Seville
...a city that lives on the street
The attraction of the unknown lies in its very unfamiliarity. But it helps to check your facts in advance if you want to get the most out of a trip. Here we take a look at the nightlife of selected European cities. In this issue, it’s the turn of Seville – the exciting capital of Andalusia.
Seville welcomes the visitor with the warmth of its Mediterranean soul, the beautiful colour of its flowering orange trees, the scent of orange blossom in spring and a heady, infectious spirit of fiesta. Down through history, Tartesians, Romans, Visigoths, Muslims and Christians have all left their mark on this immediately captivating city, basking in 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. The Guadalquivir River cuts through one of the best historic centres in Europe, and not surprisingly the city’s inhabitants tend to lead their life outdoors, on the street. It is generally assumed that people only stay at home to sleep and eat, otherwise lured outside by their delight in conversation and a nocturnal stroll through the hundreds of taverns, bars and terraces that can be found on every corner.
The historic home of bullfighting, the city has also exerted a strong influence on the development of flamenco. Both traditions reflect the passionate character of the Sevillanos, who take delight in charming pretty women with a compliment, spontaneous embraces and in lively debates – the latter recently being fed by hotly contested views about a new tram that runs through the centre. Growing use of the bicycle has recently brought new life to the “barrios”, or distinct quarters that make up the city. Their importance to the identity of Seville’s 700,000 inhabitants – who are more likely to say they are from Macarena, Triana, Los Remedios or Heliópolis before mentioning Seville by name – is more pronounced than in any other city in Spain. Each barrio has its own personality and rhythm - although going out for tapas is synonymous with nightlife everywhere.
The barrio of Santa Cruz is an excellent place to set out on a trail through the city’s wonders. The cathedral, one of the largest of its kind in the world in its gothic splendour, is situated on a UNESCO World heritage site that also includes the Giralda, formerly the minaret of the mosque before it became the cathedral’s bell tower; the Alcázar (Royal Palace) of Seville, with its Moorish gardens; and the General Archive of the Indies. Once the Jewish quarter, the beautiful patios and narrow passageways of Santa Cruz, adorned with flowers, provide the perfect setting for a relaxed chat over a couple of drinks in some of the tiny, magical wine cellars – or bodegas. These passages form a latticework of vibrant colour when seen from the top of the Giralda tower, Seville’s most emblematic symbol.
Las Columnas (Rodrigo Caro, 1), one of the liveliest bars in the area, buzzes with people who get together outside to drink small glasses of beer known as cañas, and El Tenderete (Rodrigo Caro, 3) is a classic melting pot amongst the locals who appreciate its décor of old radios and clocks. Both are right next to the Giralda tower, and not far away, along Argote de Molina and Mateos Gago, you will find plenty of animated taverns. You can immerse yourself in the rhythms of flamenco and join in the clapping at the flamenco venue of Los Gallos, where some of the great flamenco artists have performed. Alternatively, try La Carbonería, where singer-songwriters of various styles, including adherents of flamenco fusion, perform live. This pub has various rooms and a terrace where concerts are held in the summer. It is a favourite haunt of tourists, Erasmus students and laid-back Sevillanos.
Leaving behind the barrio of Santa Cruz, you come to the centre of Seville, around Arenal, Adriano and Alameda de Hércules streets, an area with bustling pedestrian zones and people having a good time. This is the most fashionable part of Seville, which combines the modernity of the Sala Malandar with a number of gay bars. Three stand out: the Ítaca and El hombre y el oso, which are both in Amor de Dios street, and the Glory Hole (Santa Ana, 24). The large groups of young people drinking their own liquor on the street, known as Botellón, tend to crowd the Plaza del Salvador and, just a stone’s throw away, the Alfalfa area. It is worthwhile trying a drop of Sangre de Cristo in the Garlochi (Boteros, 26), where religious imagery taken from the famous Easter celebrations of Semana Santa add a touch of kitsch. Then, continuing an eclectic theme, visit El Perro Andaluz: its décor pays homage to the famous film by Luis Buñuel. If you prefer funk, your best bet is the cramped and tiny Elefunk (Adriano, 10), which is always full.
If chilling-out is your thing, El Barroco (corner of Fresa and Catatrava), with its sophisticated 18th century decor, is a good place – along with the Café Eureka (Alameda de Hércules, 65), with sofas that invite you to sit, relax and chat. Meanwhile, if you want to set the dance floor alight, go to the Fun Club, the pioneering disco of the Seville underground culture, where ska, punk and nu metal are all mixed with breakbeat. Near to the port, the Reina Mercedes university campus offers student-friendly prices – and the long and narrow Aduana club holds special parties for students on Thursdays. For house purists, the best option in this area is to give Weekend a try. Around the Plaza de Armas, try the booming tech-house in Abril, while the avant-garde Bauhaus offers stimulating electro-lounge sessions on Sundays. Hip-hop has found a home in Microlibre, a nightclub located on the outskirts of the city.
Around the Plaza de San Pedro, which is crowned by the beautiful Mudejar-style church of the same name, the sound of the electric guitar takes over from techno-beat. Blues and rock come to life in bars like El Hobbit (Regina, 20) and the Matakas Bar (Matahacas, 23), a retro-look venue with music pouring out of its ‘magnificent jukebox. Next to the Guadalquivir River, and opposite the Barqueta Bridge, the terrace of the Cervecería Macarena is always full of devotees of its cheap beer and tapas of prawns, shrimps or mussels. But, if you’re after a more elitist atmosphere and don’t mind paying the price, the area to check out is the barrio of Los Remedios, which is also home to the most fashionable boutiques. Bars such as El Desván, Tarugo or Quorum, in front of the Nueva Fábrica de Tabacos (new tobacco factory) are especially popular. In the same barrio, the chic terraces of EM Terraza and La Hacienda are for those who want to see and be seen. Both are on the Avenida García Morato.
Continuing along the right bank of the river, the historic area of Triana is the most emblematic of the Seville barrios. The birthplace of bullfighters and flamenco singers, the seafaring and gypsy origins of this barrio impregnate the very streets themselves.
Here the hustle and bustle of the centre is replaced by friendlier prices and the typically young crowd, in search of a more relaxed atmosphere, is more discerning as regards musical tastes. The best way of discovering Triana is to cross the San Telmo bridge and go down Betis Street alongside the riverbank. This area is full of bars, discos and summery terraces laid out opposite the brightly coloured facades of the houses. On Betis Street, the best bars are the Alhambique, one of the oldest bars in Seville; Boss, which has four bars, each with its own distinct décor; Río Latino or Muy Dá Qui, a must for fans of chupitos (shots of liqueur in tiny glasses).
Plunging deep into Triana, it is advisable to go down Castilla Street and make stops in the El Túnel de Triana or Aníbal Café, which has live music. And, in the old part of the barrio, don’t miss the chance to try the tasty tapas of ham or sirloin steak in Las Golondrinas (Antillano Campos, 26). Alternatively, step into La Cocina del Dr. X (Evangelista, 36) or Los Alcores (Enrique Murillo, 10), which has a very wide range of tapas at a reasonable price. A more refined and design conscious place is the Fargo cocktail bar (Pureza, 70); while flamenco is performed live in El Tejar. Then, to stretch the night out until the early hours of the morning, try Botavara (Trabajo, 2). El Camino de los Descubrimientos connects Triana to the Isla de la Cartuja, the exhibition site that is home to Seville’s renowned April Fair. The infrastructure left by the Universal Exhibition in 1992 has been turned into designer terraces whose prices are not so affordable, and enormous nightclubs like Emporio or Antique. The latter is the most luxurious, and has the most selective door policy. Antique’s décor emulates an old theatre covered in wall tapestries. The parks and gardens of Seville doff their cap to the Arab tradition, and also form part of the biorhythms of the people of Seville. The Murillo Gardens, which border the Alcázar, and the Maria Luisa Park, the city’s leafy lung, are the biggest.
Álvaro Friera
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