charming sevilla
 

we just returned from celebrating for three days in sevilla.

i have been there several times, but on this trip we did a few additional sights and museums i thought to share.

the next time i take anyone to sevilla, first we will take a carriage ride to get the overall view of the town from the beginning. because later on, like what happened to us, we didn't have the right amount of time, and we felt we had already seen where it would have taken us..so we passed, but it would have been significant the first day.

we were fortunate to secure four doubles at las casas de la judería. what a joy.
i recommend, even if you are not staying there, to enjoy their piano bar, which has a wonderful "happy hour" from 6-7 pm every evening, relaxing on their plush sofas and comfortable upholstered chairs.
you pay the first round of drinks, and the second is free.

quite a nice way to start the evening, with excellent background music.

our breakfast was not included , and 15 euros/person, was not an option for our group of seven, so there are plenty of eateries in that same area.. one we liked was the churro shop around the corner, where you buy freshly made churros (1.5 euros a ration).

you can eat them at two of the bordering restaurants when you order your coffee or chocolate there. ( be sure to have the woman pour sugar on them after bagging them)

the hotel is a gem. we would stay there again if we got a very good rate, otherwise, i would use bancotel coupons for any four or 5 star, even in another neighborhood.

we went to alfonso XIII hotel for coffee. the best coffee we had on the entire trip.
this is a wonderful place to rest your feet and enjoy the opulence of decades past.

one of the museums we really enjoyed ( the women that is) was the costume museum across from the archaeological museum. the folk dress, and embroidery were priceless.

travelling with kids?? bring their roller blades.. there are so many paved roads in parks where cars are no longer allowed to drive.. it is a parents and kids' paradise.

had already been to the alcazar, so we went to the casa de pilatos.
be sure to pay the extra for the SECOND floor. they offer guided tours, ( you can ask him to speak english, french, etc,during the tour,) and it is quite impressive.

not far from there, down on the main street, melendez y pelayo, there are two taverns/restaurants that are good. "taberna B" and "Becerrita".

we had reservations at becerrita.. very upscale restuarant ambience.. really beautiful.( but we thought we were going to a tapas bar.. but the food was good and it could not have been more beautiful)
the tavern next door looked very nice and was packed when we came out, as was the bar at becerrita.

excellent dining option was "PANDOS". can't find the card, but it was excellent, and is near hotel colon. there were many on that street, but we were very happy with our choice.

we went to the cooking school menu (12 euros plus drinks) at "taberna alabadero". same street as casablanca. i would go back. charming atmosphere. the food was partially all right. what was good was excellent, but some of the creations were a bit much for us. (rabbit in chocolate that had too much chocolate IMO)

dined also at "casablanca". pricey but good flavor and interesting combinations. must reserve for table in back.. but being at bar would probably be much less expensive. next time we will do more tapas hopping and less formal dining, which does get pricey.

also nice TINY tapas wine bar on corner just across from casablanca (calle zaragoza off plaza nueva) called manolo blanco. this is a chain in sevilla.
so there are 3 on the same street worth going to.

upscale restaurant recommendation from friends in sevilla: "ORIZA". very elegant and elaborated cuisine.

our evening entertainment was excellent. we went one night to "casa de la memoria".. 11 euros/adults. 9 students.
it is a lovely flamenco, guitar, sing/dance show that lasts for an hour in a cultural center. different artists come every night.
inside there are two/three rows of seats in a "U", so if you want to be center front, go half hour early to stand in line, although the place is so small that all seats are ok.
bring shawl to cover your legs in winter.. it was chilly.

we also went to a great place i would go back to anytime.
it is called "La Carbonería". (the coal store.)

they used to sell coal there for ovens, and now it is an amateur artists' paradise. there are several rooms where young people come to get "KNOWN" and play, taking turns, to the audience.

one large room in back is flamenco (after 10.30 pm every night).In another was a piano, and there was a guitarist in another. saturday night was a little crazy, so i would choose a more subdued night.. if there is one in sevilla.. who knows???
calle levies.. not far from the casas de la j. hotel.

we decided that getting lost and confused was part of the fun of the barrio sta. cruz!!

foods to try: ADOBE, this is a delicious fish marinated in milk, vinagar, garlic and ??? cut into squares and deep fried. it was excellent everywhere. be careful with portions.. their "raciones" are big.
try to find out size of plates.. tapas or raciones..

chocolate con churros.. for breakfast.. yum!

Pan con tomate.. bread with grated tomatoe and oil. nice meal complement

there is too much to write about as the food options are numerous, and i think tapas are the easiest way to be a little more sure of what you are going to get.

many of the museums have a free afternoon, or day, especially for members of the eu. check it out at your hotel . we got a photocopied list.

good things: taxis fixed rate to/from airport.17.60 weekdays.. 20.60 weekends.

carriage rides.. 1-4 people 30 euros.
most taxis to / from museums to barrio sta. cruz.. about 4-5 euros.

Sevilla is a fun place to go back to. hope you get the chance!

I plan to get back and will be adding your valuable information to my future file. Thanks so much for posting!

i meant also to thank everyone on this forum for all their reviews which i took very seriously. it really does help to have all these opinions before you go somewhere. fun to see where others have gone, etc.

there is so much to see in sevilla. after spending so much time between the walls on most of the narrow lanes for three days.. when we got home to the valencia airport and were walking out to our car. we all said what a STRANGE feeling it was to have this open perspective !!!

another wonderful thing about sevilla is the controlled height of the buildings.

Wow! I loved your little trip report. We were there 2 years ago and took the carriage ride and stayed in a jr. suite at Casa de la Juderia. Also did the coffe and dessert at the hotel Alfonso. I wish I had written down the name of all the wonderful restaurants we ate at, not to mention the shops and galleries where I purchased my "treasures". I hope to return someday and will follow your suggestions on food and entertainment. Thanks.

Thank you for so many ideas to do in Seville. I will be there visiting daughter doing a study-abroad semester and am still looking for hotel near Plaza Nuevo for about $100.00/ night. Leaving in 1 week.

Lisa -

I just found this site Rates To Go last night:

http://www.ratestogo.com/City/EN/Seville

Looks like they only take bookings for the next three weeks, so it doesn't work for long-term reservations, but will be perfect for you.

I had found another site with Seville hotels that had a map of the town and showed which quarter each one was in, but forget what that was - so many sites in so little time!

Charles

lincasanova,

Great trip report!! I really enjoyed it!

Sally

plaza nueva is just a couple blocks from barrio sta. cruz.
but i am NOW looking at my sevilla tattered map, and defining hotels on/near plaza nueva.

hotel inglaterra on plaza.
hotel las casas de mercedes..
hotel los seises
hotel colon
hotel alabadero
hotel vinnci la rabida (this is great chain, at least in this valencia)
hotel doña maria


there must be more that aren't on this map, but all these are a few minutes walk away. we were in barrio sta cruz and always going up to plaza nueva to go to most restaurants.. or museums..
very easy walk most of the "city" interesting area.

good luck.

easy day trip with daughter will be to go to carmona.. check out the parador there.
also could take the AVE high speed train to cordoba.check out time schedules for price differences non-peak hours.you will have a wonderful time.

i must warn EVERYONE AGAIN. be very careful with backpacks.. zippers, wallets, etc.

i was giving seminar and then city transportation/central market tour in valencia this morning.. and in spite of all my warnngs before we headed out, one woman's wallet was stolen out of her deep knapsack.

these thieves are so professional-


before you leave try to find out the number you need to call from the country you are going to in case they rob you. the hotel desk can tell you.
cary it in different part of bag or pocket.

just saw on lastminute.com the YH Hotel Giralda for 62 euros/night including tax for two people. it is a 16th century 2 star country home belonging to the charming hotel group (hoteles con encanto) in barrio de sta .cruz.

remember, the stars are for amenities.. elevators, bars, restaurants.. so if a place doesn't have full service restaurant it will not receive higher stars.

sounds and looks nice.

Lin what a great helpful report! I am bookmarking it too.

I did not know that Sevilla also had a costume museum (I only know about the one in Madrid) How big is it or rather how much time did you allow to see it?

I had my trip reports "tagged" yesterday and they are coming up from years ago so pricing info is way off. I think we spent about an hour or an hour and a half there at the most.

Nevertheless good reports never die!

Nice report. Several years ago we stayed at La Casas de Juderia, but alas never knew about their happy hour. Sounds terrific. We'll just have to go back. Soon, I hope.

They may have discontinued that happy hour! Who knows!