Seville - Any Recommendations ?

Wazmeister

Ive got 5 days there coming up, and we are staying right in the centre...

Any recommendations or hidden gems in the area ?

(We have a car for the duration)

tone1

I hear they do great oranges......

Electro_Ham

The cathedral and Giralda. Barrio Santa Cruz. There's a flamenco bar that the locals visit where the sing and dance flamenco at night. I'll try to find it on Google and post up.

Kebabkid

Hi Waz, you probably won't need a car in the city as you can walk everywhere or take the tour bus, however, Cadiz is worth a visit and about 1.5 hrs drive away.

If you want to take the horse & cart trip, that's about 40 Euros and pleasant enough. I had a really good chat with our driver as he was a Flamenco guitarist.

Within the city, the Cathedral is nice and worth a visit but you have to go to the Real Alcázar Palace. There are several gardens/parks to see, which are lovely, but do cross the bridge into Triana, the gypsy district. It has some good restaurants, music and an authentic feel.

There are lots of narrow and interesting streets but as you can see the catherdral from most places, that acts as your beacon to the centre of town if you get lost. There are also some rooftop bars and restaurants around the Alacazar/Cathedral district that are worth a visit and the shopping is good.

The Tapas is good and cheap out there but there are many international restaurants to be found and we found the waiting staff to be very good and helpful when ordering i.e. advising if we'd over-ordered. Oh, you must have the Churros and a Hot Chocolate and I loved the Iberian Pork.

I was out there mid-December last year and it was blue skies and crisp weather. Whilst busy-ish, it was comfortable and not over-crowded.

Enjoy yourselves and it's a lovely part of the World.

Electro_Ham

There's also Granada and Rhonda nearby that you can drive to.

Kebabkid

Electro_Ham said:

There's also Granada and Rhonda nearby that you can drive to.

Yep. You could actually have a full day at the Alhambra in Granada - wonderful place much in the same light as the Alcazar Palace (Moorish structures)

Electro_Ham

I'm sure the flamenco bar was in Triana. I can't find it on Google. There seems to be places you can buy tickets for, but this place was free. Taxi drivers might know it.

McSwaggerty

Cross the Guadalquivir river to Triana…..great Mercado...have a wander around the old town
..Check out The Metropol Parasol.... Great city...Great Tapas.....

MagicPigDetective

Cadiz is worth a daytrip.

Flamenco in Seville is a must.

I went to a bullfight - which made me queasy, wouldn't go again.

Tapas and sherry. Lots of sherry.

rexter

I lived in Seville for 18 months a few years back, such a calm and beautiful city and I wonder daily why we moved back to the UK!

Anyway... like Mcswaggerty said - check out Triana, nice neighbourhood (where we lived) and close to the centre and lets you get a feel for the real way of life there. There's a restaurant called Tipico just across the bridge on the corner of Pages del Corro. Great tapas, still really good - went there in October.

Another restaurant recommendation is Duo Tapas at the top of Alameda. Low key but trendy and great food. Super cheap for the quality. Huge outdoor seating area - should still be warm enough! Was our favourite place when we lived there.

In the car the Grazalema national park is beautiful and not too far to drive, Cadiz also a great city. Jerez is quite close and an easy drive and very tranquil to wander around. 

Wazmeister

Wow, as ever, some great insights and I thank you all !

@rexter @Kebabkid - what are the evening temperatures like this time of the year ?

scrumhalf

The Alkazar is brilliant, well worth a visit.

Dominic

I used to live in Seville......in the Macarena district ;
Best areas to see things are the whole area around the Cathedral and Giralda Tower
which includes the Alcazar -worth the queue ,get a guide to pay 5 euro extra and skip queue -the best Almohad Architecture in the world and best building to see
The Alameda Hercules is a hip little area in Macarena -good for restaurants/Tapas
Golden Tower and the food court Mercado on the corner of the Triana Bridge
Triana is the old Gypsy area .....some small proper Flamenco Penas there are larger Flamenco Tablaux venues in city centre but not as authentic and a bit touristy
The Jewish Quarter behind the Alcazar ( between the Alcazar and the Park behind) is where the old Arab Baths are which is now a nice Italian restaurant inside and is also the best area for small artisan shops and restaurants
Best experience is to book and visit the Spa in old Arab baths in Cal AIRE -it is called AIRE and is the most serene and beautiful restored 15th century spa with wonderful tepidarium,float pools,Hammam ,underground swimming pools etc 
BEST trip is to go 40 mins on the Train from Santa Justa station in Seville North to Cordoba -which is even prettier and smaller
it's very easy to do ;trains run every 40 mins .....the famous Mosque/ Cathedral there is one of the architectural wonders of the world.It is called La Mesquita.
Plaza Espana in Seville is good for photos but a bit touristy.

rexter

We used to have dinner outdoors even in December, you might want a coat on though, but it’s still normally pleasant. - it can vary and looks like it’s been a little damp lately but it never seemed to get much colder than 14 degrees when I was there. A little lower at night. If you wear shorts after September you get funny looks from the Spanish people though, as they like to bundle up from September onwards, even though it might still be boiling by our standards!  
because of the houses there being geared to very high temps most of the year it was often warmer outside than in because of all the tiles! I remember flying back there after Christmas in 2014 and basking in 24 degree temps on my roof for the first week in January, those were the days.

KrisGee

Flamenco museum few mins walk from the cathedral has some of the best flamenco shows I've seen. Highly recommended.

Hootsmon

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Kebabkid

Take a jacket or fleece. Even if you had a coat, I doubt you'd be too hot and remember, you'll probably need it for when you get home to Blighty!

Try this - https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2510911

Wazmeister

Cheers guys - really appreciate it !

And dare I ask, any good geetar shops ?!?

Dominic

There is a little guitar museum / shop in Juderia close to the Alcazar but it is all Vintage Flamenco Guitars - interesting tho' because some are unusual shapes and Portugese Fado guitars.I don't remember any modern guitar shops.

FreddieVanHalen

The folks who've lived there have covered all the things I would have said and more.

I spent a week there a few years ago and really enjoyed it, so I'm sure you'll have a lovely trip.

A car might be a bit of a hindrance in the centre but at least you can use it to do the out of town suggestions - this thread is reminding me that I need to make a trip back there!

Dominic

Taxis are very cheap in Seville