La Macarena district, Seville a good choice for an apartment for a week?

Macarena is on the northern edge of the city center, and traditionally working-class part of Seville. It has the famous shrine church of Our Lady of Macarena, which plays a central part in Holy Week processions. While it's an interesting area to stay, to my mind it's too far from the real historical center like the cathedral and Barrio Santa Cruz, where most interesting sights, bars and restaurants are located and too far to walk from Macarena (there are frequent buses though). I'd go for El Centro (near the cathedral), Sta Cruz and El Arenal, or Triana just across the river.
For a good selection of Seville apartments, see http://www.sevilla5.com/apartments/seville.html

I disagree. La Macarena is an excellent bet precisely because it's not in the main tourist areas. You will be able to get a handle on real sevillano life there; lots of local bars and restaurants, funny little local shops, good chance of bumping into some impromptu singing/flamenco; it won't be the best, but you won't pay through the nose for a tourist sham either. Bear in mind that nothing is far away in Sevilla, including all the big attractions. It would be a really good, healthy thing of more people ventured away from a few hundred square metres and a handful of different hotels.
Furthermore, you are very close to the Alameda de Hercules. Formerly seedy area but now smartened up. It's a city promenade lined with great bars, cafes, restaurants and late night clubs, drinking holes etc. There are some really excellent and not expensive eating options here and the vibe is great. Good people watching 24 hrs a day if you want it.
By and large Sevilla is safe, night or day. You need to be sensible of course and you can always take taxis back to your apartment late on if you don't fancy the walk.

Three excellent tapas bars/restaurants close by:
Eslava:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/eslava/
El Rinconcillo (dating from 1670):
http://www.elrinconcillo.es/
and the quite expensive Yebra:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/yebra/

You would also be close to the genuine flamenco club, Peña Torres Macarena (Calle Torrijiano, 29). This peña has drawn many of the finest artists around ever since it opened in 1974. Here's some of the students of the great José Galván earlier this year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiUcfH6ITH0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxDd8RNUq3c

Macarena is 15-20 mins interesting walk to the Cathedral/ Barrio de Santa Cruz. When in Sevilla, also be sure to go to the Triana district on the other side of the river:
http://www.andalucia.com/cities/seville/triana.htm

There is a reason all of the tourists stay in Santa Cruz. For us Americans we don't often get to stay in 1000 or 2000 year old neighborhoods. There is a lot of character and charm there. Having said that if you want to stay in a more modern neighborhood where real locals live, Macarena is great. It is about 20 minutes from Santa Cruz but you will enjoy that walk everyday, usually along calle Sierpes.

I still stick to my recommendation for more central areas, esp in late December. It can get really chilly in Seville and you may not appreciate 30 minutes' walk back in coat and gloves.

We decided to go with an apartment in the Fine Arts Museum Square (per the owner). Is this different than La Macarena or any closer? We are definitely looking for more of that 'neighborhoody' feel, but have thought about what Alec stated as well, and although we are used to Chicago winters, cold is still cold. Any additional recomendations for where to eat, things to do other than the usual sightseeing? Also, we will be there for New Year's Eve, any suggestions for saying good bye to 2009??

It's about 10-15 min closer to the center, and is a good area to stay in. It's the commercial heart of the city with shops and banks, but within 10 min you are in the historical center. Have stayed in the area one January, and the winter walks weren't too bad. By cold I mean Sevillian cold, meaning around 40F at night, 50F during the day. Make sure your apartment has adequate heating (central heating isn't common), as stone walls and floors make you feel the chill.

It's not a bad option - decent square, pleasing little museum with a few gems, just across the river from Triana, the former gipsy quarter which is still quite atmospheric and has a very good bar crawling street, Calle Betis, which runs along the river front. Food there is not the cheapest but the setting is great and tapas is not expensive - which is the best way to do it; there's a three or four storey place right on the Puente Isabel II called El Faro (I think) - good value and great if you get there in time for a seat on the roof terrace. Peak eating hours will be from 1.45-2pm onwards for lunch and any time after 9.30-9.45 in the evening. Do try to fit in with local eating habits because the atmosphere is fantastic and you don't want to eat on your own. Going away from the river in Triana, in the streets off Calles San Jacinto and Republica Argentina, you'll find lots of local bars - good on atmosphere, authentic grub and cheap. At the bottom end of Triana, bordering Los Remedios district, is Parque de los Principes, which is lovely and much quieter (almost tourist free) than the still very lovely Parque Maria Luisa back on the other side of the river; you really should go there to see the Plaza de Espana.
If you're looking for local bars on the city side of the river, kimhe's recommendations are all good. Also, at the junction of San Luis and Plaza del Pulmarejo in La Macarena there's a lovely, atmospheric old bar which is top notch for people watching and a late morning fino sherry or cana (that's can-ya) of beer.
Many of the tapas bars and restaurants in Santa Cruz are overpriced and average. You will get good food though at Pedro Romero in Calle Mateos Gago, the main street leading from the cathedral square into Santa Cruz; and on the first corner (Rodrigo) there's an always popular bar which is great for gambas (shrimp/prawns) and jamon serrano - again, drink fino sherry with this.
Behind Plaza Nueva (the town hall square) is Enrique Becerro - a restaurant with tapas bar connected. I've seen people talk about the restaurant on these forums but seems like no one ever goes tapas here which is a pit because the quality and variety are outstanding. If you want a good blowout meal in a lovely restaurant I suggest Pando, on Calle Cuna, just north of Sierpes, one of the main shopping streets not far from you. Food modern but based on good Spanish cuisine and not really expensive; classy, converted old rural palace and good atmosphere. Might be one for a lunch on NY Eve. I think you'd be better off doing it that way on both Dec 31 and Jan 1 - eating well and long at lunchtime then tapeando in the evening. As for the eve itself, the best (really the only) place to be is Plaza Nueva. Buy some freixenet or other cava (spanish 'champagne'), some ham and bread or picos (small breadsticks) to keep you going and head for the square; everyone congregates in front of the town hall where there are fireworks at midnight (and not just official ones so keep your eyes open). Massive, cheery atmosphere - everyone stuffing 12 grapes (one for each chime) and singing and cheering and sharing drinks. You'll love it.
As for the cold, if you're from Chicago you'll be in Hawaiian shirts. It might be a bit nippy but it really doesn't get that cold. If you have coats and gloves (and why wouldn't you?) you'll be fine. You will probably get some good sunny days somewhere in which case the temperature will be considerably above 10C (50F). And as for keeping warm in apartments, well yes the andalucians don't exactly get the notion of wall to wall carpeting but there should be blankets and you can always check beforehand.
don't forget about the alameda de hercules; well worth a night out. if you like history and atmosphere the massive roman city of italica is a few kms out of town and worth a taxi trip. if you want spanish music, flamenco or more modern, there's a FNAC (big music/vid/dvd etc store) opposite the cathedral on Constitucion and the staff generally speak english and are very helpful & knowledgable. On the same street is the main tourist office. Loads of maps, info etc but be warned, they're not very good at volunteering info so go there knowing what you want to ask

Thank you, thank you! Reading all the replies I am getting very excited, and absolutely sure we made the right choice just staying w/ Seville for a week and not trying to do the whirlwind tour. Since we do have an apartment, are there any markets or food shops to check out? Also, what about breakfast? Are there any places or anything special we should be checking out?

Breakfast is a light affair - coffee, toast or bread, butter, jam, juice. Or try churros - pastry with chocolate filling (very rich!). You can have breakfast in any bar, and will only cost a few euro. Or just buy provisions in a shop and eat at home.

if you're talking about produce markets there are two close to you - both fantastic if you like looking at food. one is in triana, just at the end of the Isabel II bridge on the other side from El Faro (that one has a coffee bar) and the other is at El Arenal, just tucked in behind the bullring. If you mean flea markets, you can pick up bits in the square in front of the main El Corte Ingles dept store at the end of Sierpes, there are also occasional w/emd mkts in Alameda Hercules and elsewhere in the city and a collectors market behind the main post office and in plaza nueva on a sunday.
there's a great patisserie (rare thing in spain) right at the northern (ie your) end of sierpes/velazquez; delis are dotted around the fringes of the city centre but of course you'll find anything and everything in the markets.
Breakfasts you get everywhere. personally, i eat molletes (a soft, mlky roll lightly toasted) and coffee (cafe con leche in the morning, cortado (ie with a dash of milk) after lunch, cafe manchado (very milky) with merienda (teatime snack ie pastries) and solo (espresso) after dinner. It's more or less the given order down here anyway. you can have molletes a number of different ways - with butter and jam, manteca (lard!), pate, olive oil and tomato puree or (as far as i'm concerned the only way) with jamon serrano and aceite (olive oil). Actually one of my favourite breakfast stops is Horno de San Buenaventura (I think), on Constitucion, right opposite Alemanes which runs along the side of the cathedral. The window seats upstairs are great for watching the city go by and you can look down on the new tramline and see the trams trundling by with the cathedral as a backdrop. pastries and cakes are good there too.

You absolutely made the right choice to spend a week in Seville. You'll be able to absorb some of the character and feel what it's like to live in one of the world's great small cities. Great advice here from everyone. I love tapas at Enrique Becerra, no need to do a sit down dinner in Spain unless you want to. Try the foie gras w/ apples and mint-lamb meatballs. If you can't spend a night or two in Granada you should bus there just to see the Alhambra if you can.

Fine Arts Museum Square is just perfect, have lived close by in the Hostal Museo myself. Close to Bar Eslava and fairly close to El Rinconcillo (10 mins walk). Used to have breakfast at Bodegón Alfonso XII just around the corner on C/Alfonso XII; traditional Spanish breakfast atmosphere. Four mins walk to Confitería La Campana for famous cakes, pastries and ice-cream: http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/spain/andalusia/seville/32400/confiteria-la-campana/shopping-detail.html

Cervecería Giralda is a great tapas place close to the Cathedral. Solomillo al whisky, salmorejo, everything delicious...
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/cerveceria-giralda/

At Chrismas time you should look out for villancicos (Christmas carols) concerts or public gatherings (with a certain flamenco touch): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ltDBAXXnqI

Daily flamenco performances of high standard at 9 pm in Casa de la Memoria, Calle Ximénez de Enciso 28 (Barrio de Santa Cruz). Not expensive (about 15€) and without the drink/dinner of the traditional tablaos. Voted no. 1 Sevilla "attraction" on tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187443-d539294-Reviews-Casa_de_la_Memoria_de_Al_Andalus-Seville_Andalusia.html

For flamenco ambiance in the Triana district, Casa Anselma in C/Pagés del Corro 49, could be a good option. Opens at 11pm. Take a taxi, it's cheap. Friday at midnight is special...

I've been highly recommended the Arab bath Aire de Sevilla (also in Santa Cruz): http://www.airedesevilla.com/

If you are into chilling paintings and Seville golden-age history, go and see the Hospital de la Caridad (Charity hospital) founded in the in the 1660's by Miguel de Mañara. Mañara was - according to himself - "the most evil man that ever lived", and all the paintings he commisioned from some of the most famous golden-age arists for the hospital and it's adjoining church dealt with the theme of death and redemption. The hospital, the church, the paintings and Mañara's grave are close by your apt. in Calle Temprado, 3 (the Arenal area).
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/seville/sights/411842

He was a right old shagger - apparently based himself on Don Juan, but got religion later on; worth reading about him.
Another under-visited museum is the palacio de la condesa de lebrija - have a look at palaciodelebrija.com

Thanks for all the linkage here, guys! Glad to see that my Sevilla Tapas is turning out to be so useful.

Olive, it sounds like you have a very nice location with your apartment. And since you'll be in Seville for a week you might also want to consider a day trip to either Córdoba or Cádiz, both easily accessible by train.

Foodwise, you have plenty of good tapas bars and restaurants nearby. There is a listing of Restaurants by Location on my blog (check the sidebar)...
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/

Be forewarned that almost ALL tapas bars and restaurants close Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. As previously suggested, you might want to reserve a special lunch and then have a nice snack with cava back at the apartment in the evening, before heading out to the Plaza Nueva.

Restaurants I would recommend for a special lunch:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/enrique-becerra/
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/becerrita/
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/eslava/ (restaurant, not bar)
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/manolo-leon/
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/la-sal/

To name a few of my favourites.

You will be staying next to the Belles Artes Museum which has a very special exhibit showing the private collection of the Duquesa de Alba - not to be missed.

You will also see Sevilla all lit up for Christmas. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.

Great website, azahar!

Thanks, kimhe. You are quite the expert on all things Spanish - do you live in Spain?

No, in Norway, but I have lived and studied in Spain and have gone (first and foremost to País Vasco and Andalucía) on every occasion since the late 80's.

bookmarking

I'm jealous of this trip. This site gives even better advice than tripadvisor.

presume you're talking about miguel de manara, egbert...