogue (there used to be four in the barrio; now there are none), which Christians destroyed. They replaced the synagogue with a church, which the French (under Napoleon) later demolished. It’s a bit of history that locals remember when they see the oversized blue, white, and red French flag marking the French consulate, now overlooking this peaceful square. A fine 16th-century iron cross marks the center of the square and the site of the church the French destroyed. The Sevillian painter Murillo, who was buried in that church, lies somewhere below you.
Opposite the French consulate at #9, you can peek into a lovely courtyard that’s proudly been left open so visitors can enjoy it. The square is also home to the recommended Los Gallos flamenco bar, which puts on nightly performances (described on here).
• Go north on Calle Santa Teresa. At #8 (find the plaque on the left, near the big wooden doors) is...
7 Casa de Murillo: One of Sevilla’s famous painters, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682), lived here, soaking in the ambience of street life and reproducing it in his paintings of cute beggar children (see sidebar on here).
• Directly across from Casa de Murillo is the...
8 Monasterio de San José del Carmen: This is where St. Teresa stayed when she visited from her hometown of Ávila. The convent keeps artifacts of the mystic nun, such as her spiritual manuscripts. The church is closed to the public for visits, but the devout can sneak a peek at its Baroque charm by going to early morning Mass (Mon-Fri 8:45, Sun 9:00, none on Sat).
Continue north on Calle Santa Teresa, then take the first left on Calle Lope de Rueda (just before Las Teresas café), then left again, then right on Calle Reinoso. This street—so narrow that the buildings almost touch—is one of the barrio’s “kissing lanes.” A popular explanation suggests the buildings were built so close together to provide maximum shade. But the history is more complex than that: this labyrinthine street plan goes back to Moorish times, when this area was a tangled market. Later, this was the Jewish ghetto, where all the city’s Jews were forced to live in a very small area.
• Just to the left, the street spills onto...
9 Plaza de los Venerables: This square is another candidate for “heart of the barrio.” The streets branching off it ooze local ambience. When the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, this area became deserted and run-down. But in 1929, for its world’s fair, Sevilla turned the plaza into a showcase of Andalusian style, adding the railings, tile work, orange trees, and other too-cute, Epcot-like adornments. A different generation of tourists enjoys the place today, likely unaware that what they’re seeing in Barrio Santa Cruz is far from “authentic” (or, at least, not as old as they imagine).
The large, harmonious Baroque-style Hospital de los Venerables (1675), once a retirement home for old priests (the “venerables”), is now a cultural foundation worth visiting for its ornate church and the excellent Centro Velázquez, with its small but fine collection of paintings (for more on the hospital and its collection, see here).
• Continue west on Calle de Gloria, past an interesting tile map of the Jewish Quarter (on the right). You’ll soon come upon...
10 Plaza de Doña Elvira: This small square—with orange trees, tile benches, and a stone fountain—sums up our barrio walk. Shops sell work by local artisans, such as ceramics, embroidery, and fans.
• Cross the plaza and head north along Calle Rodrigo Caro; keep going until you enter the large...
11 Plaza de la Alianza: Ever consider a career change? Gain inspiration at the site that once housed the painting studio of John Fulton (1932-1998; find the small plaque above the double hotel signs), an American who pursued two dreams. Though born in Philadelphia, Fulton got hooked on bullfighting. He trained in the bullrings of Mexico, then in 1956 he moved to Sevilla, the world capital of the sport. His career as matador was not top-notch, and the Spaniards were slow to warm to the Yankee, but his courage and persistence earned their grudging respect. After he put down the cape, he picked up a brush, making colorful paintings in his Sevilla studio.
• From Plaza de la Alianza, you can return to the cathedral by turning left (west) on Calle Joaquín Romero Murube (along the wall). Or, if you’re ready for a bite, head northeast on Calle Rodrigo Caro, which intersects with Calle Mateos Gago, a street lined with tapas bars.
▲Archivo General de Indias (General Archives of the Indies)
Centro de Interpretación Judería de Sevilla
BETWEEN THE RIVER AND THE CATHEDRAL
Torre del Oro (Gold Tower) and Naval Museum
▲Church of the Savior (Iglesia del Salvador)
▲Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija
▲Flamenco Dance Museum (Museo del Baile Flamenco)
Sevilla’s cathedral (Catedral de Sevilla) is the third-largest church in Europe (after St. Peter’s at the Vatican in Rome and St. Paul’s in London) and the largest Gothic church anywhere. When they ripped down a mosque of brick on this site in 1401, the Reconquista Christians announced their intention to build a cathedral so huge that “anyone who sees it will take us for madmen.” They built for about a hundred years. Even today, the descendants of those madmen proudly display an enlarged photocopy of their Guinness Book of Records letter certifying, “Santa María de la Sede in Sevilla is the cathedral with the largest area: 126.18 meters x 82.60 meters x 30.48 meters high” (find the letter at the end of the following self-guided tour).
Cost and Hours: €9 combo-ticket also includes Giralda bell tower and entry to the Church of the Savior; Mon 11:00-16:30, Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 14:30-19:00; closes one hour earlier in winter, last entry to cathedral one hour before closing; WC and drinking fountain just inside entrance and in courtyard near exit, tel. 954-214-971, www.catedraldesevilla.es.
Crowd-Beating Tip: Though there’s usually not much of a line to buy tickets, you can avoid the queue altogether by buying your combo-ticket at the Church of the Savior, a few blocks north (see here). See that church first, then come to the cathedral and walk around the line to the turnstile.
Tours: My self-guided tour covers the basics. The €3 audioguide explains each side chapel for anyone interested in old paintings and dry details. For €10, you can enjoy Concepción Delgado’s tour instead (see “Tours in Sevilla,” earlier).
Self-Guided TourEnter the cathedral at the south end (closest to the Alcázar, with a full-size replica of the Giralda’s weathervane statue in the patio).
• Pick up a church map from the rack in this room before you pass through the...
1 Art Pavilion: Just past the turnstile, you step into a room of paintings that once hung in the church, including works by Sevilla’s two 17th-century masters—Bartolomé Murillo (St. Ferdinand, depicting the king who freed Sevilla from the Moors) and Francisco de Zurbarán (St. John the Baptist in the Desert). Find a painting showing two of Sevilla’s patron saints—Santa Justa and Santa Rufina, killed in ancient Roman times for their Christian faith. Potters by trade, these two are easy to identify by their palm branches (symbolic of their martyrdom) and their pots (at their feet or in their hands), and the bell tower symbolizing the town they protect. As you tour the cathedral, keep track of how many depictions of this dynamic and saintly duo you spot. They’re everywhere.
• Enter the actual church (you’ll pass a WC on the way). In the center of the church, sit down in front of the...
2 High Altar: Look through the wrought-iron Renaissance grille at what’s called the largest altarpiece (retablo mayor) ever made—65 feet tall, with 44 scenes from the life of Jesus and Mary carved from walnut and chestnut, blanketed by a staggering amount of gold leaf. The work took three generations to complete (1481-1564). The story is told left to right, bottom to top. Find Baby Jesus in the manger, in the middle of the bottom row, then follow his story through the miracles, the Passion, and the Pentecost. Look way up to the tippy-top, where a Crucifixion adorns the dizzying summit. Now crane your neck skyward to admire the 3 Plateresque tracery on the ceiling.
• Turn around and check out the...
4 Choir: Facing the high altar, the choir features an organ of more than 7,000 pipes (played Mon-Fri at the 10:00 Mass, Sun at the 10:00 & 13:00 Mass, not in July-Aug, free entry for worshippers). A choir area like this one—enclosed within the cathedral for more intimate services—is common in Spain and England, but rare in churches elsewhere. The big, spinnable book holder in the middle of the room held giant hymnals—large enough for all to chant from in a pre-Xerox age when there weren’t enough books for everyone.
• Now turn 90 degrees to the right to take in the enormous...
5 Altar de Plata: Rising up in what would be the transept, the gleaming silver altarpiece adorned with statues resembles an oversized monstrance (the vessel used during communion), with the statue of the Virgin installed among the gleaming silver. Sevilla’s celebration of La Macarena’s “jubilee” year culminated here (in 2014, to mark the 50th year of her canonical coronation).
• Go left, up the side aisle and head to the last chapel on the right.
6 Chapel of St. Anthony (Capilla de San Antonio): This chapel is used for baptisms. The Renaissance baptismal font has delightful carved angels dancing along its base. In Murillo’s painting, Vision of St. Anthony (1656), the saint kneels in wonder as Baby Jesus comes down surrounded by a choir of angels. Anthony, one of Iberia’s most popular saints, is the patron saint of lost things—so people come here to pray for his help in finding jobs, car keys, and life partners. Above the Vision is The Baptism of Christ, also by Murillo. You don’t need to be an art historian to know that the stained glass dates from 1685. And by now you must know who the women are...
The son of a barber of Seville, Bartolomé Murillo (mur-EE-oh) got his start selling paintings meant for export to the frontier churches of the Americas. In his 20s, he became famous after he painted a series of saints for Sevilla’s Franciscan monastery. By about 1650, Murillo’s sugary, simple, and accessible religious style was spreading through Spain and beyond.
Murillo painted street kids with cute smiles and grimy faces, and radiant young Marías with Ivory-soap complexions and rapturous poses (Immaculate Conceptions). His paintings view the world through a soft-focus lens, wrapping everything in warm colors and soft light, with a touch (too much, for some) of sentimentality.
Murillo became a rich, popular family man, and the toast of Sevilla’s high society. In 1664, his wife died, leaving him heartbroken, but his last 20 years were his most prolific. At age 65, Murillo died after falling off a scaffold while painting. His tomb is lost somewhere under the bricks of Plaza de Santa Cruz.
Exiting the rear of the chapel, look for a glass case that displays the 7 pennant of Ferdinand III, which was raised here over the minaret of the mosque on November 23, 1248, as Christian forces finally expelled the Moors from Sevilla. For centuries, it was paraded through the city on special days.
Continuing on, stand at the 8 back of the nave (behind the choir) and appreciate the ornate immensity of the church. Can you see the angels trumpeting on their Cuban mahogany? Any birds? Before you is the gravestone of Ferdinand Columbus, Christopher’s second son. Having given the cathedral his collection of 6,000 precious books, he was rewarded with this prime burial spot.
Turn around. To the left, behind an iron grille, is a niche with 9 Murillo’s Guardian Angel pointing to the light and showing an astonished child the way.
• Now turn around, passing a massive candlestick holder to the right of the choir that dates from 1560, and march down the side aisle to find the...
10 Virgen de la Antigua: Within this chapel is a gilded fresco of the Virgin delicately holding a rose and the Christ Child, who’s holding a bird. It’s the oldest art here, even older than the cathedral itself: It was painted onto a horseshoe-shaped prayer niche of the mosque that formerly stood on this site. After Sevilla was reconquered in 1248, the mosque served as a church for about 120 years—until it was torn down to make room for this huge cathedral. The Catholic builders, who were captivated by the fresco’s beauty and well aware of the Virgen de la Antigua’s status as protector of sailors (important in this port city), decided to save the fresco. Gaze up to find flags of all the New World countries where the Virgen de la Antigua is revered.
• Exit the Virgen de la Antigua chapel by the side door to find the...
11 Tomb of Columbus: In front of the cathedral’s entrance for pilgrims are four kings who carry the tomb of Christopher Columbus. His pallbearers represent the regions of Castile, Aragon, León, and Navarre (identify them by their team shirts). Notice how the cross held by Señor León has a pike end, which is piercing an orb. Look closer: It’s a pomegranate, the symbol of Granada—the last Moorish-ruled city to succumb to the Reconquista (in 1492).
Columbus didn’t just travel a lot while alive—he even kept it up posthumously. He was buried first in northwestern Spain (in Valladolid, where he died), then moved to a monastery here in Sevilla, then to what’s now the Dominican Republic (as he’d requested), then to Cuba. Finally—when Cuba gained independence from Spain in 1902—his remains sailed home again to Sevilla. After all that, it’s fair to wonder whether the remains in the box before you are actually his. Sevillians like to think so. (Columbus died in 1506. Five hundred years later, to help celebrate the anniversary of his death, DNA samples did indeed give Sevillians some evidence to substantiate their claim.)
On the left is a 1584 mural of St. Christopher, patron saint of travelers. The clock above has been ticking since 1788.
• Facing Columbus, duck into the first chapel on your left to find the...
12 Sacristy: This space is where the priests get ready each morning before Mass. The Goya painting above the altar features another portrayal of Justa and Rufina with their trademark bell tower, pots, and palm leaves. This beautiful work by Goya is remarkable because it was painted specifically for this space, and the two girls look like fashionable women of the artist’s time—certainly not like third-century martyrs.
• Two chapels down is the entrance to the...
13 Main Sacristy: Marvel at the ornate, 16th-century dome of the main room, a grand souvenir from Sevilla’s Golden Age. The intricate masonry, called Plateresque, resembles lacy silverwork (plata means “silver”). God is way up in the cupola. The three layers of figures below him show the heavenly host; relatives in purgatory—hands folded in prayer—looking to heaven in hope of help; and the wretched in hell, including a topless sinner engulfed in flames and teased cruelly by pitchfork-wielding monsters.
Dominating the room is a nearly 1,000-pound, silver-plated monstrance (vessel for displaying the communion wafer). This is the monstrance used to parade the holy host through town during Corpus Christi festivities.
• The next door down leads you through a pair of rooms to one with a unique oval dome. It’s in the 16th-century chapter house (sala capitular), where monthly meetings take place with the bishop (he gets the throne, while the others share the bench). The paintings here are by Murillo: a fine Immaculate Conception (1668, high above the bishop’s throne) and portraits of saints important to Sevillians.
Then, enter the...
14 Treasury: This wood-paneled Room of Ornaments shows off gold and silver reliquaries, which hold hundreds of holy body parts, as well as Spain’s most valuable crown. This jeweled piece (the Corona de la Virgen de los Reyes, by Manuel de la Torres) sparkles with thousands of tiny precious stones, and the world’s largest pearl—used as the torso of an angel. This amazing treasure was paid for by locals who donated their wealth to royally crown their Madonna.
• Leave the treasury and cross through the church, passing the closed-to-tourists 15 Royal Chapel, the burial place of several kings of Castile (open for worship only—access from outside), then the also-closed 16 Chapel of St. Peter, which is filled with paintings showing scenes from the life of St. Peter.
In the far corner—past the glass case displaying the Guinness Book certificate declaring that this is indeed the world’s largest church by area—is the entry to the Giralda bell tower. It’s time for some exercise.
17 Giralda Bell Tower Climb: Your church admission includes entry to the bell tower, a former minaret. Notice the beautiful Moorish simplicity as you climb to its top, 330 feet up (35 ramps plus 17 steps), for a grand city view. The graded ramp was designed to accommodate a donkey-riding muezzin, who clip-clopped up five times a day to give the Muslim call to prayer back when a mosque stood here. It’s less steep the farther up you go, but if you get tired along the way, stop at balconies for expansive views over the entire city.
• Back on the ground, head outside. As you cross the threshold, look up. Why is a wooden crocodile hanging here? It’s a replica of a taxidermied specimen, the original of which is said to have been a gift to King Alfonso X from the sultan of Egypt in 1260 (when the croc died, the king had him stuffed and hung here). You’re now in the...
18 Court of the Orange Trees: Today’s cloister was once the mosque’s patio for ablutions. Twelfth-century Muslims stopped at the fountain in the middle to wash their hands, face, and feet before praying. The ankle-breaking lanes between the bricks were once irrigation streams—a reminder that the Moors introduced irrigation to Iberia. The mosque was made of bricks; the church is built of stone. The only large-scale remnants of the mosque today are the Court of the Orange Trees, the Giralda bell tower, and the site itself.
• You’ll exit the cathedral through the Court of the Orange Trees (WCs are at the far end of the courtyard, downstairs). As you leave, look back from the outside and notice the arch over the...
19 Puerta del Perdón: As with much of the Moorish-looking art in town, this doorway is actually Christian—the two coats of arms are a giveaway. The relief above the door shows the Bible story of Jesus ridding the temple of the merchants...a reminder to contemporary merchants that there will be no retail activity in the church. The plaque on the right honors Miguel de Cervantes, the great 16th-century writer. It’s one of many plaques scattered throughout town showing places mentioned in his books. (In this case, the topic was pickpockets.) The huge green doors predate the church. They are bits of the pre-1248 mosque—wood covered with bronze. Study the fine workmanship.
Giralda Bell Tower Exterior: Step across the street from the exit gate and look at the bell tower. Formerly a Moorish minaret from which Muslims were called to prayer, it became the cathedral’s bell tower after the Reconquista. A 4,500-pound bronze statue symbolizing the Triumph of Faith (specifically, the Christian faith over the Muslim one) caps the tower and serves as a weather vane (in Spanish, girar means “to rotate”; la giralda refers to the female figure that turns with the wind). In 1356, the original top of the tower fell. You’re looking at a 16th-century Christian-built top with a ribbon of letters proclaiming, “The strongest tower is the name of God” (you can see Fortísima—“strongest”—from this vantage point).
Now circle around for a close look at the corner of the tower at ground level. Needing more strength than their bricks could provide for the lowest section of the tower, the Moors used Roman-cut stones. You can actually read the Latin that was chiseled onto one of the stones 2,000 years ago. The tower offers a brief recap of the city’s history: It sits on a Roman foundation and has a long Moorish section, which is capped by the current Christian age.
Today, by law, no building in the center may be higher than the statue atop the tower. (But the skyscraper just across the river, Torre Sevilla, is by far the tallest erection in the greater city—and that offends locals in this conservative town. The fact that it was financed by one of Spain’s major banks, which many Spaniards blame for the economic crisis, hasn’t helped its popularity.)
• Your cathedral tour is finished. If you’ve worked up an appetite, get out your map and make your way a few blocks for some...
20 Nun-Baked Goodies: Stop by the El Torno Pastelería de Conventos, a co-op where various orders of cloistered nuns send their handicrafts (such as baptismal dresses for babies) and baked goods to be sold. You won’t actually see el torno (a lazy Susan), since this shop is staffed by laypeople, but this humble little hole-in-the-wall shop is worth a peek, and definitely serves the best cookies, bar nun. It’s located through the passageway at 24 Avenida de la Constitución, directly across from the cathedral’s main front door: Go through the passageway marked Plaza del Cabildo into the quiet courtyard (Mon-Fri 10:00-13:30 & 17:00-19:30, Sat-Sun 10:30-14:00, closed Aug, Plaza del Cabildo 2, tel. 954-219-190).
Originally a 10th-century palace built for the governors of the local Moorish state, this building still functions as a royal palace—the oldest in Europe that’s still in use. The core of the palace features an extensive 14th-century rebuild, done by Muslim workmen for the Christian king, Pedro I (1334-1369). Pedro was nicknamed either “the Cruel” or “the Just,” depending on which end of his sword you were on. Pedro’s palace embraces both cultural traditions.
Today, visitors can enjoy several sections of the Alcázar (Real Alcázar). Spectacularly decorated halls and courtyards have distinctive Islamic-style flourishes. Exhibits call up the era of Columbus and Spain’s New World dominance. The lush, sprawling gardens invite exploration.
Cost and Hours: €9.50, free Mon one hour before closing; daily 9:30-19:00, Oct-March until 17:00; tel. 954-502-324, www.alcazarsevilla.org.
Crowd-Beating Tips: To skip the ticket-buying line, reserve a time slot ahead online. Mornings are the busiest with tour groups (especially on Tuesdays). It’s less crowded late in the day—but note that the Royal Apartments can only be visited before 13:30. Avoid the free admission time on Monday as lines are often so long that your time inside is cut short.
Tours: The fast-moving, €5 audioguide gives you an hour of information as you wander. My self-guided tour hits the highlights, or you could consider Concepción Delgado’s Alcázar tour (see here).
The Upper Royal Apartments can be visited only with a separate tour (€4.50, includes separate audioguide, must check bags in provided lockers). For some, it’s worth the extra time and cost just to escape the mobs in the rest of the palace. If you’re interested, once inside the main courtyard go directly to the upstairs desk and reserve a spot. Groups of 15 leave every half-hour from 10:00 to 13:30, listening to the 30-minute audio tour while escorted by a security guard. If all the time slots are full the day you visit, have the guard at the exit stamp your ticket when you leave—you can reenter through the exit the following day and try your luck again.
Self-Guided TourThis royal palace is decorated with a mix of Islamic and Christian elements—a style called Mudejar. It offers a thought-provoking glimpse of a graceful Al-Andalus world that might have survived its Castilian conquerors...but didn’t. The floor plan is intentionally confusing, to make experiencing the place more exciting and surprising. While Granada’s Alhambra was built by Moors for Moorish rulers, what you see here is essentially a Christian ruler’s palace, built in the Moorish style by Moorish artisans.
• Buy your ticket and enter through the turnstiles. Pass through the garden-like Lion Patio (Patio del León), with the rough stone wall of the older Moorish fortress on your left (c. 913), and through the arch into a courtyard called the...
1 Courtyard of the Hunt (Patio de la Montería): Get oriented. The palace’s main entrance is directly ahead, through the elaborately decorated facade. WCs are in the far-left corner. In the far-right corner is the staircase and ticket booth for the Upper Royal Apartments—if you’re interested, reserve an entry time now.
The palace complex was built over many centuries, with rooms and decorations from the various rulers who’ve lived here. Moorish rulers first built the original 10th-century palace and gardens. Then, after Sevilla was Christianized in 1248, King Pedro I built the most famous part of the complex. During Spain’s Golden Age, it was home to Ferdinand and Isabel and, later, their grandson Charles V; they all left their mark. Successive monarchs added still more luxury. And today’s king and queen still use the palace’s upper floor as one of their royal residences.
• Before entering the heart of the palace, start in the wing to the right of the courtyard. Skip the large reception room for now and go directly to the...
2 Admiral’s Hall (Salón del Almirante): When Queen Isabel debriefed Columbus in Barcelona after his New World discoveries, she realized what he’d found could be big business. She created this wing in 1503 to administer Spain’s New World ventures. In these halls, Columbus recounted his travels, Ferdinand Magellan planned his around-the-world cruise, and Amerigo Vespucci tried to come up with a catchy moniker for that newly discovered continent.
In the pink-and-red Audience Chamber (once a chapel), the altarpiece painting is St. Mary of the Navigators (Santa María de los Navegantes, Alejo Fernández, 1530s). The Virgin—the patron saint of sailors and a favorite of Columbus—keeps watch over the puny ships beneath her. Her cape seems to protect everyone under it—even the Native Americans in the dark background (the first time “Indians” were painted in Europe).
Standing beside the Virgin (on the right, dressed in gold, almost joining his hands together in prayer) is none other than Christopher Columbus. He stands on a cloud, because he’s now in heaven (this was painted a few decades after his death). Notice that Columbus is blond. Columbus’ son said of his dad: “In his youth his hair was blond, but when he reached 30, it all turned white.” Many historians believe this to be the earliest known portrait of Columbus. If so, it’s also likely to be the most accurate. The man on the left side of the painting, with the gold cape, is King Ferdinand.
Left of the painting is a model of Columbus’ Santa María, his flagship and the only of his three ships not to survive the 1492 voyage. Columbus complained that the Santa María—a big cargo ship, different from the sleek Niña and Pinta caravels—was too slow. On Christmas Day it ran aground off present-day Haiti and tore a hole in its hull. The ship was dismantled to build the first permanent structure in America, a fort for 39 colonists. (After Columbus left, the natives burned the fort and killed the colonists.) Opposite the altarpiece (in the center of the back wall) is the family coat of arms of Columbus’ descendants, who now live in Spain and Puerto Rico. Using Columbus’ Spanish name, it reads: “To Castile and to León, Colón gave a new world.”
Return to the still-used reception room, filled with big canvases. The biggest painting (and most melodramatic) shows a key turning point in Sevilla’s history: King Ferdinand III humbly kneels before the bishop, giving thanks to God for helping him liberate the city from the Muslims (in 1248). Ferdinand promptly turned the Alcázar of the Moors into the royal palace of Christian kings.
Pop into the room beyond the grand piano for a look at some ornate fans (mostly foreign and well-described in English). A long painting (designed to be gradually rolled across a screen and viewed like a primitive movie) shows 17th-century Sevilla during Holy Week. Follow the procession, which is much like today’s, with traditional floats carried by teams of men and followed by a retinue of penitents.
• Return to the Courtyard of the Hunt. Face the impressive entrance to the...
3 Palace Facade: This is the entrance to King Pedro I’s Palace (Palacio del Rey Pedro I), the Alcázar’s 14th-century nucleus. The facade’s elaborate blend of Islamic tracery and Gothic Christian elements introduces us to the Mudejar style seen throughout Pedro’s part of the palace.
• Enter the palace. Go left through the vestibule (impressive, yes, but we’ll see better), and emerge into the big courtyard with a long pool in the center. This is the...
4 Courtyard of the Maidens (Patio de las Doncellas): You’ve reached the center of King Pedro’s palace. It’s an open-air courtyard, surrounded by rooms. In the center is a long, rectangular reflecting pool. Like the Moors who preceded him, Pedro built his palace around water.
King Pedro cruelly abandoned his wife and moved into the Alcázar with his mistress, then hired Muslim workers from Granada to re-create the romance of that city’s Alhambra in Sevilla’s stark Alcázar. The designers created a microclimate engineered for coolness: water, sunken gardens, pottery, thick walls, and darkness. This palace is considered Spain’s best example of the Mudejar style. Stucco panels with elaborate designs, colorful ceramic tiles, coffered wooden ceilings, and lobed arches atop slender columns create a refined, pleasing environment. The elegant proportions and symmetry of this courtyard are a photographer’s delight.
• You’ll explore the rooms branching off the courtyard in the next few stops. Through the door at the end of the long reflecting pool is the palace’s most important room, called the...
5 Hall of the Ambassadors (Salón de Embajadores): Here, in his throne room, Pedro received guests and caroused in luxury. The room is a cube topped with a half-dome, like many important Islamic buildings. In Islam, the cube represents the earth, and the dome is the starry heavens. In Pedro’s world, the symbolism proclaimed that he controlled heaven and earth. Islamic horseshoe arches stand atop recycled columns with golden capitals.
The stucco on the walls is molded with interlacing plants, geometrical shapes, and Arabic writing. Here, in a Christian palace, the walls are inscribed with unapologetically Muslim sayings: “None but Allah conquers” and “Happiness and prosperity are benefits of Allah, who nourishes all creatures.” The artisans added propaganda phrases, such as “Dedicated to the magnificent Sultan Pedro—thanks to God!”
The Mudejar style also includes Christian motifs. Find the row of kings, high up at the base of the dome, chronicling all of Castile’s rulers from the 600s to the 1600s. Throughout the palace (as in the center of the dome above you), you’ll see coats of arms—including the castle of Castile and the lion of León. There are also natural objects (such as shells and birds), which you wouldn’t normally find in Islamic decor, as it traditionally avoids realistic images of nature.
Notice how it gets cooler as you go deeper into the palace. Straight ahead from the Hall of the Ambassadors, in the Philip II Ceiling Room (Salón del Techo de Felipe II), look above the arches to find peacocks, falcons, and other birds amid interlacing vines. Imagine day-to-day life in the palace—with VIP guests tripping on the tiny steps.
• Make your way to the second courtyard, nearby (with your back to the Hall of the Ambassadors, circle right). This smaller courtyard is the...
6 Courtyard of the Dolls (Patio de las Muñecas): This delicate courtyard was reserved for the king’s private family life. Originally, the center of the courtyard had a pool, cooling the residents and reflecting decorative patterns that were once brightly painted on the walls. The columns—recycled from ancient Roman and Visigothic buildings—are of alternating white, black, and pink marble. The courtyard’s name comes from the tiny doll faces found at the base of one of the arches. Circle the room and try to find them. (Hint: While just a couple of inches tall, they’re eight feet up.)
Pedro’s original courtyard was a single story; the upper floors and skylight were added centuries later by Isabel’s grandson, Charles V, in the 16th century. See the different styles: Mudejar below (lobed arches and elaborate tracery) and Renaissance above (round arches and less decoration).
• The long adjoining room with the gilded ceiling, the Prince’s Room (Cuarto del Príncipe), was Queen Isabel’s bedroom, where she gave birth to a son, Prince Juan.
Return to the Hall of the Ambassadors, continue straight through, then turn left to find the...
7 Charles V Ceiling Room (Salón del Techo del Carlos V): Emperor Charles V, who ruled Spain at its peak of New World wealth, expanded the palace. The reason? His marriage to his beloved Isabel—which took place in this room—that joined vast realms of Spain and Portugal. Devoutly Christian, Charles celebrated his wedding night with a midnight Mass, and later ordered the Mudejar ceiling in this room to be replaced with the less Islamic (but no less impressive) Renaissance one you see today.
• We’ve seen the core of King Pedro’s palace, with the additions by his successors. Return to the Courtyard of the Maidens, then turn right. In the corner, find the small staircase. Go up to rooms decorated with bright ceramic tiles and Gothic vaulting. Pass through the chapel (with its majestic mahogany altar on your right) and into a big, long room, the...
8 Banquet Hall (Salón Gótico): This airy banquet hall is where Charles and Isabel held their wedding reception. Tiles of yellow, blue, green, and orange line the room, some decorated with whimsical human figures with vase-like bodies. The windows open onto views of the gardens.
9 Hall of Tapestries (Salón Tapices): Next door, the walls are hung with 18th-century Spanish copies of 16th-century Belgian tapestries showing the conquests, trade, and industriousness of Charles’ prosperous reign. (The highlights are described in Spanish along the top, and in Latin along the bottom.) The map tapestry of the Mediterranean world has south pointing up. Find Genova, Italy on the bottom; Africa on top; Lisbon (Lisboa) on the far right; and the large city of Barcelona in between. The artist included himself holding the legend—with a scale in both leagues and miles.
Facing the map, head to the far-left end of the room, where the wall is filled by a dramatic portrayal of the Spanish Navy. Spain ruled the waves—and thereby an empire upon which the sun never set. Its reign lasted from 1492 until the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588; after that, Britannia’s navy started to take over the helm, and it was her crown that controlled the next global empire.
• Return to the Banquet Hall, then head outside at the far end to the...
10 Mercury Pond: The Mercury Pond, a reservoir fed by a 16th-century aqueduct, irrigated the palace’s entire garden. As only elites had running water, the fountain was an extravagant show of power. Check out the bronze statue of Mercury, with his cute little winged feet. The wall defining the east side of the garden was part of the original Moorish castle wall. In the early 1600s, when fortifications were no longer needed here, that end was redesigned to be a grotto-style gallery.
• From the Mercury Pond, steps lead into the formal gardens. Just past the bottom of the steps, a tunnel on the right leads under the palace to the coolest spot in the city. Finally, explore the...
11 Gardens: The intimate geometric zone nearest the palace is the Moorish garden. The far-flung garden beyond that was the backyard of the Christian ruler.
Here in the gardens, as in the rest of the palace, the Christian and Islamic traditions merge. Both cultures used water and nature as essential parts of their architecture. The garden’s pavilions and fountains only enhance this. Wander among palm trees, myrtle hedges, and fragrant roses. While tourists pay to be here, this is actually a public garden, and free to locals. It’s been that way since 1931, when the king was exiled and Spanish citizens took ownership of royal holdings. In 1975, the Spanish people allowed the king back on the throne—but on their terms...which included keeping this garden.
• Along the east wall is an air-conditioned cafeteria with a nice terrace overlooking the gardens. It’s worth taking a few steps through the east wall to see the massive—and massively beautiful—bougainvillea that grows just on the other side of the wall.
If you’ve booked a spot to visit the Upper Royal Apartments (see “Tours” on page 657), return to the Courtyard of the Hunt, and head upstairs.
12 Upper Royal Apartments (Cuarto Real Alto): This is the royal palace of today’s monarchs. Fifteen public reception rooms are open to visitors: the official dining room, Audience Hall, and so on. The rooms are amply decorated with Versailles-like furniture, chandeliers, carpets, and portraits of 19th-century nobility. The highlight is the Audience Room, a Mudejar-style room overlooking the Patio de la Montería.
• Your Alcázar tour is over. From the Moors to Pedro I to Ferdinand and Isabel, and from Charles V to King Felipe VI, we’ve seen the home of a millennium of Spanish kings and queens. When you’re ready to go, follow 13 exit signs and head out through the Patio de Banderas, once the entrance for guests arriving by horse carriage. Enjoy a classic Giralda bell tower view as you leave.
To the right of the Alcázar’s main entrance, the Archivo General de Indias houses historic papers related to Spain’s overseas territories. Its four miles of shelving contain 80 million pages documenting a once-mighty empire. While little of interest is actually on show, a visit is free, easy, and gives you a look at the Lonja Palace, one of the finest Renaissance edifices in Spain. Designed by royal architect Juan de Herrera, the principal designer of El Escorial, the building evokes the greatness of the Spanish empire at its peak (c. 1600).
Cost and Hours: Free, Mon-Sat 9:30-17:00, Sun 10:00-14:00, Avenida de la Constitución 3, tel. 954-500-528.
Visiting the Archives: Originally this spot was a market for traders—an early stock market. Back in the day, Sevilla was the only port licensed to trade with the New World, and merchants came here from all across Europe, establishing the city as a commercial powerhouse. But by the end of the 1600s, Sevilla had become a backwater (after suffering plagues and the silting up of its harbor, which allowed Cádiz to overtake Sevilla as Spain’s main port), and in 1717, the building was abandoned. In 1785, it was put to new use as the storehouse for documents the country was quickly amassing from its discovery and conquest of the New World.
The ground floor houses a small exhibit on the building’s history, with text in Spanish only. The lone items of interest here are a series of etchings showing how all those archivos were once stacked in the bookshelves upstairs, and a cannon discovered by American treasure hunter Mel Fisher. He used information in the archives to find a Spanish galleon that sank off the Florida coast in 1616—with a treasure of $450 million onboard. Fisher returned the cannon as a gesture of goodwill.
Continue your visit by climbing the extravagant marble staircase to the first floor. At the top, don’t miss the huge 16th-century security chest—meant to store gold and important documents. Its elaborate locking mechanism (it fills the inner lid) could be opened only by following a set series of pushes, pulls, and twists—an effective way to keep prying eyes and greedy fingers from its valuable contents. Head left to find a curtained room where an interesting 15-minute video gives the historical context for Sevilla’s New World connections and an overview of the archive’s work. Then make a big circle through three galleries to check out the beautifully decorated domes and rotating exhibits.
Old Sevilla is bisected by this grand boulevard. Its name celebrates the country’s 1978 adoption of a democratic constitution, as the Spanish people moved quickly to reestablish their government after the 1975 death of longtime dictator Francisco Franco (an opportune change, since it was previously named for the founder of Spain’s Fascist Party, José Antonio Primo de Rivera).
The busy avenue was converted into a pedestrian boulevard in 2007. Overnight, the city’s paseo route took on a new dimension. Suddenly cafés and shops here had fresh appeal. (Three Starbucks moved in, strategically bookending the boulevard, but they’ve struggled to win over locals who prefer small €1 coffees to mammoth €4 ones.) The tram line (infamously short, only about a mile long) is controversial, as it violates what might have been a more purely pedestrian zone.
For a self-guided walk through this neighborhood, see here.
Buried in the Barrio Santa Cruz, this former charity-run old-folks home and hospital comes with a Baroque church and an exquisite painting gallery that includes the Centro Velázquez, which displays works by one of Spain’s premier artists. It merges local history, art, and architecture in one building. Everything is well explained by the included audioguide.
Cost and Hours: €8, free on Sun after 14:00, open daily 10:00-18:00, Plaza de los Venerables 8, tel. 954-562-696, www.focus.abengoa.es.
Visiting the Hospital: In the courtyard, you get a sense of how retired priests and Sevilla’s needy mingled around its sunken fountain.
The church, which takes you back to the year 1700, is bursting with Baroque decor, one of Spain’s best pipe organs, and frescoes by Juan de Valdés Leal. Of note is the trompe l’oeil he painted on the sacristy ceiling, turning a small room into a piece of heaven. The decor exalts the priesthood and Spain’s role as standard-bearer of the pope.
The top-notch painting gallery is dedicated to one of the world’s greatest painters, Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), who was born here in Sevilla, where he also worked as a young man. Velázquez’s Vista de Sevilla helps you imagine the excitement of this thriving city in 1649 when, with 120,000 people, it was the fourth largest in Europe. You’ll recognize landmarks like the Giralda bell tower, the cathedral, and the Torre del Oro. The pontoon bridge leads to Triana—where citizens of all ranks strolled the promenade together, as they still do today.
The Sevilla that shaped Velázquez was the gateway to the New World. There was lots of stimulation: adventurers, fortune hunters, and artists passed through here, and many stayed for years. Of the few Velázquez paintings remaining in his hometown, three are in this gallery. Upstairs has little of interest, but the staircase dome is worth a look, as is the private box view into the church.
This small, overpriced interpretive museum, standing in the heart of Barrio Santa Cruz, chronicles the history of Sevilla’s Jews, who once called this neighborhood home. Bilingual placards and a few displays give visitors a glimpse of Sevilla’s Sephardic heritage. However, most find the Casa de Sefarad in Córdoba (described on here) more interesting.
Cost and Hours: €6.50, daily 11:00-19:00, longer hours in summer, all visits are guided—tours in English may be available on request, Calle Ximénez de Enciso 22, tel. 954-047-089, www.juderiadesevilla.es.
This charity hospital, which functioned as a place of final refuge for Sevilla’s poor and homeless, was founded in the 17th century by the nobleman Don Miguel Mañara. Your visit includes an evocative courtyard, his office, a church filled with powerful art, and a good audioguide that explains it all. This is still a working charity, so when you pay your entrance fee, you’re advancing the work Mañara started back in the 17th century.
Cost and Hours: €6, includes audioguide, daily 10:30-19:30, Calle Temprado 3, tel. 954-223-232, www.santa-caridad.es.
Background: The Hospice and Hospital of the Holy Charity in Sevilla was founded by Don Miguel Mañara (1626-1679), a big-time playboy and enthusiastic sinner who, late in life, had a massive change of heart. He spent his last years dedicating his life to strict worship and taking care of the poor. In 1674, Mañara acquired some empty warehouses in Sevilla’s old shipyard and built this 150-ward “place of heroic virtues.”
Mañara could well have been the inspiration for Don Juan, the quasi-legendary character from a play set in 17th-century Sevilla, popularized later by Lord Byron’s poetry and Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni (“Don Juan” in Spanish). While no one knows for sure, I think it makes sense...and it adds some fun to the visit.
One thing’s for certain: Mañara is on the road to sainthood. His supporters request that you report any miraculous answers to prayers asking him to intercede—you need to perform miracles to become a saint.
Visiting the Hospital: The courtyard gives a sense of the origin of the building and its ongoing assistance to the poor. The statues come from Genoa, Italy, as Mañara’s family were rich Genovese merchants who moved to Sevilla to get in on the wealth from New World discoveries. The Dutch tiles (from Delft), depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament, are a reminder that the Netherlands was under Spanish rule in centuries past.
The Sala de Cabildos, a small room at the end of the courtyard, is Mañara’s former office. Here you’ll see his original desk, a painting of him at work (busy preaching against materialism and hedonism), a treasure box with an elaborate lock mechanism, his sword (he killed several people in his wilder days), a whip that was part of his austere style of worship, and his death mask.
Exit right and walk to the corner gift shop to reach the highlight—the chapel, which Mañara had built. On entering, you are greeted by Juan de Valdés Leal’s In the Blink of an Eye (In ictu oculi). In it, the Grim Reaper extinguishes the candle of life. Filling the canvas are the ruins of worldly goods, knowledge, power, and position. It’s all gone in the blink of an eye—true in the 1670s...and true today.
Turn around to face the door you just entered and look up to find Leal’s The End of the Glories of the World. The painting shows Mañara and a bishop decaying together in a crypt, with worms and assorted bugs munching away. Above, the hand of Christ—pierced by the nail—holds the scales of justice: sins (on the left) and good deeds (on the right). The placement of both paintings gave worshippers plenty to think about during and after their visit.
Sit in a front pew and take it in: This is Sevillian Baroque. Seven original or replica Murillo paintings celebrate good deeds and charity: feeding the hungry, tending the sick, and so on. The altar is carved wood with gold leaf. A dozen hardworking cupids support the Burial of Christ. The duty of the order of monks here was to give a Christian burial to the executed and drowned. See the dark-gray tombstone worked into the altar scene (on the right). Above are three female figures representing main Christian virtues (left to right): faith, charity, hope.
Before leaving the church, do Don Miguel Mañara a favor. Step on his tombstone. Located just outside the church’s main entrance in the back, it’s served as a welcome mat since 1679. He requested to be buried outside the church where everyone would step on him as they entered. It’s marked “the worst man in the world.”
Return to the courtyard, go straight across and around to the left. Wander around, noticing the brick Gothic arches of the huge halls of the 13th-century shipyards, whose original floors are 15 feet below. Overlooking the courtyard, immediately behind the church’s altar, were the rooms where Mañara spent his last years. Here he could be close to his charity work and his intensely penitent place of worship.
Across the street from the entry is a park. Pop in and see Don Miguel—wracked with guilt—carrying a poor, sick person into his hospital.
Sevilla’s historic riverside Gold Tower was the starting and ending point for all shipping to the New World. It’s named for the golden tiles that once covered it—not for all the New World booty that landed here. Ever since the Moors built it in the 13th century, it’s been part of the city’s fortifications, and long anchored a heavy chain that draped from here across the river to protect the harbor. Today, it houses a skippable, dreary naval museum with a mediocre river view.
This pleasant “New Square” is marked by a statue of King Ferdinand III, who liberated Sevilla from the Moors in the 13th century and was later sainted. For centuries afterward, a huge Franciscan monastery stood on this site; it was a spiritual home to many of the missionaries who colonized the California coast. (It was destroyed in 1840, following the disbanding of the monastic system under a government keen to take back power from the Church.) Today it’s the end of the line for Sevilla’s short tram system (which zips down Avenida de la Constitución to the San Bernardo train station).
Running along the city-center side of the square is the relatively modern City Hall. Couples use the grand salon upstairs for weekend weddings, then join their photographers on the front steps. For a more interesting look at this building, circle around to the other end (on the smaller square, called Plaza de San Francisco), where you can see how the structure has expanded right along with the city it governs: architectural styles evolve, from left to right, along the facade. The newest part of the facade, on the right, is more or less undecorated—a blank canvas for future artists to leave their mark. This square has been used for executions, bullfights, and (today) big city events.
Sevilla’s second-biggest church, built on the site of a ninth-century mosque, gleams with freshly scrubbed Baroque pride. While the larger cathedral is a jumble of styles, this church is uniformly Andalusian Baroque—the architecture, decor, and statues are all from the same period. The church is home to some of the most beloved statues that parade through town during religious festivals.
Cost and Hours: €4, covered by cathedral combo-ticket (also sold here, with shorter lines), Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 15:00-19:00, shorter hours in summer, audioguide-€2.50, Plaza del Salvador, tel. 954-211-679, www.iglesiadelsalvador.es.
Visiting the Church: If you’ve already bought the combo-ticket at the cathedral, walk through the exit, where a guard will let you skip the line.
The church’s 14 richly decorated chapels and main altar, many from the 18th century, are its highlight. Start at the high altar, with the whirling pair of angels holding lamps with red ropes. Then look high above to see frescoes that, once long forgotten, were revealed by a recent cleaning. If you visit just before Holy Week (Semana Santa), you could see floats being assembled in the main nave and getting their silver polished.
In the right transept stands another venerable Mary; this one is Our Lady of the Waters, who predates this church by about 400 years. Though permanently parked now, for centuries she was paraded through Sevilla in times of drought.
In the left transept is the chapel with one of the city’s most beloved statues (visible through the bars): the gripping Christ of the Passion, who is carrying the cross to his death (from 1619, by Juan Martínez Montañés). The statue is so revered by pilgrims and worshippers that the chapel has its own separate entrance (access through the courtyard, free, daily 10:00-14:00 & 17:00-21:00). For centuries the faithful have come here to pray, marvel at the sadness that fills the chapel, then kiss Jesus’ heel (to join them, head up the stairs behind the altar). Jesus is flanked by a red-eyed John the Evangelist and a grieving María Dolorosa, with convincing tears and a literal dagger in her heart. Under the chapel’s main altar, notice the skulls of two Jesuit missionaries who were martyred in Japan. In the adjacent shop, a wall tile shows the statue in a circa-1620 procession.
In the courtyard, you can feel the presence of the mosque that once stood on this spot. Its minaret is now the bell tower, and the mosque’s arches are now halfway underground. What’s left of the structure functions today as part of the church’s crypt.
Nearby: Finish your visit by enjoying Plaza del Salvador, a favorite local meeting point. Strolling this square, you become part of the theater of life in Sevilla.
This 16th-century palace offers a scaled-down version of the royal Alcázar (with a similar mix of Gothic, Moorish, and Renaissance styles) and a delightful garden. The nobleman who built it was inspired by a visit to the Holy Land, where he saw the supposed mansion of Pontius Pilate. If you’ve seen the Alcázar, this might not be worth the time or money. Your visit comes in two parts: the stark ground floor and garden (a tile lover’s fantasy, with good audioguide); and a plodding, 25-minute guided tour of the lived-in noble residence upstairs (English/Spanish spiel, 2/hour, check schedule at entry).
Cost and Hours: €10 includes entire house, audioguide, and guided tour; €8 covers just the ground floor and garden; daily 9:00-19:00, off-season until 18:00; Plaza de Pilatos 1, www.fundacionmedinaceli.org.
This aristocratic mansion takes you back to the 18th century like no other place in town. The Countess of Lebrija was a passionate collector of antiquities. Her home’s ground floor is paved with Roman mosaics (which you can actually walk on) and lined with musty old cases of Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Moorish artifacts—mostly pottery. The grand staircase and dining-room tiles came from a former Augustinian convent, and several rooms were even modified to fit the collectibles the countess bought (a good example is the octagonal room built to house an eight-sided Roman floor mosaic). To see a plush world from a time when the nobility had a private priest and their own chapel, take a quickie tour of the upstairs, which shows the palace as the countess left it when she died in 1938.
Cost and Hours: €5 for unescorted visit of ground floor (good English descriptions), €8 includes English/Spanish tour of “lived-in” upstairs offered every 45 minutes; July-Aug Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00, Sat until 14:00, closed Sun; Sept-June Mon-Fri 10:30-19:30, Sat 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-14:00; free and obligatory bag check, Calle Cuna 8, tel. 954-227-802, www.palaciodelebrija.com.
Several years ago, in an attempt to revitalize this formerly nondescript square, the city unveiled what locals call “the mushrooms”: a gigantic, undulating canopy of five waffle-patterned, toadstool-esque, hundred-foot-tall wooden structures. Together, this structure (officially named Metropol Parasol) provides shade, a gazebo for performances, and a traditional market hall. While the market is busy each morning, locals don’t know what to make of the avant-garde structure. A ramp under the canopy leads down to ancient-Roman-era street level, where a museum displays Roman ruins found during the building process. From the museum level, a €3 elevator takes you up top, where you can do a loop walk along the terrace to enjoy its commanding city views. It feels like walking on a roller-coaster track. I found it not worth the time or trouble. Other views in town are free, more central, and just as good (such as from the rooftop bar of the EME Catedral Hotel, across the street from the cathedral).
Cost and Hours: Plaza level always open and free; €3 viewpoint elevator ride includes beverage at the top and runs daily 10:00-23:30, shorter hours off-season; www.setasdesevilla.com.
Though small and pricey, this museum is worthwhile for anyone looking to understand more about the dance that embodies the spirit of southern Spain.
The main exhibition, on floor 1, takes about 45 minutes to see. It features well-produced videos, flamenco costumes, and other artifacts collected by the grande dame of flamenco, Christina Hoyos, including a collection of posters celebrating notable flamenco artists of yore (be sure to stand directly under the “sound showers”). The top floor and basement house temporary exhibits, mostly of photography and other artwork. On the ground floor and in the basement, you can watch flamenco lessons in progress—or even take one yourself (one hour, first person-€60, €20/person after that, shoes not provided).
Cost and Hours: €10, €24 combo-ticket includes evening concert, daily 10:00-19:00, pick up English booklet at front desk; hard to find—follow signs for Museo del Baile Flamenco, about 3 blocks east of Plaza Nueva at Calle Manuel Rojas Marcos 3; tel. 954-340-311, www.museoflamenco.com.
Performances: Live flamenco performances take place here nightly after the museum closes; for details, see here.
Sevilla’s passion for religious art is preserved and displayed in its Museum of Fine Arts. While most Americans go for El Greco, Goya, and Velázquez (not a forte of this collection), this museum opens horizons and gives a fine look at other, less well-known Spanish masters: Zurbarán and Murillo. Rather than exhausting, the museum is pleasantly enjoyable.
Cost and Hours: €1.50, mid-June-mid-Sept Tue-Sun 9:00-15:00; mid-Sept-mid-June Tue-Sat 9:00-20:00, Sun until 15:00; closed Mon year-round, tel. 955-542-942, www.museosdeandalucia.es.
Getting There: The museum is at Plaza Museo 9, a 15-minute walk from the cathedral, or a short ride on bus #C5 from Plaza Nueva. If coming from the Basílica de la Macarena, take bus #C4 to the Plaza de Armas bus station stop and walk inland four blocks.
Background: Sevilla was once Spain’s wealthy commercial capital (like New York City) at a time when Madrid was a newly built center of government (like Washington, D.C.). Spain’s economic Golden Age (the 1500s) blossomed into the Golden Age of Spanish painting (the 1600s), especially in Sevilla. Several of Spain’s top painters—Zurbarán, Murillo, and Velázquez—lived here in the 1600s. Like their contemporaries, they labored to make the spiritual world tangible, and forged the gritty realism that marks Spanish painting. You’ll see balding saints and monks with wrinkled faces and sunburned hands. The style suited Spain’s spiritual climate, as the Catholic Church used this art in its Counter-Reformation battle against the Protestant rebellion.
In the early 1800s, Spain’s government, in a push to take some power from the Church, began disbanding convents and monasteries. Secular fanatics had a heyday looting churches, but fortunately, much of Andalucía’s religious art was rescued and hung safely here in this convent-turned-museum.
Self-Guided Tour: The permanent collection features 20 rooms in neat chronological order. It’s easy to breeze through once with my tour, then backtrack to what appeals to you. Pick up the English-language floor plan, which explains the theme of each room.
• Enter and follow signs to the permanent collection, which begins in Sala I (Room 1).
Rooms 1-4: Medieval altarpieces of gold-backed saints, Virgin-and-babes, and Crucifixion scenes attest to the religiosity that nurtured Spain’s early art. Spain’s penchant for unflinching realism culminates in Room 2 with Michaelangelo friend/rival Pietro Torrigiano’s 1525 statue of an emaciated San Jerónimo, whose gaze never falters from the cross, and in Room 3 with the painted clay head of St. John the Baptist—complete with severed neck muscles, throat, and windpipe. This kind of warts-and-all naturalism would influence the great Sevillian painter Velázquez (two of his works are displayed in Room 4).
• Continue through the pleasant outdoor courtyard to the grand, former church that is now Room 5.
Room 5: The Apotheosis of St. Thomas Aquinas (Apoteosis de Santo Tomás de Aquino, 1631) by Francisco de Zurbarán (thoor-bar-AHN, 1598-1664) is considered to be the artist’s most important work (at center-left as you look at the dome in this room). It was done at the height of his career, when stark realism was all the rage. In a believable, down-to-earth way, Zurbarán presents the pivotal moment when the great saint-theologian experiences his spiritual awakening. We’ll see more of Zurbarán upstairs in Room 10.
An entire wall where the altar used to be shows off the works of another hometown boy, Bartolomé Murillo (1617-1682). His signature subject is the Immaculate Conception, the doctrine that holds that Mary was exempt from original sin. Several Inmaculadas may be on display. Typically, Mary is depicted as young, dressed in white and blue, standing atop the moon (crescent or full). She clutches her breast and gazes up rapturously, surrounded by tumbling winged babies. Murillo’s tiny Madonna and Child (Virgen de la Servilleta, 1665; at the end of the room in the center) shows the warmth and appeal of his work.
Murillo’s sweetness is quite different from the harsh realism of his fellow artists, so his work was understandably popular. For many Spaniards, Mary is their main connection to heaven. They pray directly to her, asking her to intercede on their behalf with God. Murillo’s Marys are always receptive and ready to help. (For more on Murillo, see here.)
Besides his Inmaculadas, Murillo painted popular saints. They often carry sprigs of plants, and cock their heads upward, caught up in a heavenly vision of sweet Baby Jesus. Murillo is also known for his “genre” paintings—scenes of common folk and rascally street urchins—but the museum has few of these.
• Now head back outside to enjoy the coolness of the cloister and the beauty of its tiles, then go up the Imperial Staircase to the first floor.
Rooms 6-9: In Rooms 6 and 7, you’ll see more Murillos and Murillo imitators. Room 8 is dedicated to yet another native Sevillian (and friend of Murillo), Juan de Valdés Leal (1622-1690). He adds Baroque motion and drama to religious subjects. His surreal colors and feverish, unfinished style create a mood of urgency.
Room 10: Here you’ll find more Zurbarán saints and monks, and the miraculous things they experienced, with an unblinking, crystal-clear, brightly lit, highly detailed realism. Monks and nuns could meditate upon Zurbarán’s meticulous paintings for hours, finding God in the details.
In Zurbarán’s St. Hugo Visiting the Refectory (San Hugo en el Refectorio), white-robed Carthusian monks gather together for their simple meal in a communal dining hall. Above them hangs a painting of Mary, Baby Jesus, and John the Baptist. Zurbarán created paintings for monks’ dining halls like this. His audience: celibate men and women who lived in isolation, as in this former convent, devoting their time to quiet meditation, prayer, and Bible study. Zurbarán shines a harsh spotlight on many of his subjects, creating strong shadows. Zurbarán’s people often stand starkly isolated against a single-color background—a dark room or the gray-white of a cloudy sky. He was the ideal painter for the austere religion of 17th-century Spain.
Adjacent to St. Hugo, find The Virgin of the Caves (La Virgen de las Cuevas) and study the piety and faith in the monks’ weathered faces. Zurbarán’s Mary is protective, with her hands placed on the heads of two monks. Note the loving detail on the cape embroidery, the brooch, and the flowers at her feet.
The Rest of the Museum: Spain’s subsequent art, from the 18th century on, generally followed the trends of the rest of Europe. Room 12 has creamy Romanticism and hazy Impressionism. You’ll see typical Sevillian motifs such as matadors, cigar-factory girls, and river landscapes. Of particular interest is Death of the Master by José Villegas Cordero, in which bullfighters touchingly express their grief after their teacher, gored in the ring, dies in bed. Enjoy these painted slices of Sevilla, then exit to experience similar scenes today.
Sevilla’s Holy Week celebrations are Spain’s grandest. During the week leading up to Easter, the city is packed with pilgrims witnessing 60 processions carrying about 100 religious floats. If you miss the actual event, you can get a sense of it by visiting the Basílica de la Macarena and its accompanying museum to see the two most impressive floats and the darling of Semana Santa, the statue of the Virgen de la Macarena. Although far from the city center, it’s located on Sevilla’s ring road and easy to reach. (While La Macarena is the big kahuna, for a more central look at beloved procession statues, consider stopping by the Church of the Savior, described earlier, or Triana’s Church of Santa Ana, described later.)
Cost and Hours: Church-free, treasury museum-€5; church daily 9:00-13:30 & 17:00-20:30, treasury museum closes 30 minutes earlier; audioguide-€1. The museum closes a few weeks before Holy Week for float preparation.
Getting There: Wave down a taxi and say “Basílica Macarena” (about €6 from the city center). Buses #C1 through #C5 go there, but the quickest ride is on circular routes #C3 and #C4 from Puerta de Jerez (near the Torre de Oro) or Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo (the ring road east of the cathedral), tel. 954-901-800, www.hermandaddelamacarena.es.
Self-Guided Tour: Despite the long history of the Macarena statue, the Neo-Baroque church was only built in 1949 to give the oft-moved sculpture a permanent home.
• Grab a pew and study the...
Weeping Virgin: La Macarena is known as the “Weeping Virgin” for the five crystal teardrops trickling down her cheeks. She’s like a Baroque doll with human hair and articulated arms, and is even dressed in underclothes. Sculpted in the late 17th century (probably by Pedro Roldán), she’s become Sevilla’s most popular image of Mary.
Her beautiful expression—halfway between smiling and crying—is ambiguous, letting worshippers project their own emotions onto her. Her weeping can be contagious—look around you. She’s also known as La Esperanza, the Virgin of Hope, and she promises better times after the sorrow.
Installed in the left side chapel is the Christ of the Judgment (from 1654), showing Jesus on the day he was condemned. This statue and La Macarena stand atop the two most important floats of the Holy Week parades. The side chapel on the right has an equally remarkable image of the Virgen del Rosario that’s paraded around the city on the last Sunday of October.
• To see the floats and learn more, visit the treasury museum. (The museum entrance is on the church’s left side; to reach it, either exit the church or go through a connecting door at the rear of the church.)
Tesoro (Treasury Museum): This small, three-floor museum tells the history of the Virgin statue and the Holy Week parades. Though rooted in medieval times, the current traditions developed around 1600, with the formation of various fraternities (hermandades). During Holy Week, they demonstrate their dedication to God by parading themed floats throughout Sevilla to retell the story of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ (for more, see sidebar on here). The museum displays ceremonial banners, scepters, and costumed mannequins; videos show the parades in action (some displays in English).
The three-ton float that carries the Christ of the Judgment is slathered in gold leaf and shows a commotion of figures acting out the sentencing of Jesus. (The statue of Christ—the one you saw in the church—is placed before this crowd for the Holy Week procession.) Pontius Pilate is about to wash his hands. Pilate’s wife cries as a man reads the death sentence. During the Holy Week procession, pious Sevillian women wail in the streets while relays of 48 men carry this float on the backs of their necks—only their feet showing under the drapes—as they shuffle through the streets from midnight until 14:00 in the afternoon every Good Friday. The men rehearse for months to get their choreographed footwork in sync.
La Macarena follows the Christ of the Judgment in the procession. Mary’s smaller 1.5-ton float seems all silver and candles—“strong enough to support the roof, but tender enough to quiver in the soft night breeze.” Mary has a wardrobe of three huge mantles, worn in successive years; these are about 100 years old, as is her six-pound gold crown/halo. This float has a mesmerizing effect on the crowds. They line up for hours, then clap, weep, and throw roses as it slowly sways along the streets, working its way through town. A Sevillian friend once explained, “She knows all the problems of Sevilla and its people; we’ve been confiding in her for centuries. To us, she is hope.”
The museum collection also contains some matador paraphernalia. La Macarena is the patron saint of bullfighters, and they give thanks for her protection. Copies of her image are popular in bullring chapels. In 1912, bullfighter José Ortega, hoping for protection, gave La Macarena the five emerald brooches she wears. It worked for eight years...until he was gored to death in the ring. For a month, La Macarena was dressed in widow’s black—the only time that has happened.
Macarena Neighborhood: Outside the church, notice the best surviving bit of Sevilla’s old walls. Originally Roman, what remains today was built by the Moors in the 12th century to (unsuccessfully) keep the Christians out. And yes, it’s from this city that a local dance band (Los del Río) changed the world by giving us the popular 1990s song, “The Macarena.” He-e-y-y, Macarena!
Today’s university was yesterday’s fábrica de tabacos (tobacco factory), which employed 10,000 young female cigareras—including the saucy femme fatale of Bizet’s opera Carmen. In the 18th century, it was the second-largest building in Spain, after El Escorial. Skip the free, one-hour audioguide, and instead, wander through its halls on your way to Plaza de España, especially during a school day. The university’s bustling café is a good place for cheap tapas, beer, wine, and conversation (Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun).
This square, the surrounding buildings, and the adjacent María Luisa Park are the remains of the 1929 international fair, where for a year the Spanish-speaking countries of the world enjoyed a mutual-admiration fiesta. With the restoration work here finished, this delightful area—the epitome of world’s-fair-style architecture—is once again great for people-watching (especially during the 19:00-20:00 peak paseo hour). The park’s highlight is this former Spanish Pavilion. Its tiles—a trademark of Sevilla—show historic scenes and maps from every province of Spain (arranged in alphabetical order, from Álava to Zaragoza). Climb to one of the balconies for a classic postcard view of Sevilla.
In Sevilla—as is true in so many other European cities that grew up in the age of river traffic—what was long considered the “wrong side of the river” is now the most colorful part of town. Sevilla’s Triana is a proud neighborhood that identifies with its working-class origins and is famed for its flamenco soul (characterized by the statue that greets arrivals from across the river). Known for their independent spirit, locals describe crossing the bridge toward the city center as “going to Sevilla.”
Visiting Triana: From downtown Sevilla, head to the river and cross over Puente de Isabel II to enter Triana. Note the bridge’s distinctive design as you approach. It was inspired by an 1834 crossing over the Seine River in Paris—look for the circles under each span that lead the way into Triana.
While crossing the Guadalquivir River, to the right you can see Sevilla’s single skyscraper—designed by Argentine architect César Pelli of Malaysia’s Twin Towers fame. Locals lament the Torre Sevilla because according to city law, no structure should be taller than the Giralda bell tower. But since this building doesn’t sit within the city center, developers found a way to avoid that regulation. A bank and office building, the high-rise will also house a 159-room hotel in the near future. Surrounding the skyscraper are leftover buildings from the 1992 Expo.
The Capilla del Carmen sits at the end of the bridge. Designed by Expo ‘29 architect Aníbal González, the bell tower and chapel add glamour to the entrance to Triana. Inside the chapel is an image of Sevilla’s patron saints, Justa and Rufina.
Just off the bridge and down the staircase is the Castillo de San Jorge, a 12th-century castle that in the 15th century was the headquarters for Sevilla’s Inquisition (free small museum and TI kiosk). Explore the castle briefly, then retrace your steps to visit the neighborhood’s covered market. Built in 2005 in the Moorish Revival style, it sits within the ruins of the castle (the remains of which you can see as you exit at the other side). The market bustles in the mornings and afternoons with traditional fruit and vegetable stalls as well as colorful tapas bars and cafés. This is a great spot to stop for coffee, watch produce being sold, and see locals catching up on the latest gossip.
Exit the market downstairs and left to discover the district’s ceramic history. Do your best to ignore the shops and enter the Museo de la Cerámica de Triana, which focuses on tile and pottery production. Located in the remains of a former riverside factory, the museum explains the entire process—from selecting the right type of earth to kiln firing—with a small collection of ceramics and well-produced videos of interviews with former workers (good English translations). Another short video highlights Triana’s neighborhood pride (€2.10, free with Alcázar ticket, Tue-Sat 11:00-17:30, Sun 10:00-14:30, closed Mon, Calle Antillano Campos 14, tel. 954-342-737).
After your visit to the museum, ponder what you can carry home from nearby shops. Walk along Calle Antillano Campos, then turn left on Calle Alfarería. This area is lined with the old facades of ceramic workshops that once populated this quarter. Most have either closed up or moved to the outskirts of town, where rent is cheaper. But a few stalwarts remain, including the lavishly decorated Santa Ana and the large showroom Santa Isabel (at Calle Alfarería 12). Several recommended bars are in this area (see “Eating in Sevilla,” later).
You exit onto Calle San Jacinto, which is free from car traffic. It’s the hip center of the people scene—a festival of life each evening. Venturing down side lanes, you find classic 19th-century facades with fine ironwork and colorful tiles.
Return down San Jacinto in the direction of the bridge. The final cross-street, Calle Pureza, cuts (left) through the historic center of Triana. As you wander, pop into bars and notice how the decor mixes bullfighting lore with Virgin worship. It’s easy enough to follow your nose into Dulceria Manu Jara, at Calle Pureza 5, where tempting artisan pastries are made on the spot.
Keep your eyes peeled for abacerías, traditional neighborhood grocers that also function as neighborhood bars (such as La Antigua Abacería, at Calle Pureza 12).
Stop at the Church of Santa Ana, nicknamed “the Cathedral of Triana.” It’s the home of the beloved Virgin statue called Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza de Triana (Our Lady of Hope of Triana). She’s a big deal here—in Sevilla, upon meeting someone, it’s customary to ask not only which football team they support, but which Virgin Mary they favor. The top two in town are the Virgen de la Macarena and La Esperanza de Triana. On the Thursday of Holy Week, it’s a battle royale of the Madonnas, as Sevilla’s two favorite Virgins are both in processions on the streets at the same time.
Continue down Calle Pureza until it intersects Calle Bernardo Guerra and Calle Duarte, then head toward the river. Peer into the traditional bars along Calle Betis, where local university students take advantage of affordable happy hours. (Don’t be tempted to walk down to the riverside...the boardwalk leads to a dead-end.) Continue past some of my recommended restaurants to the Puente de San Telmo. You’ll see the Torre del Oro across the river and end your Triana walk not far from the cathedral and the Alcázar. (The Metro stop at Plaza de Cuba is nearby, or you can catch bus #C3 toward the city center.)
One of Spain’s most impressive Roman ruins is found outside the sleepy town of Santiponce, about six miles northwest of Sevilla. Founded in 206 B.C. for wounded soldiers recuperating from the Second Punic War, Itálica became a thriving town of great agricultural and military importance. It was the birthplace of the famous Roman emperors Trajan and Hadrian. Today its best-preserved ruin is its amphitheater—one of the largest in the Roman Empire—with a capacity for 30,000 spectators. Other highlights include beautiful floor mosaics, such as the one in Casa de los Pájaros (House of the Birds), with representations of more than 30 species of birds. In summer, plan your visit to avoid the midday heat—arrive either early or late in the day, and definitely bring water.
Cost and Hours: €1.50; Tue-Sun 9:00-15:00 (April-mid-June until 20:00 Tue-Sat), shorter hours off-season, closed Mon; tel. 955-123-847, www.museosdeandalucia.es.
Getting There: You can get to Itálica on bus #M-172A or #M-172B from Sevilla’s Plaza de Armas station (30-minute trip, 2/hour Mon-Sat, hourly on Sun). If you’re driving, head west out of Sevilla in the direction of Huelva; after you cross the second branch of the river, turn north on SE-30, exit on to N-630, and after a few miles, get off at Santiponce. Drive past pottery warehouses and through the town to the ruins at the far (west) end.
Some of Spain’s most intense bullfighting happens in Sevilla’s 14,000-seat bullring, Plaza de Toros. Fights are held (generally at 18:30) on most Sundays in May and June; on Easter and Corpus Christi; daily during the April Fair; and at the end of September (during the Feria de San Miguel). These serious fights, with adult matadors, are called corrida de toros and often sell out in advance. On many Thursday evenings in July, the novillada fights take place, with teenage novices doing the killing and smaller bulls doing the dying. Corrida de toros seats range from €25 for high seats looking into the sun to €150 for the first three rows in the shade under the royal box; novillada seats are half that—and easy to buy at the arena a few minutes before showtime (ignore scalpers outside; get information at a TI, your hotel, by phone, or online; tel. 954-501-382, www.plazadetorosdelamaestranza.com).
Follow a bilingual (Spanish and English) 40-minute guided tour through the bullring’s strangely quiet and empty arena, its museum, and the chapel where the matador prays before the fight. (Thanks to readily available blood transfusions, there have been no deaths in three decades.) The two most revered figures of Sevilla, the Virgen de la Macarena and the Jesús del Gran Poder (Christ of All Power), are represented in the chapel. In the museum, you’ll see great classic scenes and the heads of a few bulls—awarded the bovine equivalent of an Oscar for a particularly good fight. The city was so appalled when the famous matador Manolete was killed in 1947 that even the mother of the bull that gored him was destroyed. Matadors—dressed to kill—are heartthrobs in their “suits of light.” Many girls have their bedrooms wallpapered with posters of cute bullfighters. See here for more on the “art” of bullfighting.
Cost and Hours: €8, entrance with escorted tour only—no free time inside; 3/hour, daily 9:30-21:00, Nov-March until 19:00; until 15:00 on fight days, when chapel and horse room are closed. While they take groups of up to 50, it’s still wise to call or drop by to reserve a spot in the busy season (tel. 954-210-315, www.realmaestranza.com).
Two weeks after Easter, much of Sevilla packs into its vast fairgrounds for a grand party (April 15-22 in 2018). The fair, seeming to bring all that’s Andalusian together, feels friendly, spontaneous, and very real. The passion for horses, flamenco, and sherry is clear—riders are ramrod straight, colorfully clad girls ride sidesaddle, and everyone’s drinking sherry spritzers. Women sport outlandish dresses that would look clownish elsewhere, but are somehow brilliant here en masse. Horses clog the streets in an endless parade until about 20:00, when they clear out and the streets fill with exuberant locals. The party goes on literally 24 hours a day.
Countless private party tents, called casetas, line the lanes. Each tent is the private party zone of a family, club, or association. You need to know someone in the group—or make friends quickly—to get in. Because of the exclusivity, it has a real family-affair feeling. In each caseta, everyone knows everyone. It seems like a thousand wedding parties being celebrated at the same time.
Any tourist can have a fun and memorable evening by simply crashing the party. The city’s entire fleet of taxis (who can legally charge double) and buses seems dedicated to shuttling people from downtown to the fairgrounds. Given the traffic jams and inflated prices, you may be better off hiking: From the Torre del Oro, cross the San Telmo Bridge to Plaza de Cuba and hike down Calle Asunción. You’ll see the towering gate to the fairgrounds in the distance. Just follow the crowds (there’s no admission charge). Arrive before 20:00 to see the horses, but stay later, as the ambience improves after the caballos giddy-up on out. Some of the larger tents are sponsored by the city and open to the public, but the best action is in the streets, where party-goers from the livelier casetas spill out. Although private tents have bouncers, everyone is so happy that it’s not tough to strike up an impromptu friendship, become a “special guest,” and be invited in. The drink flows freely, and the food is fun and cheap.
Energetic performances often leave people wanting more, so Concepción at Sevilla Walking Tours (described earlier, under “Tours in Sevilla”) has teamed up with local experts to offer two ways to immerse yourself in flamenco culture.
Rhythm and Palmas introduces you to the origins of flamenco and its different styles (palos). Learn to clap properly—technique is everything—in order to accompany flamenco music and song. Once you’ve got the beat down, you’ll get more out of any show (Mon, Wed, and Fri at 16:00 and 17:45). Flamenco Dance is geared toward even the most beginning dancers, either women or men. If flamenco captivates you with its passion and tension, learn some of the basic movements to express those feelings. After basic foot and leg work, instructors will guide you through a unique routine—olé! (Mon, Wed, and Fri at 16:45 and 18:30). Reservations (required) for these 45-minute classes can be made online or by phone (€18 each, €34 for both, tel. 902-158-226, mobile 616-501-100, www.sevillawalkingtours.com).
For the best local shopping experience in Sevilla, visit the popular pedestrian streets Sierpes and Tetuán/Velázquez. They, and the surrounding lanes near Plaza Nueva, are packed with people and shops. Popular souvenir items include ladies’ fans, shawls, mantillas (ornate head scarves), other items related to flamenco (castanets, guitars, costumes), ceramics, and bullfighting posters.
Clothing and shoe stores stay open all day. Other shops generally take a siesta, closing between 13:30 and 16:00 or 17:00 on weekdays, as well as on Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday. Big department stores such as El Corte Inglés stay open (and air-conditioned) right through the siesta. El Corte Inglés also has a supermarket downstairs, a pricey cafeteria, and the Gourmet Experience food court on the fifth floor, with several international options and a view terrace (Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00, closed Sun).
Collectors’ markets hop on Sunday: stamps and coins at Plaza del Cabildo (near the cathedral) and art on Plaza del Museo (by the Museo de Bellas Artes). The El Postigo arts and crafts market, in an architecturally interesting old building behind the Hospital de la Caridad, features artisan wares of all types (Mon-Sat 11:00-14:00 & 16:00-20:00, Sun 16:00-20:00, at the corner of Calles de Arfe and Dos de Mayo, tel. 954-560-013).
Mercado del Arenal, the covered fish-and-produce market, is perfect for hungry photographers (Mon-Sat 9:00-14:30, closed Sun, least lively on Mon, on Calle Pastor y Landero at Calle Arenal, just beyond bullring). For tips on dining here, see here.
Although many tourists never get beyond the cathedral and Barrio Santa Cruz, the lively pedestrianized shopping area north of the cathedral is well worth a wander. The best shopping streets—Calle Tetuán, Calle Sierpes, and Calle Cuna—also happen to be part of the oldest section of Sevilla. A walk here is a chance to join one of Spain’s liveliest paseos—that bustling celebration of life that takes place before dinner each evening, when everyone is out strolling, showing off their fancy shoes and checking out everyone else’s. This walk, if done between 18:00 and 20:00, gives you a chance to experience the paseo scene while getting a look at the town’s most popular shops. You’ll pass windows displaying the best in both traditional and trendy fashion.
Start on the pedestrianized Plaza Nueva—the 19th-century square facing the ornate City Hall—which features a statue of Ferdinand III, a local favorite because he freed Sevilla from the Moors in 1248. (For more on this plaza, see here.)
From here wander the length of Calle Tetuán, where old-time standbys bump up against fashion-right boutiques. Juan Foronda (#28) has been selling flamenco attire and mantillas since 1926. A few doors down, you’ll find the flagship store of Camper (#24), the proudly Spanish shoe brand that’s become a worldwide favorite. The rest of the street showcases mainly Spanish brands, such as Massimo Dutti, Zara, and Mango. Calle Tetuán (which becomes Calle Velázquez) ends at La Campana, a big intersection and popular meeting point, with the super department store, El Corte Inglés, just beyond, on Plaza del Duque de la Victoria. Keep your eyes peeled for ads made from azulejos—tile panels—to entice shoppers from an earlier era.
Turn right at the end of the street. At the corner of Calle Sierpes awaits a venerable pastry shop, Confitería La Campana, with a fine 1885 interior...and Sevilla’s most tempting sweets (take a break at the outdoor tables, or head to the back of the shop, where you can grab a coffee and pastry at the stand-up bar).
Now head down Calle Sierpes. This is a great street for strolling, despite some signs of “la crisis económica”—empty storefronts. But there’s nothing empty about the clock-covered, wood-paneled El Cronómetro shop (#19), where master watchmakers have been doing business since 1901. If you’ve got a problem with your Rolex, drop in—they’re an official retailer of all the luxury brands. Otherwise, take a minute to set your watch by their precisely set display clocks. Sombrereria Maquedano (#40, at the corner of Calle Rioja) is a styling place for hats—especially for men. They claim to be the oldest hat seller in Sevilla, and maybe in all of Spain. Check out the great selection of wide-brimmed horse-rider hats, perfect for the April Fair.
At the corner of Sierpes and Jovellanos/Sagasta, you’ll find several fine shops featuring Andalusian accessories. Drop in to see how serious local women are about their fans, shawls, mantillas, and peinetas (combs designed to secure and prop up the mantilla). The most valuable mantillas are silk, and the top-quality combs are made of tortoiseshell (though most women opt for much more affordable polyester and plastic). Andalusian women accessorize with fans, matching them to different dresses. The mantilla comes in black (worn only on Holy Thursday and by the mother of the groom at weddings) and white (worn at bullfights during the April Fair).
From here turn left down Calle Sagasta. Notice that the street has two names—the modern version and a medieval one: Antigua Calle de Gallegos (“Former Street of the Galicians”). With the Christian victory in 1248, the Muslims were given one month to evacuate. To consolidate Christian control during that time, settlers from Galicia, the northwest corner of Iberia, were planted here; this street was the center of their neighborhood.
Just before you hit the charming Plaza del Salvador, stop for a peek into the windows at BuBi (#6). This boutique infantil displays pricey but exquisitely made baby clothes—knit, embroidered, starched, and beribboned. Tiny crocheted booties are just affordable (€20). Now jump in to Plaza del Salvador—it’s teeming with life at the foot of the Church of the Savior (described on here and well worth a visit).
Backtrack left along Calle Cuna, famous for its exuberant flamenco dresses and classic wedding dresses. Local women save up to have flamenco dresses custom-made for the April Fair: They’re considered an important status symbol. If all this shopping wasn’t enough to make you feel like a countess, follow Calle Cuna to the Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija. Nearby is the mod, mushroom-shaped structure that towers over Plaza de la Encarnación (both described on here).
This music-and-dance art form has its roots in the Roma (Gypsy) and Moorish cultures. Even at a packaged “flamenco evening,” sparks fly. The men do most of the flamboyant machine-gun footwork. The women often concentrate on the graceful turns and smooth, shuffling step of the soleá version of the dance. Watch the musicians. Flamenco guitarists, with their lightning-fast finger-roll strums, are among the best in the world. The intricate rhythms are set by castanets or the hand-clapping (called palmas) of those who aren’t dancing at the moment. In the raspy-voiced wails of the singers, you’ll hear echoes of the Muslim call to prayer.
Like jazz, flamenco thrives on improvisation. Also like jazz, good flamenco is more than just technical proficiency. A singer or dancer with “soul” is said to have duende. Flamenco is a happening, with bystanders clapping along and egging on the dancers with whoops and shouts. Get into it.
Hotels push tourist-oriented, nightclub-style flamenco shows, but they charge a commission. Fortunately, it’s easy to book a place on your own.
Sevilla’s flamenco offerings tend to fall into one of three categories: serious concerts (usually about €18 and about an hour long), where the singing and dancing take center stage; touristy dinner-and-drinks shows with table service (generally around €35—not including food—and two hours long); and—the least touristy option—casual bars with late-night performances, where for the cost of a drink you can catch impromptu (or semi-impromptu) musicians at play. Here’s the rundown for each type of performance. For venue locations, see the map on here.
While it’s hard to choose among these three nightly, one-hour flamenco concerts, I’d say enjoying one is a must during your Sevilla visit. To the novice viewer, each company offers equal quality. They cost about the same, and each venue is small, intimate, and air-conditioned. For many, the concerts are preferable to the shows (listed next) because they’re half the cost, length, and size (smaller audience), and generally start earlier in the evening.
My recommended concerts are careful to give you a good overview of the art form, covering all the flamenco bases. At each venue you can reserve by phone and pay upon arrival, or drop by early to pick up a ticket. While La Casa del Flamenco is the nicest and most central venue, the other two have exhibits that can add to the experience.
La Casa de la Memoria is a wide venue (just two rows deep), where everyone gets a close-up view and room to stretch out (€18, nightly at 19:30 and 21:00, no drinks, no children under age 6, 100 seats, Calle Cuna 6, tel. 954-560-670, www.casadelamemoria.es, flamencomemoria@gmail.com, run by Rosana). They also have an exhibit on one easy, well-described floor, with lots of photos and a few artifacts (free with concert ticket, open 10:30-14:00 & 17:00-19:00).
The Flamenco Dance Museum, while the most congested venue (with 115 tightly packed seats), has a bar and allows drinks, and you can visit the museum immediately before the show. It has festival seating—the doors open at 18:00, when you can grab the seat of your choice, then spend an hour touring the museum and enjoying a drink before the show (€20, nightly at 19:00 and 20:45, €24 combo-ticket includes the museum and a show, reservations smart, tel. 954-340-311, www.museoflamenco.com, see museum listing on here).
La Casa del Flamenco is in a delightful arcaded courtyard right in the Barrio Santa Cruz (€18, €2 discount for Rick Steves readers with this book who book directly and pay cash; shows nightly at 19:00 and 20:30 in April-May and Sept-Oct, one show rest of year, at 19:00 or 20:30—best to check their website for current times; no drinks, no kids under age 6, 60 spacious seats, reception at adjacent Hotel Alcántara serves as the box office, Calle Ximénez de Enciso 28, tel. 954-500-595, www.lacasadelflamencosevilla.com).
These packaged shows can be a bit sterile—and an audience of tourists doesn’t help—but I find both Los Gallos and El Arenal entertaining and riveting. While El Arenal may have a slight edge on talent, and certainly feels slicker, Los Gallos has a cozier setting, with cushy rather than hard chairs—and it’s cheaper.
Los Gallos presents nightly two-hour shows at 20:30 and 22:30 (€35 ticket includes drink, €3/person discount with this book—limited to 2-3 people, arrive 30 minutes early for best seats, bar, no food served, Plaza de Santa Cruz 11, tel. 954-216-981, www.tablaolosgallos.com, owners José and Blanca promise goose bumps).
Tablao El Arenal has arguably more-professional performers and a classier setting for its show, but dinner customers get the preferred seating, and waiters are working throughout the performance (€38 ticket includes drink, €60 includes tapas, €72 includes dinner, 1.5-hour shows at 20:00 and 22:00, 30 minutes earlier off-season, near bullring at Calle Rodo 7, tel. 954-216-492, www.tablaoelarenal.com).
El Patio Sevillano is more of a variety show, with flamenco as well as other forms of song and dance. While hotels may recommend this, they’re just working for kickbacks. I like the other two much better.
Spirited flamenco singing still erupts spontaneously in bars throughout the old town after midnight—but you need to know where to look. Ask a local for the latest.
La Carbonería Bar, the sangria equivalent of a beer garden, is a few blocks north of the Barrio Santa Cruz. It’s a big, open-tented area filled with young locals, casual guitar strummers, and nearly nightly flamenco music from about 22:30 to 24:00. Located just a few blocks from most of my recommended hotels, this is worth finding if you’re not quite ready to end the day (no cover, daily 20:00-very late; near Plaza Santa María—find Hotel Fernando III, along the side alley Céspedes at #21; tel. 954-214-460).
While the days of Gypsies and flamenco throbbing throughout Triana are mostly long gone, a few bars still host live dancing; Lo Nuestro and El Rejoneo are favorites (at Calle Betis 31A and 31B).
Sevilla is meant for strolling. The paseo thrives every evening (except in winter) in these areas: along either side of the river between the San Telmo and Isabel II bridges (Paseo de Cristóbal Colón and Triana district; see “Eating in Sevilla,” here), up Avenida de la Constitución, around Plaza Nueva, at Plaza de España, and throughout the Barrio Santa Cruz. The best paseo scene is about 18:00 to 20:00, but on hot summer nights, even families with toddlers are out and about past midnight. Spend some time rafting through this river of humanity.
Savor the view of floodlit Sevilla by night from the Triana side of the river—perhaps over dinner. For the best late-night drink with a cathedral view, visit the trendy top floor of EME Catedral Hotel (at Calle Alemanes 27). Ride the elevator to the top, climb the labyrinthine staircases to the bar, and sit down at a tiny table with a big view (daily 12:00-24:00).
All of my listings are centrally located, mostly within a five-minute walk of the cathedral. The first are near the charming but touristy Barrio Santa Cruz. The last group is just as central but closer to the river, across the boulevard in a more workaday, less touristy zone.
Room rates as much as double during the two Sevilla fiestas (Holy Week and the April Fair). In general, the busiest and most expensive months are April, May, September, and October. Hotels put rooms on the discounted push list in July and August—when people with good sense avoid this furnace—and from November through February.
If you do visit in July or August, you’ll find the best deals in central, business-class places. They offer summer discounts and provide a (necessary) cool, air-conditioned refuge. But be warned that Spain’s air-conditioning often isn’t the icebox you’re used to, especially in Sevilla.
These places are off Calle Santa María la Blanca and Plaza Santa María. The most convenient parking lot is the underground Cano y Cueto garage (see here). A self-service launderette is a couple of blocks away up Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo (see “Helpful Hints” on here).
$$$$ Casa del Poeta offers peace, quiet, and a timeless elegance that seem contrary to its location in the heart of Santa Cruz. At the end of a side-street, Trinidad and Ángelo have lovingly converted an old family mansion with 17 rooms surrounding a large central patio into a home away from home. Evening guitar concerts plus a fantastic view terrace make it a worthwhile splurge (free breakfast if you reserve on their website, air-con, elevator, Calle Don Carlos Alonso Chaparro 3, tel. 954-213-868, www.casadelpoeta.es, info@casadelpoeta.es).
$$$$ Hotel Las Casas de la Judería has 178 quiet, classy rooms and junior suites, most of them tastefully decorated with hardwood floors and a Spanish flair. The service can be a little formal, but the rooms, which surround a series of peaceful courtyards, are a romantic splurge (RS% in low season, air-con, elevator, pool in summer, valet parking, Plaza Santa María 5, tel. 954-415-150, www.casasypalacios.com, juderia@casasypalacios.com).
$$$$ Hotel Casa 1800, well-priced for its elegance, is worth the extra euros. Located dead-center in the Barrio Santa Cruz (facing a boisterous tapas bar that quiets down after midnight), its 33 rooms are accessed via a lovely chandeliered patio lounge—it’s here that the hotel hosts a daily free afternoon tea for guests. With a rooftop terrace and swimming pool offering an impressive cathedral view, and tastefully appointed rooms with high, beamed ceilings, it’s a winner (air-con, elevator, Calle Rodrigo Caro 6, tel. 954-561-800, www.hotelcasa1800.com, info@hotelcasa1800.com).
$$$ Hotel Palacio Alcázar is the former home and studio of John Fulton, an American who moved here to become a bullfighter and painter. This charming boutique hotel has 12 crisp, modern rooms, and each soundproofed door is painted with a different scene of Sevilla. Triple-paned windows keep out the noise from the plaza (air-con, elevator, rooftop terrace with bar and cathedral views, Plaza de la Alianza 11, toll tel. 807-317-090, www.hotelpalacioalcazar.com, hotel@palacioalcazar.com).
$$ Hotel Amadeus is a classy and comfortable gem, with welcoming public spaces and a very charming staff. The 30 rooms, lovingly decorated with a musical motif, are situated around small courtyards. Elevators take you to a roof terrace with an under-the-stars hot tub. Breakfast comes on a trolley—enjoy it in your room, in the lounge, or on a terrace. Music lovers will appreciate the soundproof rooms with pianos—something I’ve seen nowhere else in Europe (air-con, elevator, iPads in some rooms, laundry service, pay parking nearby, Calle Farnesio 6, tel. 954-501-443, www.hotelamadeussevilla.com, reservas@hotelamadeussevilla.com, wonderfully run by María Luisa and her staff—Zaida and Cristina).
$$ El Rey Moro encircles its spacious, colorful patio (which tourists routinely duck into for a peek) with 19 rooms. Colorful, dripping with quirky Andalusian character, and thoughtful about including extras (such as free loaner bikes, a welcome drink, and private rooftop whirlpool-bath time), it’s a class act (free breakfast if you reserve on their website, air-con, elevator, Reinoso 8, tel. 954-563-468, www.elreymoro.com, hotel@elreymoro.com).
$$ Hotel Alcántara offers clean and casual comfort in the heart of Santa Cruz. Well situated, it rents 23 slick rooms at a good price (RS%, nice buffet breakfast available, air-con, elevator, rentable laptop, outdoor patio, Calle Ximénez de Enciso 28, tel. 954-500-595, www.hotelalcantara.net, info@hotelalcantara.net). The hotel also functions as the box office for the nightly La Casa del Flamenco show, next door (see here).
$$ Hotel Murillo enjoys one of the most appealing locations in Santa Cruz, along one of the very narrow “kissing lanes.” Above its elegant, antiques-filled lobby are 57 nondescript rooms with marble floors (air-con, elevator, Calle Lope de Rueda 7, tel. 954-216-095, www.hotelmurillo.com, reservas@hotelmurillo.com). They also rent apartments with kitchens (see website for details).
$ Giralda Santa Cruz, once an 18th-century abbots’ house, is now a homey 14-room hotel tucked away on a little street right off Calle Mateos Gago, just a couple of blocks from the cathedral. The exterior rooms have windows onto a pedestrian street, and a few of the interior rooms have small windows that look into the inner courtyard; all rooms are basic but neatly appointed (air-con, Calle Abades 30, tel. 954-228-324, www.alojamientosconencantosevilla.com, giralda@alojamientosconencantosevilla.com).
$ Pensión Córdoba, a homier and cheaper option, has 12 tidy, quiet rooms, solid modern furniture, and a showpiece tiled courtyard (cash only, air-con, on a tiny lane off Calle Santa María la Blanca at Calle Farnesio 12, tel. 954-227-498, www.pensioncordoba.com, reservas@pensioncordoba.com, Ana and María).
$ Hostal Plaza Santa Cruz is a charming little place, with thoughtful touches that you wouldn’t expect in this price range. The 17 clean, basic rooms surround a bright little courtyard that’s buried deep in the Barrio Santa Cruz, just off Plaza Santa Cruz. They also have nine even-nicer rooms with a common terrace in a renovated residential palace on Calle Ximénez de Enciso (air-con, Calle Santa Teresa 15, tel. 954-228-808, www.alojamientosconencantosevilla.com, plaza@alojamientosconencantosevilla.com).
¢ Samay Hostel, on a busy avenue a block from the edge of the Barrio Santa Cruz, is a youthful, well-run slumbermill with 80 beds in 17 rooms (shared kitchen, air-con, elevator, laundry service, 24-hour reception, rooftop terrace, Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo 13, tel. 955-100-160, www.hostelsamay.com).
$$ Hotel Alminar, plush and sophisticated, rents 11 fresh, slick, minimalist rooms. Double-pane windows keep it quiet at night, and two rooms have private terraces (air-con, elevator, loaner laptop, just 100 yards from the cathedral at Calle Álvarez Quintero 52, tel. 954-293-913, www.hotelalminar.com, reservas@hotelalminar.com, run by well-dressed, never-stressed Francisco).
$ Hotel San Francisco may have a classy facade, but inside its 17 rooms are sparsely decorated, with metal doors. It’s centrally located, clean, and quiet, except for the noisy ground-floor room next to the TV and reception (air-con, elevator, small rooftop terrace with cathedral view, located on pedestrian Calle Álvarez Quintero at #38, tel. 954-501-541, www.sanfranciscoh.com, info@sanfranciscoh.com, Carlos treats guests as part of the family).
$$$$ Hotel Vincci La Rábida, part of a big, impersonal hotel chain, offers four-star comfort with its 81 rooms, huge and inviting courtyard lounge, and powerful air-conditioning. Its pricing is dictated by a computer that has it down to a science (elevator, Calle Castelar 24, tel. 954-501-280, www.vinccihoteles.com, larabida@vinccihoteles.com).
$$$$ Hotel Taberna del Alabardero is unique, with only seven rooms occupying the top floor of a poet’s mansion (above the classy recommended restaurant, Taberna del Alabardero). It’s nicely located, a great value, and the ambience is perfectly circa-1900 (RS%, includes breakfast, air-con, elevator, pay parking, may close in Aug, Zaragoza 20, tel. 954-502-721, www.tabernadelalabardero.es, hotel.alabardero@esh.es).
$$$ Sevilla Plaza Suites rents 10 self-catering apartments with wood floors and kitchenettes. It’s squeaky clean, family friendly, and well-located—and comes with an Astroturf sun terrace with a cathedral view. While service is scaled down, reception is open long hours (9:00-21:00) and rooms are cleaned daily (air-con, inside rooms are quieter, a block off Plaza Nueva at Calle Zaragoza 52, tel. 601-192-465, www.suitessevillaplaza.com, info@suitessevillaplaza.com, Javier).
$ Hotel Maestranza, sparkling with loving care and charm, has 17 simple, bright, clean rooms well-located on a street just off Plaza Nueva. It feels elegant for its price. Double-pane windows help to cut down on noise from the tapas bars below (family rooms available, 5 percent discount if you pay cash, air-con, elevator, Gamazo 12, tel. 954-561-070, www.hotelmaestranza.es, sevilla@hotelmaestranza.es, Antonio).
¢ Oasis Backpackers Hostel is a good place for cheap beds, and perhaps Sevilla’s best place to connect with young backpackers. Each of the eight rooms, with up to eight double bunks, comes with a modern bathroom and individual lockers. The rooftop terrace—with lounge chairs, a small pool, and adjacent kitchen—is well-used (includes breakfast, just off Plaza de la Encarnación on the tiny and quiet lane behind the church at Compañía 1, reception hours vary—confirm check-in time when you book, tel. 955-262-696, www.oasissevilla.com, sevilla@hostelsoasis.com). Oasis also runs popular branches in Granada, Málaga, and Lisbon.
Eating in Sevilla is fun and affordable. People from Madrid and Barcelona find it a wonderful value. Make a point to get out and eat well when in Sevilla.
A clear dining trend in Sevilla is the rise of gourmet tapas bars, with spiffed-up decor and creative menus, at the expense of traditional restaurants. Even in difficult economic times, when other businesses are closing down, tapas bars are popping up all over. (Locals explain that with the collapse of the construction industry here, engineers, architects, and other professionals—eager for a business opportunity—are investing in trendy tapas bars.) Old-school places survive, but they often lack energy, and it seems that their clientele is aging with them. My quandary: I like the classic típico places. But the lively atmosphere and the best food are in the new places. One thing’s for certain: if you want a good “restaurant” experience, your best value these days is to find a trendy tapas bar that offers good table seating, and sit down to enjoy some raciones.
Before heading out, review my “Tapas Menu Decoder” on here, and the drinks vocabulary on here.
Colorful Triana, across the river from the city center, offers a nice range of eating options. Its covered market is home to a world of tempting lunchtime eateries—take a stroll, take in the scene, and take your pick (busiest Tue-Sat morning through afternoon). Beyond the market, the neighborhood has three main restaurant zones to consider: trendy Calle San Jacinto, the neighborhood scene behind the Church of Santa Ana, and several riverside restaurants with views of central Sevilla.
The area’s pedestrianized main drag is lined with the tables of several easy-to-enjoy restaurants.
$$ Taberna Miami is a reliable bet for seafood. Grab a table with a good perch right on the street (daily 11:30-24:00, Calle San Jacinto 21, tel. 954-340-843).
$$ Blanca Paloma Bar is an untouristy classic that’s a hit with the neighborhood crowd. It offers plenty of small tables for a sit-down meal, a delightful bar, and a fine selection of good Spanish wines by the glass, listed on the blackboard. They serve tasty tapa standards such as pisto con huevo frito (ratatouille with fried egg) that look and taste homemade (tapas at bar only, open daily at 8:30 but food served Mon-Sat 12:00-16:00 & 20:00-24:00, Sun 12:00-16:00, at the corner of Calle Pagés del Corro, tel. 954-333-640).
$$ Las Golondrinas Bar (“The Sparrows”) is the talk of the Triana tapas scene, with a wonderful list of cheap and tasty tapas. Favorites here are the pork solomillo (tenderloin) and champiñones (mushrooms). Complement your meat with a veggie plate from the aliños section of the menu. Though they don’t post a wine list, they serve plenty of nice wines by the glass. Cling to a corner of the bar and watch the amazingly productive little kitchen jam; you’ll need to be aggressive to get an order in. To make a sit-down meal of it, nab one of the tables upstairs (Tue-Sun 13:00-16:00 & 20:00-24:00, may also be open Mon; one block down Calle San Jacinto from Isabel II Bridge—take the first right onto Calle Alfarería, then the first left onto Calle Antillano Campos to #26; tel. 954-331-626).
$ Dulcería Manu Jara satisfies the demanding sweet tooth. French pastry chef Manuel moved to Spain at age 27 after working in several Michelin-star restaurants and restored this 1873 shop to sell his creations. His local specialties, like torrijas (imagine French toast soaked in honey), are outstanding (Tue-Sun 10:00-14:00 & 16:30-20:30, no midday break on weekends, closed Mon, Pureza 5, tel. 675-873-674).
This is the best place in the area to take a break from the trendy dining scene. It offers a charming setting where you can sit down under a big tree to eat dinner along with local families.
$$ Bar Bistec, with most of the square’s tables, does grilled fish with gusto. They’re enthusiastic about their cod fritters and calamari, and brag about their pigeon, quail, and snails in sauce. Before taking a seat out on the square, consider the indoor seating and the fun action at the bar (daily 11:30-16:00 & 20:00-24:00, Plazuela de Santa Ana, tel. 954-274-759). $$ Taberna La Plazuela, which shares the square, is simpler, doing fried fish, grilled sardines, and caracoles (snails) in-season (spring-early summer).
$$ Bar Santa Ana, just a block away alongside the church, is a rustic neighborhood sports-and-bull bar with great seating on the street. Peruse the interior, draped in bullfighting and Weeping Virgin memorabilia. It’s always busy with the neighborhood gang, who enjoy fun tapas like delicia de solomillo (pork tenderloin) and appreciate the bar’s willingness to serve even cheap tapas at the outdoor tables. If you stand at the bar, they’ll keep track of your bill by chalking it directly on the counter in front of you (facing the side of the church at Pureza 82, tel. 954-272-102).
$$$ Kiosco de Las Flores started out serving fried fish from a simple green shack on the river in 1930, but has since become a Sevillian tradition. They serve up various raciones and meat dishes, but most diners come for the fried fish, which they gobble down either inside or on the terrace (Tue-Sat 11:00-16:00 & 19:00-23:30, Sun 11:00-16:00, closed Mon, on Calle Betis across from Torre del Oro, tel. 954-274-576).
$$$$ Abades Triana Ristorante is a hit for special occasions and fancy riverfront dining. It’s a dressy restaurant with formal waiters serving modern Mediterranean cuisine. You’ll sit in air-conditioned comfort behind a big glass wall facing the river or on a classy outdoor terrace (daily 13:30-16:00 & 20:30-24:00, reservations smart but they don’t reserve specific tables, directly across from Torre del Oro at Calle Betis 69, tel. 954-286-459, www.abadestriana.com).
$$$ Restaurante Río Grande is a stuffy, traditional, candlelit-fancy option, with properly attired waiters, a full menu, and lots of seafood. I’d skip the formal and more expensive dining room for the less expensive, more casual terrace with fine river views; in summer, they run a disco bar below the terrace (daily 13:00-16:00 & 19:30-24:00, air-con, next to the San Telmo Bridge, tel. 954-273-956).
Other Riverside Options: The little $$ fish joints fronting the river just beyond the Isabel II Bridge—El Mero and Bodegón La Universal—change names like hats and charge a little extra for their scenic setting, but if you want to eat reasonably on the river, they’re worth considering.
For tapas, the Barrio Santa Cruz is trendy and romántico. Plenty of atmospheric-but-touristy restaurants fill the neighborhood near the cathedral and along Calle Santa María la Blanca. From the cathedral, walk up Calle Mateos Gago, where several classic old bars—with the day’s tapas scrawled on chalkboards—keep tourists and locals well fed and watered.
$$ Bodega Santa Cruz (a.k.a. Las Columnas) is a popular, user-friendly standby with cheap, unpretentious tapas. You’re not coming here for the food (which is basic), but for the bustling atmosphere, as locals and tourists alike crowd the place, inside and out, for hours on end. You can keep an eye on the busy kitchen from the bar, or hang out like a cowboy at the tiny stand-up tables out front. To order you’ll need to find your way to the bar—a fun experience in itself (there’s no table service). Separate chalkboards list tapas and montaditos (daily 11:30-24:00, Calle de Rodrigo Caro 1A, tel. 954-213-246).
$$ Las Teresas is a characteristic small bar draped in festival posters and memorabilia. It serves good tapas from a tight little menu. Prices at the bar and outside tables (for fun tourist-watching) are the same, but tapas are only available inside. The hams (with little upside-down umbrellas that catch the dripping fat) are a reminder that the Spanish are enthusiastic about their cured meat (daily 10:00-24:00, Calle Santa Teresa 2, tel. 954-213-069).
$$$ Restaurante San Marco serves basic Italian cuisine under the arches of what was a Moorish bath in the Middle Ages (and a disco in the 1990s). The air-conditioned atmosphere may feel rather upscale, but it’s also easygoing and family-friendly, with live Spanish guitar every night (daily 13:00-16:15 & 20:00-24:00, Calle Mesón del Moro 6, tel. 954-214-390, staff speaks English, welcoming Ángelo).
I try to avoid the restaurants surrounding the cathedral, but if you can’t take another step before finding a place to eat, here are a few decent options: The tiny $$ Taberna Álvaro Peregil is mixed in with the tourist jumble, but their small plates and montaditos are the real thing, along with vino de naranja—orange wine, a local specialty (daily 12:00-24:00, Calle Mateos Gago 20, tel. 954-218-966). If you can’t face one more tapa, $$ Gusto Ristobar, just outside the cathedral’s Court of the Orange Trees, has fresh-tasting panini, pizza, and salads (daily 8:30-23:30, Calle Alemanes 3, tel. 954-500-923). $$ Cervecería Giralda, a long-established meeting place for locals, is famous for its fine tapas, but may feel somewhat touristy due to its location. The food is better quality than you would suspect, and prices are the same whether you sit outside, at an inside table, or at the bar (daily 9:00-24:00, Calle Mateos Gago 1, tel. 954-256-162).
$$$ La Azotea is a modern place that makes up for its lack of traditional character with gourmet tapas—made with native, seasonal ingredients—that have earned it a loyal following. It’s run by Juan Antonio and his partner from San Diego, Jeanine, who’ve taken care to make the menu easy and accessible for English speakers. You can dine elegantly on tapas for reasonable prices (served only at the bar) or enjoy a sit-down meal—but you’ll need to arrive early. They also serve breakfast (daily 9:00-24:00, Calle Mateos Gago 8, tel. 954-215-878). Another branch is not far from Plaza Nueva (daily 13:30-16:30 & 20:30-24:00, Calle Zaragoza 5, tel. 954-564-316).
$$ Bar Estrella sits only two blocks from the cathedral but seems far from the tourist buzz. Its homey vibe, traditional favorites, and good prices make this a nice spot to sample local dishes. The flamenquín—pork loin and ham rolled together, then deep-fried—as well as a pork tenderloin (solomillo) cooked in a whiskey sauce are worth trying (daily 12:00-24:00, Estrella 3, tel. 954-219-325).
This lively street, which defines the eastern boundary of the Barrio Santa Cruz, has an inviting concentration of eateries and is only slightly less touristy.
Tapas Restaurants on Paseo Catalina de Ribera: Two easy and good-value places located next to each other are worth considering; they have similar prices, fine bars, happening and creative cuisine, good indoor seating, and wonderful tables outside on a busy sidewalk facing the Murillo Gardens. $$ Vinería San Telmo specializes in meaty tapas (the lamb with couscous and rabo de toro “wrap” are both winners) and offers lots of wine by the glass. Ask the speedy servers if there’s something new on their often-updated menu (daily 13:00-24:00, tel. 954-410-600). $$ Catalina Tapas Bar is my favorite—like me, it’s less hip than San Telmo but more creative than traditional tapas bars (daily 9:00-24:00, tel. 954-412-412).
$ Freiduría Puerta de la Carne and $$ Bar Restaurante El 3 de Oro are a two-for-one operation. The freiduría is a fried-fish-to-go place, with great outdoor seating, while El 3 de Oro is a fancier restaurant across the street that serves fine wine or beer to the fry shop’s outdoor tables. First go into the fry shop and order a cheap cone of tasty fried fish (or incredibly delicious chicken wings). Study the photos of the options available; un quarto (250 grams, for €5-7) serves one person. Then head out front and flag down a server to order a drink and even a small salad (technically from the restaurant), all while enjoying a great outdoor setting—almost dining for the cost of a picnic (Freiduría open daily 13:00-17:00 & 20:00-24:30, usually no lunch service in summer; Santa María la Blanca 34, tel. 954-426-820).
Breakfast and Dessert on Plaza Santa María la Blanca: Several nondescript places work to keep travelers happy at breakfast time on the sunny main square near most of my recommended hotels. I like $$ Café Bar Carmela. For the cost of a continental breakfast at your hotel, you can be out on the square, with your choice of either a smaller, local-style breakfast, or a hearty American-style meal (breakfast served 9:00-13:00, easy menus, Calle Santa María la Blanca 6, tel. 954-540-590).
Bolas Ice Cream is the neighborhood favorite. Maestro heladero Antonino has been making ice cream in Sevilla for the past 40 years, with a focus on fresh, natural, and inventive products. They are generous with samples and creative with their offerings, so try a few wild flavors before choosing. Antonino’s friendly wife, Cecilia, speaks English and doles out samples (daily 12:00-24:00, Puerto de la Carne 3, mobile 664-608-960).
In the area between the cathedral and the river, just across Avenida de la Constitución, you can find tapas, cheap eats, and fine dining. Calle García de Vinuesa leads past several colorful and cheap tapas places to a busy corner surrounded by an impressive selection of happy eateries (where Calle de Adriano meets Calle Antonia Díaz).
$$$ Bodeguita Casablanca is famously the choice of bullfighters—and even the king. Just steps from the touristy cathedral area, this classy place seems a world apart, with stylish locals, a great menu, and a dressy interior complete with a stuffed bull’s head. Sit inside for a serious meal of raciones. Be bold and experiment with your order—you can’t go wrong here (Mon-Fri 12:30-17:00 & 20:00-24:00, Sat 12:30-17:30 except closed Sat in July, closed Sun and Aug, reservations smart, across the way from Archivo General de Indias at Calle Adolfo Rodríguez Jurado 12, tel. 954-224-114, www.bodeguitacasablanca.com).
$$$ La Casa del Tesorero creates its own world, with a calm, spacious, elegant interior built upon 12th-century Moorish ruins (look through the glass floor) and under historic arches of what used to be the city’s treasury. It’s a good, dressy Italian alternative to the tapas commotion, with mellow lighting and music (daily 12:30-16:00 & 19:30-23:30, Calle Santander 1, tel. 954-503-921).
$$ At El Postiguillo, the ambience combines bulls and Bonanza—stuffed heads decorate the walls of a fanciful wooden stable. Locals swear to its quality for traditional dishes, while tourists like the generous portions and easy menu. Prompt service is also a plus. Try the carrillada (stewed pork cheeks), rabo de toro (oxtail stew), or the chilled salmorejo (a thicker, Córdoba-style gazpacho). They can be busy at lunchtime, so go early to avoid a wait (daily 12:00-24:00, Calle Dos de Mayo 2, tel. 954-565-162).
$$ La Isla, tucked away in a narrow alley behind the Postigo craft market, would probably go unnoticed if their food and service weren’t outstanding. A nautical theme reminds diners of seafood specialties—the albóndigas de pescado (fish meatballs) are delectable—but they also have decent grilled meats. Classy service is the norm whether dining outside, at the bar, or in the restaurant (daily 12:30-24:00, Calle Arfe 25, tel. 954-215-376).
$$ La Bulla feels like the brainchild of a gang of local foodies who, intent upon mixing traditional dishes, create an inventive international menu that’s a welcome break from the usual fare. The place is bohemian-chic, with rickety tables gathered around a busy kitchen. The day’s offerings are listed only on big chalkboards; ask for a stand-up English-language tour of what’s available. While risotto is their signature dish, I prefer their other offerings. You’ll enjoy gourmet presentation, a hip local crowd, easy jazz ambience, and good-looking servers. There’s no bar—only table seating (and only indoors)—and dishes are easily splittable; three will stuff two people (daily 12:00-16:30 & 20:00-24:00, midway between cathedral and Torre del Oro at Calle 2 de Mayo 26, tel. 954-219-262, no reservations).
$$ Bodega Morales, farther up Calle García de Vinuesa (at #11), oozes old-Sevilla ambience. The front area is more of a drinking bar; for food, go in the back section (use the separate entrance around the corner). Here, sitting among huge adobe jugs, you can munch on affordable tiny sandwiches (montaditos) and tapas; both are just €2. Try the salchicha al vino blanco—tasty sausage braised in white wine (order at the bar, good wine selection, daily 13:00-16:00 & 19:30-24:00, tel. 954-221-242).
$$ Bar Arenal is a classic bull bar with tables spilling out onto a great street-corner setting. It’s good for just a drink and to hang out with a crusty crowd. While they sell cheap, old-school tapas, you can complete the experience memorably by buying a load of fried fish from $ El Arenal Freiduría next door—this is perfectly permissible (fresh-fried portions can feed two, evenings only, bar is at Calle Arfe 2, tel. 954-223-686).
$$$ Zelai Bar Restaurant is completely contemporary, without a hint of a historic-Sevilla feel or touristy vibe. Their pricey gourmet tapas and raciones are a hit with a smart local crowd, who enjoy the fusion of Basque, Andalusian, and international flavors. They also have a dressy little restaurant in back (reservations generally required) with a €40 tasting menu (Tue-Sat 13:00-16:30 & 21:00-23:30, closed Sun-Mon, just off Plaza Nueva at Calle Albareda 22, tel. 954-229-992, www.restaurantezelai.com).
$$ Bodeguita Antonio Romero has served so many montaditos (little sandwiches) over the years that they’ve lost count. They’re known for their tasty pringá (a meaty mix of beef, pork, sausage, and fat simmered for hours), but my favorite is the piripí (mini mouthful of pork tenderloin, bacon, cheese, tomato, and mayo). They also offer many good wines by the glass (Tue-Sun 12:00-24:00, closed Mon, Gamazo 16, tel. 954-210-585).
$$ Abacería Casa Moreno is a classic abacería, a neighborhood grocery store that doubles as a standing-room-only tapas bar. Squeeze into the back room and you’re slipping back in time—and behind a tall language barrier. They’re proud of their top-quality jamón serrano, queso manchego, and super-tender mojama (cured, dried tuna). Rubbing elbows here with local eaters, under a bull’s head, surrounded by jars of peaches and cans of sardines, you feel like you’re in on a secret (Mon-Fri 9:45-15:30 & 18:30-22:30, Sat 10:30-16:00, closed Sun, 3 blocks off Plaza Nueva at Calle Gamazo 7, tel. 954-228-315).
$$$ Restaurante Enrique Becerra is a fancy little 10-table place popular with foodies. It’s well-known for its gourmet Andalusian cuisine and fine wine. Muscle in among the well-dressed locals at the tiny bar for snacks like albóndigas de cordero con yerbabuena (minty lamb meatballs) and wine by the glass, or head to the quieter, fancier dining room in the restaurant upstairs (reservations essential). Its crowded quarters attest to its quality food (Mon-Sat 13:00-16:30 & 20:00-24:00, Sun 13:00-16:00, Gamazo 2, tel. 954-213-049, www.enriquebecerra.com).
$$$ Taberna del Alabardero, one of Sevilla’s finest restaurants, serves refined Spanish cuisine in chandeliered elegance just a couple of blocks from the cathedral. If you order à la carte, it adds up to about €45 a meal, but for €55 you can have an elaborate, seven-course fixed-price meal with lots of little surprises from the chef. Or consider their €20/person (no sharing) starter sampler, followed by an entrée. The service in the fancy upstairs dining rooms gets mixed reviews (carefully read and understand your bill)...but the setting is stunning. Consider having tapas on their popular terrace while taking in views of the cathedral (daily 13:00-16:30 & 20:00-23:30, terrace closed in bad weather, air-con, reservations smart, Zaragoza 20, tel. 954-502-721, www.tabernadelalabardero.es).
Taberna del Alabardero Student-Served Lunch: The ground-floor dining rooms (classy but nothing like upstairs) are popular with office workers for a great-value, student chef-prepared, fixed-price lunch sampler (three delightful courses-€14 Mon-Fri, €19 Sat-Sun; drinks not included, open daily 13:00-16:30). To avoid a wait at lunch, arrive before 14:00 (no reservations possible).
Mercado del Arenal, the covered fish-and-produce market, is ideal for snapping photos and grabbing a cheap lunch. As with most markets, you’ll find characteristic little diners with prices designed to lure in savvy shoppers, not to mention a crispy fresh world of picnic goodies—and a riverside promenade with benches just a block away (Mon-Sat 9:00-14:30, closed Sun, sleepy on Mon, on Calle Pastor y Landero at Calle Arenal, just beyond bullring).
$$ Marisquería Arenal El Pesquero is a popular fish restaurant that thrives in the middle of the Arenal Market, but stays open after the market closes. In the afternoon and evening, you’re surrounded by the empty Industrial Age market, with workers dragging their crates to and fro. It’s a great family-friendly, finger-licking-good scene that’s much appreciated by its enthusiastic local following. Fish is priced by weight, so be careful when ordering, and double-check the bill (Tue-Sat 13:00-17:00 & 21:00-24:00, Sun open for dinner only, closed Mon, reservations smart for dinner, enter on Calle Pastor y Landero 9, tel. 954-220-881).
Note that many destinations are well served by both trains and buses.
Most trains arriving and departing Sevilla, including all high-speed AVE trains, leave from the larger, more distant Santa Justa station. But many cercanías and regional trains heading south to Granada, Jerez, Cádiz, and Málaga also stop at the smaller San Bernardo station a few minutes from Santa Justa, which is connected to downtown by tram. Hourly cercanías trains connect both stations (about a 4-minute trip). For tips on arrival at either station, see “Arrival in Sevilla,” earlier.
Train Tickets: For schedules and tickets, visit a RENFE Travel Center, either at the train station (daily 8:00-22:00, take a number and wait, tel. 902-320-320 for reservations and info) or near Plaza Nueva in the city center (Mon-Fri 9:30-14:00 & 17:30-20:00, Sat 10:00-13:30, closed Sun, Calle Zaragoza 29, tel. 954-211-455). You can also check schedules at www.renfe.com. Many travel agencies sell train tickets; look for a train sticker in agency windows.
From Sevilla by AVE Train to Madrid: The AVE express train is expensive but fast (2.5 hours to Madrid; hourly departures 7:00-23:00). Departures between 16:00 and 19:00 can book up far in advance, but surprise holidays and long weekends can totally jam up trains as well—reserve as far ahead as possible.
From Sevilla by Train to Córdoba: There are four options for this journey: slow and cheap regional, media distancia trains (7/day, 1.5 hours), fast and cheap regional high-speed Avant or Alvia trains (12/day, 45 minutes, requires reservation), and fast and expensive AVE trains (almost hourly, 45 minutes, requires reservation). Unless you must be on a particular departure, there’s no reason to pay more for AVE; Avant or Alvia trains are just as quick and a third the price. However, promotional fares for the AVE can be as cheap as regional trains when booked in advance. (If you have a rail pass, you still must buy a reservation; Avant reservations cost about half as much as ones for AVE.)
Other Trains from Sevilla to: Málaga (14/day, 45 minutes on AVE; 7/day, 2 hours on Avant; 5/day, 2.5 hours on slower regional trains), Ronda (4/day, 3 hours, transfer in Bobadilla or Córdoba), Granada (4/day, 3.5 hours, transfer in Córdoba and Antequera), Jerez (nearly hourly, 1.25 hours), Barcelona (2/day direct, more with transfer in Madrid, 5.5 hours), Algeciras (3/day, 5-6 hours, transfer at Antequera or Bobadilla—bus is better). There are no direct trains to Lisbon, Portugal, so you’ll have to take AVE to Madrid, then overnight to Lisbon; buses or a direct flight to Lisbon are far better (see later). Train info: Tel. 902-320-320, www.renfe.com.
Sevilla has two bus stations: The El Prado de San Sebastián station, near Plaza de España, primarily serves regional destinations; the Plaza de Armas station, farther north (near the bullring), handles most long-distance buses. Bus info: Tel. 954-908-040 but rarely answered, go to TI for latest schedule info.
From Sevilla’s El Prado de San Sebastián station to Andalucía and the South Coast: Regional buses are operated by Comes (www.tgcomes.es), Los Amarillos (www.losamarillos.es), and Autocares Valenzuela (www.grupovalenzuela.com). Connections to Jerez are frequent, as many southbound buses head there first (7/day, 1.5 hours, run by all three companies; note that train is also possible—see earlier). Los Amarillos runs buses to some of Andalucía’s hill towns, including Ronda (7/day, 2.5 hours, fewer on weekends) and Arcos (2/day, 2 hours; more departures possible with transfer in Jerez). For Spain’s South Coast, a Comes bus departs Sevilla four times a day and heads for Tarifa (3 hours, but not timed well for taking a ferry to Tangier that same day—best to overnight in Tarifa), then Algeciras (3-4 hours), and ends at La Línea/Gibraltar (4.5 hours). However, if Algeciras is your goal, Autocares Valenzuela has a much faster direct connection (8/day, fewer on weekends, 2.5 hours). There are two buses a day from this station to Granada (3 hours); the rest depart from the Plaza de Armas station.
From Sevilla’s Plaza de Armas station to: Madrid (9/day, 6 hours, www.socibus.es, tel. 902-229-292), Córdoba (7/day, 1-2 hours), Granada (7/day, 3 hours), Málaga (8/day direct, 3 hours), Nerja (2/day, 4-5 hours), Barcelona (2/day, 16.5 hours, including one overnight bus). Information: tel. 902-450-550.
By Bus to Portugal: The cheapest way to get to Lisbon is by bus (2/day, departures at 14:00 and 23:30, 8 hours, leaves from both Sevilla bus stations, tel. 954-905-102, www.alsa.es). The midnight departure continues past Lisbon to Coimbra (arriving 10:15) and Porto (arriving 12:00). Sevilla also has direct bus service to Lagos, on the Algarve (5/day in summer, 2/day off-season, 5.5 hours, buy ticket a day or two in advance May-Oct, tel. 954-907-737, www.damas-sa.es). The bus departs from Sevilla’s Plaza de Armas bus station and arrives at the Lagos bus station. If you’d like to visit Tavira on the way to Lagos, purchase a bus ticket to Tavira (3-hour trip), have lunch there, then take the train to Lagos.