Seville.
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Overview

Seville (Spanish: Sevilla) is Andalusia's capital. With heritage from the Arabs and from the Age of Discovery, as well as the flamenco scene, Seville is a diverse destination. Tourist facilities are top-notch and the city is buzzing with festivals, color and a thriving nightlife scene.

Understand

With more than 685,000 inhabitants (2021), and 1.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is Spain's fourth-largest city, dominating southern Spain.

The smooth, slow Guadalquivir River flows through Seville, known as Betis by the Romans and as Betik Wahd-Al-Khabir by the Arabs. Since it is hard to navigate upstream from Seville, the cereal-producing region starts here, and Seville has been a busy port from Roman times, under Muslim rule, and exploding during the Age of Discovery. As the monopoly was broken and Cádiz largely took Seville's place, the city entered a period of relative decline.

In the 19th century Seville gained a reputation for its architecture and culture and was a stop along the Romantic "Grand Tour" of Europe. Seville has built on its tourism industry since, playing host to the International Exposition in 1992, which spurred the construction of a new airport, a new train station, a bullet train link to Madrid, new bridges and improvements to the main boulevards.

For classical music buffs, Seville is the setting of many famous operas over the years, such as Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, Beethoven's Fidelio, Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia and Bizet's Carmen.

Get in

By plane Ryanair flies from some 50 destinations (some seasonal) within Spain, across Europe (especially from Italy, Germany, UK and Ireland), and from Morocco. Iberia, Vueling and other carriers fly from Madrid, Mallorca, Asturias, Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Melilla in Spanish North Africa, and other European cities. It's only worth flying here from Madrid if you have a connecting flight, as the trains from the capital are so fast.

Getting there/away: Tussam Bus EA (for "Especial Aeropuerto") runs daily every 15 min from 05:00 to 00:30. Buy tickets from ticket machines next to the bus stop or on the bus. It runs from outside Arrivals, down Av de Kansas City to the main railway station, then loops with four stops around the south edge of city centre to the main bus station at Plaza de Armas. Total journey 35 min.For going from Seville to the airport: The bus EA departs in front of the bus station Plaza de Armas where the city buses depart (not downstairs!). Ride apps Use the local Cabify app, Uber or Bolt. Their designated pick-up area is on the ground level of the parking garage right next to the left outside of arrivals.

Jerez de la Frontera Airport is south of Seville and can be reached in 1 hour driving. Other airports around are in Faro and Málaga .

A common option is using carpooling such as BlaBlaCar, a safe transportation method used by many locals.

By train AVE trains blur across Spain hourly from Madrid Puerta de Atocha, taking 2 hr 40 min to Seville via Ciudad Real, Puertollano and Córdoba. From Málaga it's a single train ticket, with a stop to reverse direction in Córdoba. Travel from Jaen, Granada and Algeçiras (for Morocco) usually means a change. Travel time from Córdoba is normally under 50 min, but an occasional slow train takes 1 hr 40 min and continues to Jerez de la Frontera and Cádiz. There are no trains across the nearby border with Portugal.

By car Driving is also always an option for long distance travel in Spain, but isn't as convenient or as useful once in town. Public transportation works fine in the city, and most of the main tourist points are walking distance, so it is recommended finding a lodging with a garage or else researching the area for parking places before the trip.

Driving in the old city is tricky but possible.

There is very cheap parking available across the street from Av. de Málaga, 12. The lot is unguarded and if there is no agent in the booth then the entrance to the lot is free of charge. Do not give money to the panhandlers loitering outside pretending they are lot attendants. If they have not receipt to give you then it's a scam. Be sure leave absolutely nothing in the car. Seville in general is known for car break-ins.

There are direct buses from Madrid (6 hr), Valencia (12 hr), Córdoba (2 hr), Granada (3 hr), Málaga (3 hr), Cádiz and Jerez de la Frontera (1 hr, as part of longer TGM lines to Cartagena, Almeria and Granada), and from Portugal four daily from Faro (2 hr 15 min) and Lisbon (7 hr).

Buses may also run to (or call at) the railway station. The airport bus calls at all three stations. The city bus line 21 runs between the train station and the bus station Plaza de Armas.

Buy in advance (online or at the station) especially at busy times, as buses can sell out. Bus companies: Alsa Damas Socibus Flixbus Royal Express Rede Expressos

Get around

On foot Walking is the best option for sight-seeing: Seville is a large city but the points of interest are in the compact old centre. Strolling and coming across fine old churches, charming cafes and hidden plazas is part of the experience of being here.

There are other travel cards issued by the metro or the city bus operator, but you can only use certain means of public transport with those cards.

The local bus operator issues a rechargeable card named bonobus. Bonobuses can be bought at most kiosks and tabacarias (tobacco shops)

By bus Buses run frequently and cover the majority of the city in their routes. Regular service is kept until around 23:30, after which night buses run, with different routes, on the hour until 02:00

The letter "C" in front of a bus line means circular.

The bus line EA looks like a normal city bus and has many stops in the city.

It has 14 stops on both sides of the river. Great for a multilingual overview for first time visitors.

By metro You are unlikely to use it as it does not run near the old town, or other sights or accommodation. Its sole line follows an arch, from the southwest burbs to south end of city centre stopping at Plaza de Cuba, Prado de San Sebastián and San Bernardo, then out to the southeast burbs. It runs Su-Th 06:30-23:00, until 02:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.

By tram Trams run from Prado de San Sebastián at the south end of the centre, up Av de la Constitución past the cathedral, to end at Plaza Nueva. So it's barely 2 km of track, through an area that you'll probably prefer to walk.

Providers like Voi also offer on-demand scooter rentals.

By taxi or ride-app Taxis are easily accessible throughout the city. If in doubt, use the local app Cabify to order one via app. Uber, Bolt, FreeNow and PideTaxi are also widely available.

By bicycle Seville is building many bike paths: one pleasant route covers most of the east bank of the river.

Sevici bikes are a system of automated bike rentals with stations all over town. You need to install the smartphone app. It's necessary to buy a pass. For getting the day pass you need to swipe to the right in the app at the short term subscriptions. Once you bought a pass, trips of 30 minutes or less are free. You can use any bike that's available. Drop it off at the station nearest to where you're going.

The bike rental Bus Bici in the bus station Plaza Armas is only for residents of Seville. Lime operates on-demand rental bikes.

See

Cathedral. Huge 15th-century church on the site of the former great mosque; richly decorated with the central nave rising to 37 m. An ornate canopy and statue marks the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. If there's a queue for tickets then go to the nearby Church of Salvador (Iglesia del Salvador) and buy a combi ticket. Cathedral admission includes La Giralda, the minaret that is now the magnificent bell tower. Within, you ascend 34 ramps - no need to keep count as they're tallied on the wall - then a last short flight of steps brings you onto the viewing terrace. Church of Salvador: all of its Rocco altarpieces were cleaned and excavations revealed remains from an Islamic mosque and earlier Christian churches, now accessible in the crypt. Unless you like massive cathedrals, the effect is much more impressive.

Real Alcázar. A beautiful palace in Mudéjar (Moorish) style, built in the 12th century by the Almohad Caliphs. Greatly remodelled and extended in the 14th century by Pedro I the Cruel, its myriad rooms, extravagant architecture, lavish gardens including a maze, with many courtyards, ponds and secrets to be explored, make it a fascinating place to visit. The room where Christopher Columbus's journey across the Atlantic was planned has his coat of arms embroidered on the wall along with those of royalty. The Royal Apartments are open to tours whenever the royal family aren't using them. In the heat of summer the palace is a cool retreat from the sun's glare, and there are night tours Mar-Oct. There are toilets and a cafe within the walls of the site. It gets busy in high season: buy tickets online in advance, and only from the official website. The tourist entrance, "The Lion's Gate", is on the side facing the cathedral and has a large image of a lion above it.

Hospital de los Venerables. A 17th-century retirement home and hospital for aged and sickly retired priests, restored by the Fundación to preserve an example of Andalusian architecture at its very best. Includes a resplendent Baroque chapel which is highly recommended, as well as the Santa Rufina painted by Diego Velázquez.

Barrio Santa Cruz is the old Jewish Quarter, the winding narrow lanes just east of the cathedral and north of Alcázar. It's the most charming part of the city, with lots of bars and eating places, but it's also the most touristy.

Torre del Oro. A 13th-century tower, the top of which is rumored to have once been covered in gold. It now houses the local maritime museum.

Alameda de Hercules. Authentic and less touristy plaza with local food opportunities.

Parque María Luisa. Built for the 1929 Iber-Americano World's Fair and now landscaped with attractive monuments and museums.

Palacio de Las Dueñas. Las Dueñas is a palace belonging to the House of Alba. It was built in the 15th century, with Renaissance architecture style and Gothic-Mudejar influences. The palace is one of the major historic homes in the city. The poet Antonio Machado was born here in 1875. It is also said that Amerigo Vespucci married in this chapel at the beginning of the 16th century. The Palace has a great collection of paintings (Ribera, Luca Giordano, Neri de Bicci), ceramics, antique furniture and other decorative arts, sculptures of Ancient Rome and contemporary (Mariano Benlluire), Flemish tapestries (Willem de Pannemaker), mosaics, and many other pieces of art. An important site for understanding Andalusian customs and history.

Plaza de España. The site of the Spanish pavilion from the 1929 exhibition: the semi-circle has little ceramic maps of every region of Spain plus images of them and/or their history. It was also used in the filming of the Star Wars prequels. Visit it early in the morning on a weekday to see a long line of immigrants outside one of the government offices it now houses, or visit it right before it closes (officially at 22:00 but likely half an hour later) to see it completely empty and rather eerie.

Real Fábrica de Tabacos. The main building of the University of Seville was once the Tobacco Factory of Seville, and was constructed between 1728 and 1771 by Sebastián Van der Bocht. Over the main entrance, the triangular façade ends in a statue of La Fama (fame). The tobacco factory was then the largest industrial building in Spain. A monopoly assured high income, which is reflected in the factory's architecture and surrounding gardens. Its chapel and prison complement the main building. In the interior you find impressive stairways, fountains and Patios. It was the setting for the first act of Bizet's opera Carmen. In 1953 the factory was converted into the main building of Seville University. Just behind the tobacco factory, the María Luisa Park borders the historic centre of Seville to the south. Although it's open to the public (as all university buildings are), the building is used for academic purposes. Be respectful: don't venture into closed rooms and disrupt lectures.

Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija. The palace is considered the 'best paved house-palace in Europe' owing to its collection of Roman mosaics and marble floors in the 'opus sectile' geometric style, which paved practically the whole of the ground floor. There is also a collection of well parapets, vases, amphora, columns and sculptures of incalculable worth. On the upper floor you can visit the residences previously inhabited by the Countess and her descendants, up to only a few years ago; extremely well-preserved, they are today filled with ornaments and furniture from all over the world, priceless artwork by Van Dyke, Bruegel, Alonso Cano, among others, as well as collections of porcelain and glass.

Casa de Pilatos. A 16th-century palace and generally thought to be one of the best in the city.

Palacio Arzobispal. It is in the historical section of the city and is home to various clergy and the Archbishop. On the outside you only can catch a glimpse of the patio but on the inside there are important works of art.

Archivo General de Indias. This Renaissance building houses extensive archives relating to the Spanish conquest of the Americas, and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Included in the collection are the diaries of Columbus. The archive hosts rotating special exhibits.

Metropol Parasol. An enormous wooden structure, designed by German architect Jürgen Mayer-Hermann, inspired by the Cathedral of Seville and in the form of giant mushrooms. Known to locals as 'las setas' (the mushrooms), the structure covers the Central Market and the Antiquarium; the top level contains a restaurant and provides some of the best views of Seville.

Museo de Bellas Artes. Considered by some as the second most important fine arts museum in Spain after the Prado in Madrid. The museum building is a former mercy convent renewed in the 17th century and the 15 exhibition rooms show a comprehensive picture of Sevillian art from the Gothic period to the early trends of the 20th century. The square just outside hosts an open-air art market on Sundays until around 13:30. Plenty of original paintings on local topics, although some not so interesting bits as well!

Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla. It has one of the best collection of Roman-era artifacts in Spain, brought from nearby Italica.

Museo Antiquarium. A museum with excavated Roman and Moorish remains, discovered during construction of the Metropol Parasol. You can enter for free if you show your ticket for the alcazar, even if the ticket is a few days old.

Centro Andaluz de Arte Contempraneo. Contemporary art museum in the former Carthusian monastery of Santa Maria of Las Cuevas, which has a fascinating history as a clay mine, monastery, and ceramics factory. The site and expansive grounds are worth a visit in their own right, including a striking rose window, industrial chimneys, and orange orchards. This was one of the places where the remains of Christopher Columbus were buried, before ending up in the Cathedral.

Sevilla Card The Sevilla Card is designed to aid city exploration and save you money. The card includes free admission to most Seville museums and monuments, unlimited use of public transportation (TUSSAM Buslines, but only for Cards with Public Transport), a guided visit of the Real Alcazar of Seville, unlimited use of sightseeing buses, boat rides on the Guadalquivir river and admission to the Isla Mágica Theme Park. The card also allows access to significant discounts in shops, restaurants, shows and leisure centres for adults and children. The Sevilla Card is accompanied by a guide and city map. However, the Sevilla Card cannot be used for trams and buses.

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

The Sevilla Card can be purchased by the following means: online ticketbar; by ; and, once in Seville, at tourism offices, the airport, the train station, travel agencies and through national and international tour operators (check the website for addresses).

Do

Cruises, an hour in duration, leave from beneath the Torre del Oro and travel a circuit on the Guadalquivir river. Horse-drawn carriage rides found near the cathedral take you to the nearby park and other sites of interest. For the sake of the animals, try to avoid carriage rides in the heat of the day in summer.

Flamenco Flamenco is very popular in Spain and is not just for tourists; however finding the right place is hard. Poke around the neighbourhood of El Arenal, following the sounds of flamenco music to find a place.

Museo del Baile Flamenco. Offers an experience for all the senses with ambiental music, videos, touch-screens and artifacts to be found in this 18th century building at the heart of the historical Barrio Santa Cruz. Flamenco art and photography exhibitions are also on display and dance, singing, percussion and guitar lessons are offered.

La Casa del Flamenco. A good spot to see real flamenco.

La Carbonería. Offers free flamenco shows nightly. Arrive early for good seats.

Semana Santa. The sombre Easter week processions feature thousands of people and go on all week, a spectacular display of conspicuous Catholicism.

Feria de Abril. Also known as "Feria de Sevilla" - a release after the somberness of Semana Santa. To say this is a huge party would be an understatement. Most if not all of Seville takes a week's holiday (the Wednesday of Feria week is a public holiday) and they plan for the fair months in advance. The fair is close to the river. It covers a huge area and contains hundreds of private and public casetas which are laid out to form streets. Casetas are small marquees and you can only get into the private ones if invited. The public ones are large but just as much fun. The day is naturally split in two and between 12:00 and 20:00 the streets of the fair throng with horses as riders and carriages strut their stuff dressed in traditional Spanish robes. After 20:00 the streets are cleared and "Calle del Inferno" comes to life. This must be one of the best funfairs in Europe – it takes weeks to assemble and pack up. Experience traditional dress, flamenco dancing (and the "sevillanas", the traditional dance of the region of Seville), guitars, fino, great tapas and participants who dance with gusto and eat and drink the day and night away.

Sport and outdoor activities Football: Seville has two soccer teams playing in La Liga, Spain's top tier.

Real Betis. Capacity 60,700. Their women's team play in Liga F (their top tier) at the nearby Luis del Sol training ground.

Sevilla FC. Capacity 42,500. Their women's team play in Liga F at Ramón Cisneros training ground 5 km southeast of the centre.

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza. Bullfighting is not a sport for all; those who are either squeamish or have convictions on animal welfare should stay clear, as the event concludes with the killing of the bulls. Failing that, a visit to the arena and the attached museum of bull-fighting is well worth the time. While it is not the largest, it is considered the most attractive bull arena in Spain due to its history.

Rugby Union: Real Ciencias play 15-a-side in División de Honor, Spain's top tier. They play at Instalaciones Deportivas La Cartuja (capacity 3000), west bank of the river 5 km north of city centre. Cerro de Carambolo gives you a view of the whole city. The hill is outside of the town but can be reached on the M-170, M-171, and M-173 from the Plaza de Armas bus station. Skydive Spain are based at La Juliana Airfield 15 km southwest of the city.

Learn

Take some Spanish classes or do activities in Spanish to get in touch with the locals.

Buy

Seville is home to many beautiful artifacts, some of the more popularly known are plates and Spanish tiles. Triana offers many ceramic factories where one can buy various tiles from authentic craftsmen. There are stores that custom design plates and tiles near the cathedral, especially in Calle Sierpes, but across the river in Triana are other worthwhile pottery stores. Depending on the time of year, but especially leading up to Christmas, there are a number of artisan fairs throughout the city.

Wander through an open-air market. Vendors in many parts of the city sell on the streets, but on Sunday, when everything else is closed, a few spots really fill up. One market is behind the Alcampo shopping centre at Ronda del Tamarguillo on Avenida de la Paz (Bus lines 30, 36 from Prado de San Sebastian), but it is easily outdone by a large flea market, selling clothes, furniture, trash, books, shoes, CDs, food, tools, and probably everything else just northwest of Triana near Avenida Carlos III (off of the left-hand side of most tourist maps).

Clothing Seville offers a wide variety of retail clothing, although generally at high prices. The main shopping district is home to all the big international and Spanish clothing lines (such as Zara who has at least 4 stores in Seville). The winding streets and alleyways of the Santa Cruz area (around the Cathedral) do a roaring trade in Spanish- and Andalusian-themed T-shirts and inexpensive flamenco dresses for little girls. The Corte Ingles (translated literally to "The English Cut") is a large chain of department stores throughout Spain selling clothes in the "American style".

Bershka, Popular with the younger generation, Bershka has significant presence due to their clothing line with a distinct urban, or street culture feel. Blanco is particularly popular with young women in Spain and Europe. The trendy and free designs are colourful, comfortable and affordable. El Corte Inglés, The main building in Plaza del Duque has several floors of clothing. The same for the Nervión Plaza location outside the historic centre. Massimo Dutti, Men's and women's fashion chain caters to a more modern feel of clothing. The designs are formal but quite trendy and utilize excellent fabrics with urban and cosmopolitan details. Stradivarius, Known for its original, constantly changing fashion, the designs follow the latest trends in clothing and accessories. Zapatos de baile flamenco and Roberto Garrudo, Flamenco and equestrian fashion accessories since 1970 fashion. C/ Córdodoba 9.

Eat

Seville, like most Andalusian destinations, is known for its tapas. "Tapa", while it is associated with certain dishes, is actually a size and many restaurants or bars will offer a tapa, media ración (half serving, although sometimes enough to make a meal) and ración (serving) of the same dish. There are many great tapas places around the foot of the cathedral in the centre of town. You can't go wrong; simply order one of everything to find your favourite! Some typical tapas include tortilla española (potato omelet), pulpo gallego (Galician octopus), aceitunas (olives), patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), and queso manchego (sheep's milk cheese from the region of La Mancha in central Spain). Also be sure to try the jamón (ham), which you often see hanging above the bar. Most of the restaurants kitchens do not open before 20:30 in the evening. Though usually some easy to prepare meals are available before that time.

For an authentic and interesting meal, stop at one of the many bars, especially one which doesn't offer English menus (the prices are likely to be lower!).

Some bars near the river, such as Pedalquivir and El Faro de Triana, offer a nice view but aren't as good of a deal in terms of the quality of the food. Another would be El Patio San Eloy (San Eloy 9, Sevilla) where the tapas can be a little hit and miss, but where the cool staggered seating steps, fabulous décor and fruity sangria; provide a wonderful respite from the heat of the day.

A good deal can more easily be had at less characteristic places such as Sloppy Joe's Pizza Inn and Papasá.

If you would like to purchase your own food, head down to one of the markets close to the centre of the city, such as in Plaza Encarnación. El Corte Inglés is a larger more popular department store that you can go to for almost every need.

Don't eat the oranges from the trees on the street, they have been sprayed to repel birds and taste awful.

If you're vegetarian, make sure you specify that you eat no fish or tuna as vegetarian only implies no meat here.

The supermarkets M.A.S. and Dia are two very popular grocery stores and have everything you need for much less money than El Corte Ingles. Additionally, Dia has its own discount brand on a lot of items. Though they are closed on Sundays (like most everything else in Sevilla) they are found throughout the city and are very easily accessible.

Bodeguita Romero. A classic neighbourhood bodega, very popular with locals and serving excellent tapas.

El Librero Tapas y Quesos. Does cheese dishes, ham dishes, tapas, menu del dia, etc. Very popular with locals.

Los Coloniales. This tapas place is cozy and has only a few tables. Go there early to put your name on the board to get a table, then head inside for a couple of beers. Portions are large and food is very very good. Nice homemade desserts, too.

Duo Tapas. This bar offers a nice atmosphere and good food.

Naturalmente. Breakfast and lunch every day, with early dinner two nights a week - handy if you want to eat earlier than typical Spanish dining hours. The menu has a wide choice of breakfast "toasts", fruit and yoghurt bowls, cakes and pastries in the morning, changing to a range of lunch and dinner plates for lunch and dinner. There is a reasonable choice of vegan or vegetarian dishes, and overall the food is lighter than traditional Sevillian cuisine. The fruit juices are particularly tasty.

Cafe-Bar Las Teresas. A lively slice of ham heaven. Tourists and locals. If the sight of dead hogs hanging from the rafters offends you -- drink and eat elsewhere.

Restaurante Fez. Maroccan cuisine. Since you need a break from tapas. There are lots of other places serving Arabic food.

Habanita. In the centre of the city. Quiet open air restaurant with a very good selection of vegetarian and vegan foods.

El Rinconcillo. The oldest tavern around, try the Espinacas con Garbanzos (spinach with chickpeas) and Salmorejo, while watching the witty bartenders running around and writing your bill on the bar in front of you with, get this, chalk.

Drink

Coffee Most cafés or cafeterías in Sevilla serve slightly longer shots of darkly roasted coffee, and even cortado is quite large compared to what one might expect to get e.g. in Valencia. Speciality coffee connoisseurs will probably prefer one of the cafés serving single-origin or organic coffee:

Parcería Café. Situated near Mercado Feria, Parcería is a tiny café serving coffee from a local roaster. Laptops aren’t allowed, but the coffee is worth a walk from the city centre.

Utopía Café. Hidden in a side street, Utopía is a takeaway-only café serving coffee from the same local roaster as Parcería.

Delatribu. A small takeaway café serving organic coffee and homemade pastry.

CafeTeaTe. Located inside the Triana market, this café also serves breakfast sandwiches and other items. Their espresso shots are slightly longer than one might expect, but still decent. Make sure to ask about the current coffees when you order, they usually have one darker and one lighter roast.

Alcohol The nightlife of Seville is fantastic; no other European city has so many bars per inhabitant than Seville. In summer go to Isla Cartuja and find out why the Spanish night doesn't stop before 07:00. There you can find plenty of open-air discothèques. Other nightlife spots include Calle Betis in Triana, La Alamede de Hércules, and Plaza Alfalfa.

There are quite a few teterias in Triana across the river offering teas, shakes and Middle Eastern pastries in a cozy cushion filled environment. Down the street is a patisserie shop selling chocolate covered palmeras, a wonderful afternoon treat after a long day touring the sites. There are many coffee shops and patisserie shops in Seville, particularly in Calle Asunción in Los Remedios. Café de Indias, Starbucks and other franchises have descended lately on the city and are a good option in an emergency, but you can get a decent coffee in most local bars. For an up-market classic, visit La Campana, at the end of calle Sierpes. Don't miss Cervecería La Internacional, one of the best beer shops in Spain. More than 250 types of beer, wonderful tapas and good connections. It's in Calle Barcelona, 1 minute away from Plaza Nueva, near the Town Hall. However, do not get confused, it is international, meaning, not typically Sevillano. Sangría (an alcoholic fruit punch) is often sought by tourists, but Tinto de Verano (a mix of red wine and lemon or orange soda) is more authentic, has less alcohol, and is often cheaper. Cruzcampo, the local beer, is worth trying. Compared to other Spaniards, Sevillanos consume more beer and less wine. The tap water in Seville is good. Agua de Sevilla is sometimes thought of as a popular drink in Seville, but you will never see a person from Seville drinking it, despite all the tourists drinking it as if it were something popular.

Sleep

Most places have air conditioning but be sure to ask in summer, you'll need it. You will probably pass the siesta (early afternoon) in your room to escape the heat.

Sevillanos are well-known for their nightlife so if you don't plan to be out at all hours yourself, then seek accommodation on a street without lots of bars and restaurants, or ask for a room set back from the street.

B&B Naranjo. Budget hotel in old house near bus station, rooms are small with some on third floor, no elevator. Pleasant rooftop terrace. The a/c struggles in hot weather.

Oasis Backpackers' Hostel. Clean friendly hostel with rooftop pool. Daily activities such as walking tours, Spanish classes, bar games.

Oasis Backpackers' Palace Seville. Dorms in all sizes, lockers to put your backpack in and free linen. Roof-top terrace with chill-out bar to overlook Seville, guest kitchen, free breakfast and free internet/ wifi.

Sevilla Inn. Great location 100 m east of Giralda. Spacious terrace with views of the cathedral.

Triana Hostel. Clean well-run hostel, painted ceramic tiles, and green plants among cozy sofas. Nice roof terrace with hammocks. Rooms are average-small for a hostel with creaky iron bunk beds, safety boxes and short of space. Free breakfast and 3 (slow) computers with internet access. It's 3 blocks from the river in a nice neighbourhood with narrow streets and old houses.

Pension Vergara. Simple pension but in a converted 15th-century convent.

Hotel Pasarela. Clean friendly place just behind the big plaza.

Hostal Callejón del Agua. Basic hotel, great location, very small rooms, street noise can be a problem.

Hotel Abanico. 22-room hotel in 18th century town house, small rooms but value for money, good location. Watch your step as you come out as traffic hurtles along the narrow street.

Hotel Abril. In a quiet street near Encarnacion Square 500 m north of centre. Small and simple hotel but clean, comfy and good value for money.

Hotel Bellavista Sevilla. Mid-range out-of-town hotel opposite hospital complex with 104 rooms with a/c. Has a café with outdoor terrace and à la carte restaurant, 24 hours reception, meeting rooms, pool and parking. Pets are allowed though some visitors have had problems over this.

Hotel Itaca. Small hotel north of centre, tiny rooms, several are blind. Mostly clean and comfy but they get a lot of street noise.

Hotel Las Casas de los Mercaderes. Comfy 3-star in great location 300 m north of Giralda. Some street noise, and don't bring a car to this pedestrianised area.

Hotel Monte Carmelo. Efficient modern hotel, 10 min walk to Plaza de España.

Hotel Monte Triana. Simple hotel, clean and friendly, has parking.

Hotel Murillo. Small, clean friendly place in the Juderia. Small rooms and sometimes noisy but value for money.

NH Plaza de Armas. Efficient modern hotel on west side of city centre. Rooftop pool, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms and a restaurant.

NH Viapol Hotel. Modern hotel 1 km east of old city, airport bus and other transport stops just outside.

Hotel San Gil. 4-star going on 3, gets mixed reviews for comfort and service, 1 km north of city centre. Small rooftop pool and sun terrace.

Singular Apartments. Fully equipped apartments in 3 locations with large rooms and kitchens, also well suited for families or small groups.

Casa Romana. Comfy hotel 1 km north of city centre.

Eme Catedral Hotel. Comfy hotel in great location facing Giralda.

Gran Melia Colón. Plush hotel with spa, garage, restaurants and bars.

Hotel Alfonso XIII. Destination hotel, built for the Exposición in 1929, and converted into fabulous accommodation with prices to match. Has an outdoor pool, fitness centre, sauna and restaurant. Now part of Marriott.

Hotel Villa de la Palmera. In an affluent section of Seville just outside the centre city of the city. The hotel is a former private home of the Marquis and Marquise of Castilleja, built in the early 20th century and renovated for use as a hotel in 1999. Services and amenities include breakfast and room service, pool, gardens and a terrace, free parking and free Wi-Fi internet access.

Las Casas de la Judería. Upscale hotel next to a former synagogue. Splurge if you can on a suite, these are in the exquisite main building. Other rooms are in some three dozen nearby houses, pleasant enough but lacking the wowie-zowie factor.