kpiepen

Hello all we have a last minute opportunity to visit Seville tomorrow (Thursday until Sunday)
We have never been to Seville and are travelling with our two teens.

I see there is a "noche en blanco" going on Friday (anyone been there for that?)

I am trying to find a good flamenco (dance based) show we could see - my 13 year old daughter would enjoy that.

Any other highlights? We hope to come back for another visit and don't need to hit everything, just eat good food(tapas?), meander around and get the flavour of the place.

Finally, we can get a spacious room at Living-Sevilla Maestrano apartments on Santas Patronas near the bullring. Would this be a good location?

THanks so much!

kimhe

If you want to see first class flamenco artists, go to intimate Casa de la Memória in the midst of the Santa Cruz district. No food, no drinks, just flamenco from artists that also tour the greatest flamenco stages both in Spain and abroad. The venue is popular with tourists, but it's definitely the real deal and would give you an excellent introduction to the beauty of this art so important for Sevilla and Andalucía. Less than half the price of the traditional flamenco restaurants (some 15€) and sells out quikly. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Andalucia.html

On Sunday night plain fantastic Pastora Galván, voted best female flamenco dancer 2010 by Spanish critics, dances here.
If you can't get to the Sunday night performance, I can also highly recommend Adela and Rafael Campallo on Thursday night (reserve tickets as soon as possible!). They are also among the very greatest dancers during the past few years.

Contact and tickets: http://www.casadelamemoria.es/

Pastora Galván: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2SBUcrJgeQ
Adela Campallo (she has almost miraculously managed to come back after a serious car accident some years ago): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8neduli2_jc
Rafael Campallo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ_g1q47QgU

Calle Santas Patronas is in the lovely Arenal area. A much more local feel than the close by Santa Cruz district where you'll find many of the most obvious tourist attractions. Lots of excellent tapas bars and restaurants on your doorstep. Some suggestions.

Enrique Becerra is a must. http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...rique-becerra/

Close by you also find one of my absolute favourites in Sevilla, Bodegas Diaz Salazar in C/García de Vinuesa, 20. A branch of the very popular Mesón Serranito is also in this area, C/ Antonia Diaz, 11. The solomillo al roquefort tapas is to die for!

Bodegas Diaz Salazar: http://www.minube.com/fotos/rincon/1...slideshow-mode
Mesón Serranito: http://11870.com/pro/meson-el-serranito

I also love El Cairo in Calle Reyes Católicos, 13, very close to your street. Excellent paella tapas at lunchtime (at the bar), and great local atmosphere: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalusia.html

The "Noche en Blanco" could be a huge experience. Has got a predecessor from 2007, but this is the first true "White night" in Sevilla. Museums, theaters, concerts, guided visits etc etc, and most of it for free. Goes on from the start of the evening until 2 am. Program: http://www.revistawego.com/2012/10/2...lanco-sevilla/

You could be up for a week-end to remember!

lostinplace

Barrio de Santa Cruz has winding pedestrian streets great for wandering and exploring. The Reales Alcazares has amazing architecture and gardens, also in this area. Nearby is the huge Cathedral of Santa Maria, with an elaborately carved choir, and supposedly the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. Great views of the city from La Giralda, the minaret tower at the cathedral.

CathyM

You are so lucky to have this opportunity! The apartment location is excellent - my favorite area to stay.

kpiepen

Thanks ! I am getting really excited now. We will book the apartment and try those wonderful suggestions. Unfortunately we can't stay Sunday night but will try for tomorrow's show. Will try to get a good sleep tonight to prepare for Noche en Blanco !

plambers

Hi. can i ask the site for your apt rental? thanks

enroute

http://sevilla.salir.com/meson_don_raimundo -- a great restaurant. Loved the ambiance, food and central location.

Also recommend El Arenal for superb flamenco:
http://www.tablaoelarenal.com/i-home.html

kpiepen

Well nothing is ever straightforward when we travel. We were evicted from our apartment before we even got there. Broken pipe in the buidling. We were not offered much in the way of options so I asked them to look into alternatives with other companies as we were already enroute. Up to half an hour before arrival we did not know if we would have a suitable place to stay. We got set up with Puerto Cathedral. The apartment is very nice and close to all the sights. (Calle Alemanes) More touristy than I prefer but the weather has been awful so it has been handy to be able to dash back to the apartment to dry off! We had breakfast included today which was good.

We enjoyed great tapas at Enrique Becerras (never thought I'd enjoy baby eels!) and a wonderful flamenco show at the Casa de la Memoria - Adele and Rafael Campo - a great intro to flamenco for my son and daughter. The performers had to compete with the sound of the rain pounding down as the courtyard floor around the stage was getting soaked. A unique experience! Very intimate. Thanks Kimhe for the suggestions.

We have also enjoyed walking in the Maria Luisa park (in between rain showers), rowing a boat at Plaza Espana , and touring the Alcazar and Cathedral.

Loving Seville. It has a very laid back and easy to navigate. We are enjoying it more than we did Barcelona.

kpiepen

Oh should add it was not possible to get Casa de la Memoria tickets over the phone or online. Just in person. But.....our apartment office was able to phone and reserve tickets for us. This was great as the show did sell out and we weren't able to go by earlier in the day.

jpie

Just a quick note since I know you are already there. The best food we had in Seville was at Eslava: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

kimhe

Glad you managed to get tickets reserved at Casa de la Memória (could be difficult without being there in person, yes...) and that you enjoyed it so much. And jpie is right, Eslava is great.

And if you're interested, here's an interview with Adela Campallo in one of the major flamenco magazines about her come-back four years after the car accident, "When I couldn’t dance with my body, I danced with my mind": http://www.flamenco-world.com/artist...lo23112009.htm