Ian

We are staying at the Amadeus in Sevilla & would like to make the trek out to Italica. We will have a car, but I hoped to just park it rather than try to get in & out of Sevilla more than I have to. One website mentioned: Bus from Seville, Estación Plaza de Armas.

Anybody been there/done that?

Thanks

Ian

dncee11

Yes and its a worthwhile trip. From Barrio Santa Cruz take a taxi (or catch a city bus on Ave. Menendez Pelayo) to the bus station (estacion Plaza de Armas, on the river I believe). From there they can direct you to the proper bus, there are several trips daily out in that direction. There is a nice little bar and lunch place across the street from the site. Good luck and have fun!

Ian

Thanks dncee11 !!

That should make it easier . . .

Ian

Pausanias

Well worth the trip, too. Only thing I can add is be careful where you get off the bus. We stepped down too early and had a bit of a hike to the entrance. Sunburned, on ahot Andalusian day . . .

Ian

Thanks Pausanias

I'm determined to go because Roman ruins are a magnet to me. We arrive Fri & depart Mon, so time might be an issue. If arriving isn't too much of a nightmare, I might be bold & drive it. We'll see.

Ian

dncee11

Ian, if you can speak a bit of Spanish to ask for directions you can try it, but Italica seemed like 15-20km from the bus station in a generally westerly direction through an industrial area. If you have a good map you will probably do OK. Good luck and have fun!

dncee11

Pausanias, the day we went last summer had to be 80-90F, we about croaked! Thank goodness there is a bar/restaurant across from the entrance; we sucked down a couple of cokes/beers and a nice cool gazpacho each! Try a gazpacho in a glass with ice cubes - great for those hot days!

Pausanias

Ian wrote: " Roman ruins are a magnet to me."

Me too. I track them down whenever we're in Europe and hope to do so some day in North Africa and the Middle East. Italica was especially important because of its association with the great Scipio Africanus.

Lately I've been expending some of that same energy on Maya ruins.

Hope you enjoy your trip to Italica and dncee11's restaurant recommendation.

Giovanna

We too are very interested in Roman history and visit ruins whenever possible. We took the bus from Seville to Italica with no problem. Took a cab from our hotel in the Santa Cruz area to the main bus station, bought our tickets to Santiponce and boarded a bus soon after. It was not a very long trip actually, and fortunate for us some of the thoughtful people on the bus prevented us from getting off prematurely. I seem to remember the bus stopping just across the street from the entrance, and boarding the bus back to Seville very near the entrance on the same side of the street.

We too ate lunch at the restaurant across the street from the entrance to the ruins, and then leisurely strolled through the site. There are some very good mosaics and an interesting arena.

Incidentally, I have snapshots of some footprints outlined in the stone near the stadium. The only other place I have seen this is in Ephesus, which were directions from the Library of Celsius to a local brothel (apparently there was an underground tunnel connecting the two). I have searched online trying to find some information about them, but so far nothing. Does anyone know anything about them?