lauramsgarden

We shall have three nights, two days in Sevilla. I figure the first night we will get our bearings and maybe try to find some Flamingo and some good food (recommendations for either?). This will be mid-June. If you had two full days how would you spend them as a first time visitor (we like everything, history, art, nature, etc.)? and are there any attractions we should buy advanced tickets for? thanks everyone - this is the fun part of planning

indyhiker

We enjoyed a show at the Flamenco museum. We went to the 7 pm show as it's in the smaller of two venues. Buy in adavace. They sell out. Casa de la Memoria also gets very good reviews. Both are reasonably priced.

As for good food, you might take a look at azahar-sevilla.com's suggestions. Lots of suggestions at all price points in each neighborhood. Azahar offers tapas tours as well. We did a similar one with Devour Tours that was really fun.

I would spend time at the Alcazar for sure. It's breathtaking. Buy tickets in advance. Of course there's the Cathedral as well. You might look for a trip report from maithaitom for some photographic inspiration.

I like to balance historic sites/museums with just wandering around. So I personally wouldn't try to cram too much in, especially in the heat. Budget for a long lunch and the afternoon siesta.

agedude

The Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla (fine arts) is spectacular and at 1.50 Euro for entrance very inexpensive.

Robert2016

Try Petit Comité (www.facebook.com/petitcomitesevilla) for lunch. It's one of our favorites in Sevilla. There is also Espacio Eslava (www.espacioeslava.com) for tapas or lunch.

indyhiker

To the restaurant discussion, I'd add that we enjoyed Vineria San Telmo for somewhat more refined tapas at a very reasonable price. I would suggest reservations. For more traditional tapas, we enjoy Bodeguita Romero (try the pringa and marinated potatoes). We had plans to go to Enslava one night, but it was raining cats and dogs and opted for someplace closer. I was disappointed to have missed it.

ekscrunchy

There is a lot of food information in this report, from a trip of about a week in length I made a few years ago. I tend to like the more modern tapas bars.


http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-malaga.cfm

Diamantina

When visiting the Sevilla Cathedral, give yourselves enough time to walk up the belltower, La Giralda. Lots of steps but you'll be rewarded with a magnificent view.

We didn't get tickets advance for Alcázar, as indyhiker suggests, but it would have been a good idea. The lines to get in during the afternoon were particularly long. We gave up and returned the following morning--no wait at all. Give yourselves at least two hours to see it as you'll want to wander around its gardens as well.

La Plaza de España is also impressive. You'll want to view the pictorial tiles celebrating Spain's regions:
http://www.andalucia.com/cities/sevi...zadeespana.htm

You'll want to just wander through the small streets of Barrio Santa Cruz.

And walk along the Guadalquivir River to take a photo of the Torre del Oro.

We enjoyed tapas at Eslava, La Azotea, and especially La Brunilda. It's been a year and a half since our visit to Eslava and I still think about their "Huevo sobre bizcocho de boletus y vino caramelizado" (Slow-cooked egg served on boletus cake with caramelized wine reduction) nearly every other day.

This will sound funny, maybe even tacky, but I loved the view at sunset and then after dark from the rooftop bar at Corte Ingles department store (Plaza de Duque). Nice spot for a drink.

quiltingmamma

Something that has opened relatively recently is the Palacio de los Duenas. It belongs to the House of Alba, and the 18th Duchess of Alba was quite a character. She had 40 hereditary titles making her the most titled person on the world (as per Guinness Book of World Records). She might tickle your fancy making a visit to her home a must.

lauramsgarden

fantastico everyone - I will print this all out before we leave

quiltingmamma

indyhiker, I have to say thanks for the Alzahar in Sevilla link. I see she has a number of tapas bar recommendations for Granada (that was my first stop for lunch time reading). I hope they live up to her reviews. This one will be bookmarked for sure.

indyhiker

Great! We used her recommendations for Seville but I don't remember following any of her suggestions in Granada (not consciously; just how our few days there worked out). One place I think she touched in Granada that I wished we'd tried is La Tana. If you try it, report back!

quiltingmamma

Indyhiker, I have to say it is an area I didn't plan to visit, but I am there several days, so maybe I'll venture that far. I am staying in lower Albacin, so it could be a good wander. She makes a number of them seem very tempting. I was trying to find some more 'authentic' places closer to my neck of the woods, but they are looks slim. She does mention one just down the street from my apartment, so that would be a start.
I'll report back, but as a solo traveler, I find my restaurant reviews to be less light hearted and less glowing as others with limited meal coverage (a foodie I am not...)but if I keep to a cana and not intersperse a water, then perhaps they will be glowing reports (with little truth to them)

indyhiker

Where are you staying exactly (if you're willing to share)? You may want to venture out of your neighbood for dinner. There aren't as many options in the Albaicin. But I found Granada slightly more challenging for dining.

kimhe

Perhaps go for tapas in the local atmsophere and fun Triana district, right on the other side of the city river Guadalquivir and a cradle of the flamenco culture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mFE9k0E-2Y&t=112s

You've got fine recommendations for flamenco in Sevilla, but here is also the day to day programme for all kinds of serious flamenco events in town: http://www.guiaflama.com/flamenco-en-sevilla/

MinnBeef

Sevilla was my favorite city on my (so far) one trip to Spain. I had 5 nights but that was partly because I was there for Semana Santa and so, wanted to experience as many of the processions as possible.

2 full days is the absolute minimum needed. I'd include:

1. The Alcazar (beautiful-particularly if you don't visit Granada for the Alhambra.)
2. The Cathedral and Giralda
3. Plaza de Espana
4. A couple of leisurely lunches under a patio umbrella, accompanied by a couple of glasses of fino sherry.
5. A bullfight (I actually did this in Madrid but there is a huge bullring in Sevilla also. While I would not visit one again, I am glad I did it once as it is a quintessential Spanish cultural thing, like it or not)
6. Tapas crawls both evening for dinner.

I am sure you will love Sevilla.