Seville

Post on Seville

This post made possible with generous contributions from Michelle.

They really don’t speak a lot of English here.  Prepare your Spanish skills.  They came back easier than I expected.

If you have a friend who is studying here and staying with a host family, try to meet them!

Read between the lines: drink tinto or wine at every single activity.

Accommodations

Steph and I stayed in the Best Western: Hotel Cervantes, mostly because it was clean, very close to everything, and right near friends we were visiting.  They had delicious candies at the front desk

Food

The food here was amazing.  And relatively cheap.  We ate well.

Get tino it’s a type of wine popular in Seville, I believe it’s mixed with seltzer.  It was delicious.

Yogurtlandia– THE BEST FROZEN YOGURT.  And not just in Europe, in the world. It tastes like vanilla yogurt that has been frozen, but without the tart, sour flavor a lot of people hate in Pinkberry. They put like two sauces on it, which give it the flavor and then a topping.  It was incredible and we had it for lunch every day.

Cien Montaditos: They have a lot of little tiny sandwiches which are a euro so you get to try a lot of options and they are all actually really delicious.  We got duck mouse and brie and then this steak, chicken, onions sandwich.  It’s right on the main road near the cathedral.

Coloniales: Tapas that was amazing.  Our favorites were the almond chicken and the eggplant with honey.  I’m really not kidding when I say Steph and I weeped over how good the food was.

Las Rayas: AMAZING ice cream.  So many good flavors

Las Columnas:the best tapa bar!  In Barrio Santa Cruz, start here and go tapa hopping.  Get fried eggplant with honey, but everything is amazing.  Very authentic, they mark your order on the table in chalk.  More standing than sitting.

To Tapa Hop: go to Santa Cruz, get one tapa and one glass of tinto at each place.  By the time you’re done you’ll be drunk and have had amazing food.

Horno San Buenaventura: across from the cathedral.  Unbelievable gelato and pastries.  Drink wine and eat dessert.

Eslava

OpenCor: Supermarket to have a snack or buy a cheap bottle of wine

Things to Do

Don’t do a lot, this city is best for just hanging out in the parks, down by the river, outside Starbucks.  The weathers nice and it’s a gorgeous city and perfect for just chilling.

Catedral: It’s basically the main thing to do, and hard to miss.  We climbed to the top, and it was nice that it was all ramps and no stairs, much appreciated.  But would I do the walk again?  Ehh.  Christopher Colombus is buried here- he’s the one who’s being carried by four guys.  What a diva.

Alcazar: GO GO GO.  It’s just a really pretty gardens and fountains and colors and great.  Right near the Catedral. We were obsessed.

Maria Luisa Park: another gorgeous park, but this one is just like open to the public without paying. You can rent 2-4 person bikes here and ride around

Bike Tour: somethings our friends did that they enjoyed and we didn’t do but looking back, wish I did.

Flamenco show: It’s 14 euro at Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus in Barrio Santa Cruz.  This one is cheap and not as long as other shows, great for guests.  If you want to combine flamenco bars and drinking, go to La Carboniera.

Calle Teutan and Serpes: Great European shopping.  Hundreds of shoe stores and Zaras, Pull & Bear, H&M, etc

Corte Ingles: huge department store

Arab Baths: Good if it rains (rare).  Bunch of hot tubs and you can get a massage

Plaza de Espana: Bring a sandwich and eat it here or rent a paddle boat and paddle around.  Beautiful.

Botelloning: by the big river or in Plaza del Duque when it is warm out.  Buy drinks and get drunk on the driver. Do it if it’s warm! Mostly during the night, sometimes during the day.

Discotecas

Budha: If you’re there on a Thursday, very international and free (no cover).  If you go on a different night, it can be 5 euros.  Three floors with different music on each.  Really fun

Caramelo: smaller discoteca, but really fun.  Wednesday is a great night but there are people there every night and you can talk your way out of paying cover

Abril: Really big night club in Nervion, great on weekends

Eclipse: Very Spanish nightclub.  Hooka bar outside, discoteca inside.  Very fun, try to go with Spanish girls who can talk their way out of paying

Santuario: In Alfalfa.  Go here if too lazy to leave the area after pregaming

Bar Strips

Alfalfa: Area with tons of bars.  You can get “boats” that are essentially 12 shots of whatever flavors and liquors at Rock N Rull, but all the bars are pretty good.  A favorite of Michelle’s was La Rebotica (comic book porno on the walls).  Get mojitos! They are bigger than your head (disclaimer: Michelle has a tiny head). Great place to pg

La Almeda: very trendy.  Lots of great, more casual bars

Calle Betis: Tons of bars! Ex: Emo, Big Ben (1 euro shots), Al Alba, Cineccita.  Boss is a very Spanish club in this are