dodi66

We will be spending 5 weeks touring Spain beginning in April and I have been pouring over all the fantastic trip reports provided by the ever so helpful contributors. Thank you all so much for all the advice and suggestions!! One thing I don't remember reading is about advance purchase (online) of the tickets for entrances to Sevilla attractions, like the Alcazar. I have already purchased our tickets for Barcelona and for the Alhambra (which I almost missed out on.....at 4 months in advance, most times were already gone!!). So I'm wondering if it is a good idea or necessary to reserve our tickets for Sevilla. We did hope for an evening at Casa de Memoria, too, but the website seemed to indicate that the tickets are only purchased there, is that correct? We would like to avoid long lines if possible, but we don't want to be overly scheduled either. We are also going on to Cordoba and Toledo, how about advance purchase for any of those? Any thoughts or advice, please!!

Nelson

Can't help you on Seville, but we spent 4 nights each in Toledo and Cordoba in October. The only advance tickets we purchased were two shows in Cordoba, a flamenco performance at Arte y Sabores and the equestrian show at the Royal Stables:

http://www.flamencotickets.com/arte-...res-de-cordoba
http://english.turismodecordoba.org/...questrian-show

In both cases it seemed like advance booking was a good idea, maybe even required. Don't know for sure if advance booking mattered but we were seated first row, right in front of the stage at Arte y Sabores. It's a small venue. The show was phenomenal, a highlight, very highly recommended!

The equestrian show is general seating so getting on line early was all that mattered. It was great fun.

Other than those two we never had to wait on a long line at any other sight, and we were in Toledo on a holiday weekend. April could be different than October, I presume, especially in Cordoba.

Totally understand the balancing act between overly scheduled and long line avoidance.

scigirl

I have been to Seville a few times - never purchased advanced tickets for the Alcazar. I don't recall any particular challenges w/ crowds or getting in... though it has been a few years. The last trip I made was April/May time frame about 5 years ago. It was during the Easter/Festival season and absolutely jammed w/ tourists (so much so that we had a great deal of trouble getting a hotel room for our stay) - and I don't recall any problems w/ the Alhambra.

Maybe a few other posters will pop in and give more current advice.

Of course, if you can buy them online in advance there is no harm in doing so.

Christina

I've never purchased advance tickets for anything in Seville but a performance at the main theatre, like any city. Don't remember any problem getting into the Alcazar in Seville, although it does get busy. But it's not like you can't get in without an advance ticket, it's not like the Alhambra. I see they do sell them online so if you are sure you are going on a certain date, I guess it wouldn't hurt.

I know I didn't buy anything in advance for Cordoba or Toledo, not sure what that would be there. I don't remember not being able to get ito anything I wanted.

I didn't go to Casa de la Memoria, I went to a show somewhere else. I think some of those flamenco shows do get booked up. Their website seems to say you can email them with your details and they'll reserve a space for you, that's the way I interpret that form. They ask for you CC but I'm not sure how they get your number, unless it's when they email back to say if it is available. I notice they say at the bottom that they charge for no shows, so they must be prebooking tickets by the website, unless that is a reference only to phone orders. I'd email the form if you know you want to go
http://www.casadelamemoria.es/info-contacto/

Robert2533

Purchasing advanced tickets for the Alcazar in Sevilla will depend on your dates. We where there a couple of days ago, late January, and it was fairly busy, but then again the weather was clear and sunny and very mild.

You should be able to purchase tickets to Casa de Memoria online: (www.casadelamemoria.es/info-contacto/).

If you are going to do the horse show in Cordoba, The Royal Stables in Cordoba, then yes, purchase your tickets in advance (www.cordobaecuestre.com/english/).

kimhe

You can make reservations for Casa de la Memoria through [email protected], but you will be just fine buying the tickets a day in advance, the venue is right in the heart of the city, in C/Cuna.

Flamenqueria would be an excellent alternative, on the Guadalquivir riverbank in the flamenco neighbourhood Triana: http://www.flamenqueria.es/es/

Top of the shelf performances Thursday, Friday and Saturdys at 9pm, and on many Tuesdays and Wednesdays the greatest young flamenco promises in town go on stage. http://www.flamenqueria.es/es/espect...s-del-flamenco

el13207

We've been twice to Sevilla (most recently in May 15) and both times bought tickets to la Casa de la Memoria either the day before or the day of the performance without any problem (you definitely should arrive well before the performance starts to get a place at the head of the line to go in, as the venue is small and the seats are first come first served). We also liked the flamenco at la Casa Del Flamenco (name?) also in the Barrio.
I also recommend the tours of the Alcazar and of the city run by Concepcion Delgado (Sevilla Walking Tours? Details are in Rick Steves or on TA)- and they will get tickets to the Alcazar for you as part of your tour). Very reasonably priced, great English and very informative. Btw the Alcazar is neither as large nor as busy as the Alhambra so the lines shouldn't be nearly as bad.

Robert2533

Avoid the "Free" tours in Sevilla!

dodi66

Thank you, everyone, for your input!! Sounds like we will be ok not purchasing in advance for Andalucia!! We mostly didn't want to schedule our time more than was necessary. Lots of things to see, but we want to be flexible. Barcelona portion is quite scheduled so we are happy to go with the flow for this part of the trip!! Kimhe, would you recommend one venue/performance over another in Seville? We are total flamenco novices, but did want to see a performance while in Seville.

Taltul

We were in Seville in October. If you're not going to be in Seville during a major tourist onslaught, you can buy the tickets to Casa de la Memoria when you get there (the hotel clerk did it). We stood in line for the Alcazar in Seville less than 30 minutes and inside it wasn't crowded. The same for Cordoba and Toledo. If there isn't a festival or some special holiday, there shouldn't be any problems in April

Alec

This year, with early Easter (March 27th), there is no Holy Week overcrowding in April, and April Fair (Feria de Abril) will be April 12-17. So if your Seville stay coincides with the Fair, advance or early booking for popular venues is recommended.

dodi66

I should have mentioned our dates, besides just "April"!! Yes, we planned to arrive in Seville on April 15, purposely to experience a few days of Feria de Abril!! But that likely means we wouldn't be visiting the Alcazar until Monday or maybe Sunday. Same with the flamenco performance. We have a Tapa tour already set up for April 16, (Saturday) too. So maybe I will do advance tickets for the Alcazar at least, if we decide to go there on Sunday. Thank you for the heads up!!!

Taltul

Don't forget to check when places are open. Some sites are closed on Mondays and many restaurants are closed Sunday evenings and sometimes also on Monday evenings.