Seville travel guide

Phrase Book

Seville has a mild Mediterranean climate, with warm, sunny summers and cool, mild, winters. The hottest months are July and August, with temperatures sometimes reaching a high of 99°F (37°C). Temperatures are, however, sometimes modified by cool sea breezes - a relief at the height of summer.

Winter tends to have mixed sun and cloud and January is the coldest month. Autumn and winter are the wettest seasons, and September and October often bring heavy showers or thunderstorms. March, which is early spring, can also be a wet month, but showers are usually followed by sunny periods. Seville receives hardly any rain during the hot summer months.

As with most of Spain, the height of summer, between June and August, is when most people choose to travel to Seville for the hot sunshine, tempered by cool sea breezes. Other people argue that the best time to holiday in Seville is spring, when temperatures are moderate and the crowds are thinner.

With its Mediterranean climate, however, Seville is a destination for all seasons, so long as you don't mind a few wet days during winter. Easter is a great time to go if you are looking for festivity, because Holy Week brings all sorts of fiestas to the city streets.

Seville may be pegged as the slightly sleepy southern cousin of Madrid and Barcelona, but there is still a decent local nightlife. Between the bohemian tastes of the university students and the affinity for the arts held by the more sophisticated Sevillianos, there is a wide assortment of Andalusian activities after dark.

A great way to start your evening is by blazing a tapas trail. A wide selection of dingy dives and smoother, more stylish spaces crowd around the cobblestone streets of Barrio Santa Cruz and the area around the Catedral de Seville. Simply look for the iconic leg of jamon (cured ham) hanging from the ceiling and pop in for a quick bite, an easy chat, and a cold Cruzcampo (Seville's local beer).

When you can't stomach any more sample-sized portions, head to either Plaza Alfalfa or Calle Betis for a bit of bar-hopping. During Seville's sultry summer nights, sipping a sherry alongside the Guadalquivir River is also an intoxicating way to kick-off the evening.

Most Seviallanos only leave home around 11.30pm, at which point they start the night with a stiff drink and a shot. Partygoers drain their drinks and head to the nightclubs around 1am, where it is possible to party until 10am the next morning.

For those with a calmer, more cultural appetite, the nightlife in Seville can be just as satiating. Flamenco, a passionate mix of dance, music, and singing with roots reaching into Andalusia's Roma (gypsy) communities, is a firm favourite and must-see in the city.

There are plenty of venues with regular tablao (performances); the Triana district caters to locals while options in Santa Cruz are more tourist-friendly, often offering a traditional Andalusian meal alongside the performance. Visit the central tourist bureau to schedule a slot for yourself and your family.

For those who would rather forego Flamenco, Seville's opera house, Teatro de la Maestranza, attracts iconic celebrities and features big-name shows. Occasionally jazz and classical concerts also take place.

Seville has everything from small, speciality shops to big, overbearing department stores. The area around Plaza Neuve is prime territory for anything chic and stylish, and the pedestrian thoroughfares of Calle Tetuan and Calle de las Sierpes are cluttered with opportunities to purchase some smart Spanish clothes or pay top dollar for haute couture.

Tourists shopping in Seville may also be interested in scooping up a few items more aptly aligned with local culture. Ceramics and Andalusian linen and shawls make great Seville souvenirs and are in no short supply. Take a trip across the Guadalquivir River to the traditional tile-making area of Triana; a handful of shops and functioning workshops sell beautifully crafted tiles and in some cases it's possible to watch the craftsman shape their wares. Many of the beautiful azulejos (ceramic tiles) adorning local churches, houses and tapas bars are still sculpted there today. If you don't feel like trooping so far, the area around the Reales Alcazares and the Barrio Santa Cruz also houses a healthy supply of shops selling hand-painted ceramics and embroidered blankets and scarves.

Most shops in Seville are open from 10am to 2pm and then from 5pm to 8pm during the week; from 10am to 2pm on Saturday; and are closed on Sundays. The larger stores often stay open all day. Most places accept all major credit cards.

Most of the tourist sights in Seville are in the central area, which is flat and best explored on foot. Those travelling further afield will find buses the easiest and most economical way of getting around. Bus stops are easy to find on the main avenues and run on circular routes around the city, and line routes in all directions out of it. Bus routes emanate from Plaza Nueva, Plaza de la Encarnacion, La Barqueta, and Prado de San Sebastian.

Taxis can be found at designated stands in all the main plazas, or can be hailed on the street if showing a green light, which means they are available. Tourists should always ensure that the meters in taxis are operational and that they are only turned on at the beginning of their trip as foreigners are sometimes the victims of overcharging.

As with all Spanish cities, it is best to avoid driving in Seville as the roads are confusing and hard to negotiate. Spanish drivers are renowned for their casual and chaotic approach to rules of the road, and although rented cars are wonderful for excursions out of Seville, they are best kept parked at the hotel while sightseeing in the city. Those exploring the city on foot should be sure to get a map when wandering around neighbourhoods like Santa Cruz, as the narrow maze of streets can be rather confusing.