Seville, Spain Destination Guide
Section 1: Intro to the Destination
Every corner has a story to tell in Seville. The city is known for its amazing gastronomy (tapas and cold beers); rhythms of Flamenco dancing and guitars; warm weather and sunshine all day long; and monuments throughout the city with hidden gems. Visit La Giralda and the Bridge over the Guadalquivir river for amazing views of the city and to enjoy the most important quartier in Seville: La Triana. Seville will not disappoint.
Which of the Following Phrases Best Describes this Destination?
Outdoorsy, Active and Warm
What’s the Destination Known For?
Food! Tapas and cold beer is where it is at in Seville. You will not regret trying out the different tapas and restaurants that the city has to offer.
Warm weather! Enjoy the sunshine and warm weather all year long and tan at Rio Guadalquivir while enjoying the great views
Football teams! Betis and Sevilla are two of the largest Spanish football teams. The city dresses in red and green whenever they are playing together. Don’t miss this amazing vibe throughout the city.
Culture and heritage! Flamenco dancing and music is a famous tradition in the city.
Getting There
Location: Carretera N-IV Madrid Cádiz, Km 532, Seville
Located about 11 kilometers north east of the city
Visa: US citizens will receive a 90 day tourist visa upon arrival
Train: you can take the train at the city centre and stop at Prado de San Sebastián, then take the EA bus until the airport.
Bus: take EA buses (the airport special lines); it takes 35 minutes from the city centre and it will cost 4 euros for one-way ticket
Car: renting a car is a great option. The drive will be around 30 minutes to the city center
Taxi: you can get to the city in less than 30 minutes; it will cost between 20 and 31 euros
Ridesharing: both Uber or Cabify exist in Seville (20-25 euros)
Main Central Station: Sevilla-Santa Justa
Location: Calle Joaquin Morales y Torres, 41003 Sevilla
Major Highway: A4, connecting Sevilla and Madrid
Local Etiquette
Tipping: 10% of the total for all service based occupations
Greeting: say Good Morning/Day or Hello, every time you are in shops, restaurants or even if someone greets you on the street
Gestures: giving two kisses as a salutation when you meet someone is really accepted in Spain; if you feel uncomfortable you can shake hands
Words/Phrases to know:
Hello – Hola
Please – Por favor
Thank you – Gracias
Yes – Sí
No – No
Goodbye – Adiós
Do you speak English? – ¿Hablas inglés?
I don’t understand – No entiendo
Everything is good! – Todo está bien
Cheers! – ¡Saludos!
One espresso, please – Un espresso, por favor
What time do you open? – ¿A qué hora abren?
Weather
Temperatures:
Spring
High: 71F / 21C
Low: 48F / 9C
Summer:
High: 90F / 32C
Low: 64F / 18C
Fall:
High: 78F / 26C
Low: 57F / 14C
Winter:
High: 61F / 16C
Low: 45F / 7C
Elevation: 23ft / 7m
The best month for swimming is July; the average sea temperature is 95F. The wettest month of the year is December.
The weather is best between March and June with the sunshine lasting between 10-13 hours. Fantastic months for warm weather and not so many crowds would include May and June. In winter, it will be chillier overall but still quite sunny throughout the 10-hour day.
How to dress: in summer, light and fresh clothes; always wear a hat and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun. During winter, cover yourself with scarf, hat and gloves; it can get chilly.
In-city transportation:
Buses: there are the TUSSAM buses (in -city buses) and the EA bus (going to the airport)
Metro: Metrocentro has a line, going from the city centre (Plaza Nueva) to San Bernardo. There is also a line going from Ciudad Expo to Olivar de Quintos.
Uber: use Uber or Cabify to move around the city
Bikes: you can bike around the city at a reasonable price.
City Card: “Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano”
Pick up the card at any tobacco mini store around the city
Price: 8 euros for 10 trips / 80 euros for 100 trips; card cost: 1,50 euros
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: including entry to museums and walking tours
Price: 21 euros per person
Walking: walking around the city is possible; during warm weathers it might be too hot, so take a bus or metro whenever possible
Section 2: What to See, Do, and Eat
Breakfast
Mediterranean, European, Café
$
Location: Calle de Hernando Colón 19
Times: Monday to Friday 8:00-22:00; Saturday & Sunday 9:00-22:00
Casual dress
Fun Fact: The fanciest sandwich place in Sevilla
Best dish: sandwich mango chicken curry
Café, Breakfast, Drinks
$$
Location: Calle San Esteban 15
Times: Sunday 9:00-14:00; Tuesday & Wednesday 9:00-20:00; Thursday to Saturday 9:00-23:00
Casual dress
Fun Fact: you can enjoy your breakfast while doing cultural activities
Best dish: muesli and sandwiches
Mediterranean, European, Spanish
Price: $$
Location: Plaza de la Alfalfa, 12
Times: Sunday 8:00-23:30; Monday to Thursday 7:00-23:30; Friday 7:00-24:00; Saturday 8:00-24:00
Casual dress
Fun Fact: the restaurant is still owned by the main founder, Andrés Escalona, for more than 32 years now.
Best dish: tapas
Brunch
Vegetarian, Café, Mediterranean
$
Location: Calle Tarifa, 4, 41002 Sevilla
Times: Monday to Saturday 9:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00
Casual dress
Fun Fact: the team is made up of young experienced professionals from different culinary backgrounds from European trends
Best dish: wraps
Mediterranean, European, Spanish
$$
Location: Calle San Luis 46
Times: Monday: closed; Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-16:00
Smart casual
Fun Fact: best brunch in town; they also have video-recipes in case you want to try it out at home!
Best dish: omelet, cheese and hams
Mediterranean, European, Spanish
$$
Location: Calle Alemanes 23
Times: daily 8:30-24:00
Smart casual
Fun Fact: they offer different kinds of breakfasts: Spanish, Italian, British, American and French
Best dish: national breakfast: toast with tomato and Spanish ham
Lunch
Vegetarian, Spanish.
$$
Location: Calle Hernando Colon 12
Times: Sunday to Thursday 12:30-24:00; Friday & Saturday 12:30- 1:00am
Smart casual
Fun Fact: they offer wines from all the Spanish region, from North to South
Best dish: vegetable tempura; rice with mushrooms and duck
Mediterranean, European, Spanish.
$$
Location: Calle Hernando Colón 1-3
Times: Sunday to Thursday 13:30-24:00; Friday & Saturday 13:30pm-24:30
Smart casual
Fun Fact: they cook all products in the fire; using charcoal to accentuate the flavour
Best dish: smoked corn risotto
Mediterranean, Seafood.
$
Location: Mercado Calle Feria 112
Times: Monday to Saturday 21:00-23:30; Tuesday to Friday 13:30-16:00; Saturday 14:30-16:00
Casual dress
Fun Fact: good place to try different seafood tapas from Andalusia at a cheap price
Best dish: Seafood tapas
Dinner
American, Mediterranean, European
$$
Location: Calle del Almirante Lobo 2
Times: Monday 13:30-16:00; Monday to Saturday 20:30-23:30; Tuesday to Sunday 13:30-16:30
Casual dress
Fun Fact: it’s a pet friendly restaurant – bring your dog or cat!
Best dish: Danish Burger
Mediterranean, European, Spanish
$$
Location: Avenida Concejal Alberto Jiménez, 11
Times: Sunday 20:00-23:00; Sunday to Saturday 13:00-16:30; Monday to Saturday 20:00-23:30
Smart casual
Fun Fact: the chef opened this restaurant after working in the kitchen of the most prestigious hotel in the Dominican Republic: Hotel Tortuga Bay.
Best dish: octopus and mango gazpacho
Vegetarian, Gluten Free options
$
Location: Avenida de Pero Mingo 12
Times: Tuesday to Sunday 20:30-24:00; Saturday to Sunday 13:00-16:30
casual dress
Fun Fact: the name of the restaurant comes from the 25 different sauces they offer to accompany the dishes
Best dish: béchamel croquettes
Other
Bar, Mediterranean
$
Location: Calle Gamazo 7
Times: Sunday to Saturday 12:00-16:00; 20:00-23:00
Casual dress
Fun Fact: local food served at a low price and fast service – for those who want to grab a bite and leave!
Best dish: tapas, sangria
Bar, Mediterranean
$$
Location: Calle de Antonia Díaz 19
Times: Monday: closed; Tuesday to Sunday 12:00-24:00
Smart Casual
Fun Fact: this restaurant winery has been opened for more than 20 years
Best dish: special stuffed squids; mantecaito
Ice Cream shop
$
Location: Paseo Cristobal Colón 9
Times: Monday to Thursday 9:00-24:00; Friday to Sunday 9:00-1:00 am
Casual dress
Fun Fact: they serve vegan ice cream made from rice milk
Best dish: artisanal ice cream
Top things to See and Do
A Unesco listed palace that was originally developed as a fort in 913. The original fort was enlarged and a palace known as Al-Muwarak was built in what’s now the western part of the complex.
Main Attraction: the different patios and gardens that make this place magical: Patio del León, Patio del Crucero, Patio de las Doncellas, Palacio de Don Pedro.
Location: Plaza del Triunfo, Patio de Banderas, s/n, 41004 Sevilla
Time Open: April to September daily 9:30-19:00; October to March daily 9:30-17:00
Price: 9,50 euros per person
La Giralda and Sevilla’s Cathedral
The world’s largest Gothic cathedral, built between 1434 and 1517 over what had been the city’s main mosque.
Main Attraction: La Giralda, the bell tower; the tomb of Christopher Columbus and the Capilla Mayor with a gold alterpiece.
Location: Plaza del Triunfo, Av. de la Constitución, s/n, 41004 Sevilla
Time Open: Monday 11:00-15:30, Tuesday to Saturday 11:00-17:00; Sunday 14:30-18:00
Price: 9 euros per person; children free / rooftop tours are 15 euros
The plaza was the most grandiose of the projects completed during 1929 for the Iberoamerican Expo. The square has many over the top details and mosaics, fountains, mini-canals and bridges – Venetian style.
Main Attraction: walk around the square and check all mosaics and little details.
Location: Parque de María Luisa’s main square, Av de Isabel la Católica, 41004 Sevilla
Time Open: daily 24/7
Price: free
Other: be aware of pickpockets; it’s a popular and crowded square
Seville’s Fine Arts Museum provides an extended collection of Spanish and Sevillan paintings and sculptures, from the 15th to the 20th centuries.
Main Attraction: Murillo’s “Inmaculada Concepción Grande”; El Greco’s portrait of his son; Velázquez “Cabeza de Apóstol” and a portrait by Goya.
Location: Plaza del Museo 9
Time Open: mid-September to mid-June Tuesday to Saturday 9:00-20:00, Sunday 9:00-15:00; mid-June to mid-September Tuesday to Sunday 9:00-15:00
Price: free for EU citizens; 1,50 euros for other citizens
This is an extensive park to walk around and enjoy the green side of the city
Main Attraction: the duck ponds and paths snaking under the trees
Location: Parque de María Luisa
Time Open: September to June 8:00-22:00; July & August 8:00-24:00
Price: free
A baroque styled church in Seville, dedicated to King Louis IX of France and designed by Leonardo de Figueroa.
Main Attraction: It has many altarpieces with paintings, a chapel with macabre reliquaries in glass boxes and a crypt
Location: Calle San Luis 27
Time Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 10:00-14:00, 16:00-20:00
Price: 4 euros; free on Sundays from 4pm to 8pm
Modern architecture site that opened in 2011, known as “the mushrooms”, it’s known as the largest wooden structure in the world, that took 6 years to construct.
Main Attraction: in the same building there is a market, a panoramic café and a concert space
Location: Plaza de la Encarnación
Time Open: Sunday to Thursday 10:00-22:30; Friday & Saturday 10:00-23:00
Price: 3 euros
Hospital de los Venerables Sacerdotes
This is a museum now but it was a former hospice for ageing priests. It has Velazquez paintings inside the site and a Murillo painting
Main Attraction: the hospital’s chapel and patio, ceramic tiles, fountain and orange trees
Location: Plaza de los Venerables, 8
Time Open: Summertime Thursday to Saturday 10:00-14:00; Other times of the year Thursday to Saturday 10:00-18:00
Price: adult 8 euros / children 4 euros
Festivals/Parades
The most popular and well-known spring festival in Seville, where people dress with Flamenco dresses and they dance “Sevillanas”. They decorate the streets and ride horses.
Main Attraction: enjoy the dances, music and fair with its food and drinks.
Location: Real de la Feria, Los Remedios
Time Open: April – dates depend on the beginning of Easter in Spain
Price: free
Festival del Cine Europeo de Sevilla
The best European films, commercial and artistic, are shown at this festival in Seville. For nine days the industry, public and critics come together to enjoy the best European films.
Main Attraction: short and long films, documentaries and non-fiction movie, all in one place.
Location: Teatro Alameda Sevilla, Calle Crédito 13
Time Open: 2nd week of November
Price: purchase your tickets online in advance!
Nightlife
Hotel Doña María has the best rooftop bar in Seville, offering views to the Cathedral and a great ambiance.
Location: Calle Don Remondo 19
Time Open: daily
Price: $$
How to best experience it: On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays during the summer there is a flamenco concert at 22:30
This bar is inspired in John D. Rockefeller, and it will transport you to the universe of the American businessman.
Main Attraction: there is a wide range of drinks and cocktails
Location: Calle Adriano 10
Time Open: Sundays to Saturdays 16:00-6:00 am
Price: $$
How to best experience it: every Saturday they offer live music for dancing
The bar is located in the city center, with modern and traditional décor.
Main Attraction: they offer coffee to cocktails or beers and snack food.
Location: Calle Arfe 7
Time Open: daily 12:00-24:00
$$
Hidden Gems
A hidden square in the Santa Cruz district, from which you can get to the School of Christ temple.
Main Attraction: all the details hidden in the square
Location: access it from Calle Carlos Alonso Chaparro
Time Open: daily 24/7
Price: free
The columns are 80 meters high in a straight line. They are part of a former roman temple. There were originally 6 but now only 2 are still standing.
Main Attraction: Roman columns with statues of Hercules and Julius Caesar
Location: Calle Mármoles, San Bartolomé
Time Open: daily 24/7
Price: free
Located in a beautiful 18th century townhouse, the museum uncovers the culture and centuries of flamenco artists in Seville and Andalusia.
Main Attraction: check out a performance while visiting the museum!
Location: Museo del Baile Flamenco, 3 Calle Manuel Rojas Marcos, Seville
Time Open: daily 10:00-19:00
Price: 22.-26 euros, depending if you want to see a show
