Seville - San Vicente neighbourhood..... should we stay there?
 

Hi all,
We are looking to stay in Seville for 4 nights in mid-Oct this year. We have found a lovely apartment (http://www.veoapartment.com/apartmen...o-terrace.html) located in San Vicente neighbourhood. From reading previous blogs I am of the understanding that the best place to be is Santa Cruz..... is San Vicente a close second? or should we try to find accommodation in Santa Cruz.

Thanks everyone.

Santa Cruz is very beautiful but very touristy. Much more local feel and atmosphere in the lovely San Vicente district. I use to stay up here. Close to what the sevillanos call centre and a fifteen min walk to the cathedral and the main tourist attractions. You are 100 meters away from the Fine Arts Museum, one of the best in Spain.

You are also almost next door to two of my absolute favourite tapas bars/restaurants in town, Eslava and Dos de Mayo. Fabulous!
Eslava: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/eslava/
Bodega dos de Mayo: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaur...Andalucia.html

Restaurante Az-Zait is also on your doorstep and well worth a night out:
http://www.az-zaitrestaurantes.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

The apartment looks as good as it gets!

... and about the wonderful San Vicente/San Lorenzo district:
http://www.aboutsevilla.com/sevilla/itinerary5.asp

It's a neighborhood where locals live. You won't bump into tourists every 3 minutes as happens in Santa Cruz. I would do it.

Thanks Kimhe and Egbert. As soon as I saw your feedback I jumped online and booked the apartment! It looks so lovely so it is nice to hear that the neighbourhood will be good too.
Also, thanks Kimhe for the suggestions re: bars/restaurants. I will check them out!

Of course temting to have beakfast on the terrace every morning, but I recommend at least having one breakfast in a local bar. Use to be a fabulous way to start the day anywhere in Spain, the atmosphere, the smell of fresh bakery and coffee, the fresh orange juice, the newspapers, the staff routine, the noise... almost nothing make me miss Spain more than this.

You are 250 meters away from one of my regular breakfast places in Sevilla, Bodegón Alfonso XII in C/ Alfonso XII, 33, next door to the Fine Arts museum.

The classic La Pajarita is also just on the corner from your house, in C/ Baños, 16. Both places are open for breakfast and serve meals throughout the day. From lunch and after Bodegón Alfonso is known for arroz (rice), the sevillano version of paella, and La Pajarita serves some great homemade stews/casseroles according to a recent article in the local ABC newspaper. Very friendly staff: http://www.abcdesevilla.es/fotos-gas...998600627.html

Hi deassube,

I lived in the Barrio Santa Cruz for 16 years and agree with kimhe and Egbert that the San Vicente/San Lorenzo barrios are much nicer places to stay. Of course Santa Cruz is beautiful and a great area to visit, which is easy to do as you'll only be about a 20 minute walk away. And your apartment is to die for! The gang at veoapartment are very helpful, which is the advantage of booking through a local company.

The other good thing about your location is that there are markets and supermarkets nearby, since you'll have a kitchen and all.

Kimhe has already linked to my tapas blog for Eslava (in my top five!) and you'll find lots of other great places to eat listed there.
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/

Wish I'd seen this before booking our apartment in Santa Cruz.

Micheline,

I don't think there is much need to be sorry. Santa Cruz is beautiful and close to everything. Just be sure to also visit some of the other districts in town such as Arenal just west/north-west of Santa Cruz, San Vicente/San Lorenzo described above a little furtehr north and Triana, a cradle of flamenco culture, just on the other side of the city river Guadalquivir. All is very walkable and taxis are everywhere and very affordable.

Two of my favourite tapas bars in the Santa Cruz area: Great buzz and lots of atmosphere at Los Columnas, also popular with locals: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...ga-santa-cruz/
And great prawns in garlic, cured ham (Ibérico!) and lots of other goodies in small Las Teresas: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...y/las-teresas/
I've also had wonderful and more elaborated tapas at Cervecería Giralda, just by the cathedral: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...ceria-giralda/

Azahar's recommended tapas bars and restaurants in the Santa Cruz district: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...io-santa-cruz/

You can also experience real deal flamenco every night in the middle of Santa Cruz district. Intimate Casa de la Memória is popular with tourists, but this is the real deal and only top artists perform here. No drinks, no food, just flamenco. 15€ entrance, much more affordable than the tablaos (flamenco restaurants). Pastora Galván from Sevilla was voted best female flamenco dancer by Spanish critics last year, and she performs here approx once a week during large parts of the year.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Andalucia.html

Program (new artists every night): http://www.casadelamemoria.es/eventos.htm
Pastora Galván video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2SBUcrJgeQ

Another of innumerous Santa Cruz attractions would be the Arab bath-house Aire de Sevilla. A friend of mine went five times in a week: http://www.airedesevilla.com/

Thank you Kimhe.

Yes. Thanks to all. Not sure if I want to spend my time hanging out in the beautiful apartment or eating at local hang-outs!

How was your visit, deassube?

Makes me want to return just to stay there.