Seville
- aishacassiewilliam
- Apr 10, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Apr 15, 2023
The first stop on our year long trip, and to this day, one of my absolute favourites. Home of the best oranges I have ever tasted, delicious tapas, tiny winding streets and incredible flamenco. Situated in the south of Spain, you can expect glorious sunshine for the majority of the year, perfect for if you're part lizard like me. For me, Seville is a glorious spot for a weekend city break, maybe not quite the spot for a backpacking trip (I'll explain all later).
Now this may be a bit of a rogue choice for the first 'city guide' style post I'll write when it comes to budget travel, because in all honesty - Seville just ain't that cheap! There are of course so many ways to visit Seville and save some pennies here and there, but in all honesty, Its not really the kind of place you want to be skimping and saving. Attractions and activities are more on the expensive side and its the kind of city where you'll want to be stopping in all the little tapas bars trying all the food and drinking cocktails in the sun.
In the name of transparency, we visited Seville with my parents. Being the luxury travelling icons they are, they weren't about to stay in a hostel with a shared bathroom. Fortunately this meant that we took the sofa bed in the beautiful airbnb they had rented and were treated to some pretty spectacular meals. Neither of which were the most 'budget friendly'. That being said though, I've hunted through and there are some really solid options for cheap places to eat and drink and lots of ways to enjoy this beautiful city on a smaller budget.
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Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Seville is between April-June/ September-October (aka, the shoulder season). The weather is nice and warm, its generally less busy and this is also the cheapest time of year to come. Just make sure you visit outside of school holidays if possible!
We visited during Semana Santa (Holy week, i.e. the week leading up to Easter). It was incredible seeing the penance processions and seeing all the celebrations in the lead up to Easter Sunday. That being said, it was incredibly busy (still, an incredible atmosphere!) and accommodation and flights were significantly more expensive during this time. If you're planning on visiting Spain on a budget, just avoid the Easter holidays altogether. (if you're not planning on visiting on a budget though, Seville is incredible at this time of year!)
Accommodation
Like I said above, we stayed in the Airbnb my parents rented here. So while I can't personally recommend a budget accommodation, these are some solid options I've found on Hostelworld. Note, all prices are midweek, for a single person in May 2023.
Name | Price per night | Rating (/10) | Pros | Cons |
Hub Hostel | £12 - £13 (16 bed mixed dorm) | 7.2 | Good location, air conditioning, kitchen & cooking equiptment | Bed linen is an extra charge of €1 per night, some guests reporting issues with cleanliness |
Hostel A2C | £15 - £16 (8 bed mixed dorm) £18 - £19 including breakfast | 8.3 | Good location, clean hostel, has a terrace, kitchen and nice staff | Beds are apparently noisy but not many negative comments! |
La Flamenka hostel | £15.80 (6 bed mixed dorm) | 9.2 | Hostel has a terrace and kitchen, good location, nice staff great cleanliness. Lots of workspaces and spacious rooms. | Some complaints that there aren't enough bathrooms but not many negative comments! |
Sevilla Kitsch Hostel Art | £17 - £18 (8 bed mixed dorm) | 8.3 | Good location, has a terrace and is very clean. Entertainment including live music and family dinner nights offered. Free tea and coffee and kitchen. | some comments on the hostel being noisy (street noise) |
San Isidoro Sevilla Hostel | £17 - £18 (6 bed mixed dorm) | 8.2 | Good location, friendly staff, has a roof terrace. | some complaints about the bathrooms being too small |
The Nomad Hostel & Pension | £17 - £18 (10 bed mixed dorm) | 8.1 | Good location, air conditioning, rooftop and bar, kitchen and free tea and coffee. | some comments on the hostel not being super social - maybe not great for solo travellers! |
Things To do
Like I mentioned above, there are lots of things to do in seville, however most do come with a bit of a hefty price tag. I'll suggest cheap/free activities below, but take a look at my google map at the end for more activities!
Free Walking Tours - There are loads of walking tour options available on Guruwalks.com. Just remember to bring some cash to tip your guide at the end!
Plaza de España - Beautiful tiled plaza located in the Parque de María Luisa. It's free to wander around and take photos and you can even head into the park after for a picnic in the sun. For any Star Wars nerds like Brad, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones was filmed here!
Seville Cathedral - One of the largest cathedrals in the world containing the tomb of Christopher Columbus. You can also climb the 342ft bell tower (the Giralda) for views over the city. Entry is €11 with an online ticket, however if you're lucky you can snag a free entry ticket online for a visit between 2-3pm Monday - Friday (excluding public holidays). You can book tickets here.
Wander Barrio de Santa Cruz - Seville's busiest, most crowded neighbourhood. Get lost wandering the winding streets and take in this beautiful city.
Watch free flamenco - Hidden down a narrow street in the city centre, you'll find my favourite bar in Seville, La Carbonería. A super authentic flamenco bar where you can watch dancers for free every night from 10pm (though doors open at 7pm if you wanted a drink in the courtyard beforehand!). Be warned though, you're not allowed to take photos and must stay silent during the performances. The atmosphere is electric, the drinks are pretty cheap and the measures are strong. Just remember to take enough cash - they don't take card at all!
Places to Eat/Drink
We. LOVE. Tapas. Great news - its everywhere in Seville! The downside though is by the time you've smashed 10 plates of tapas into you, your wallet is probably crying and you're still wanting to try more. There are however lots of options for cheap tapas around the city. The main rule is the same no matter what city you're visiting. Prices are higher and quality is almost always lower if you stick to restaurants in the city centre. It's worth venturing a little further afield for more affordable, tasty food! I'll highlight these areas below!
My parents definitely treated us to some incredible meals but I wouldn't have considered these particularly 'budget friendly'. Instead I've used ye old trusty single £ sign search filter on google maps and found some places with good reviews that I'm planning on seeking out when we get back to Seville.
Areas
Triana neighbourhood - Said to be where flamenco originated, there are lots of cheap, tasty tapas bars in this authentic Sevillano neighbourhood.
Macarena Neighbourhood - Located in the North-eastern part of the old city, this area is home to many students and young professionals. As a result there are lots of quirky, cheap bars and restaurants that cater to a student budget.
Restaurants
El Librero Tapas Y Quesos - This one seems to come up on a lot of lists for places to eat in seville! Prices are supposed to be good, staff are apparently lovely and there are lots of vegan/veggie options. Looks lush!
Bar Alfalfa - This little place has loads of coffee + sandwich deals all for under €4! Sounds like a solid breakfast spot to me!
L'Orangier - A littler further outside of the centre but looks really authentic and well priced. Highly rated on Tripadvisor.
La Taberna - Located in the city centre, prices are apparently the lowest for this area and the place has a proper authentic feel. I can't find an up to date menu, but prices are apparently no more than €2.75 per tapa plate.
100 Montaditos - I've seen this place be referred to as 'the Mcdonalds of tapas', which is probably pretty accurate! You'll see them all over Spain as they're a pretty big chain. It serves essentially just super cheap tapas, with loads of plates starting at just €1! They even have a 'Euromania' promotion where almost all the menu items are priced at €1 on Wednesdays and Sundays - This was truly a staple of our diet in Spain!
Bar Garlochí - Not the cheapest by any means but absolutely worth a mention. Head to this super quirky religious(?) themed bar and try the 'blood of christ' (Sangre de Cristo) cocktail.
Supermarkets
Carrefour - There are several dotted around the city centre, perfect for picking up ingredients to cook with or a picnic to take to the park.
Getting Around
The city centre
Fortunately, Seville is super walkable! The city is super small and most accommodation seems to be within walking distance of the main attractions so it's really easy to get around on foot; a great way to save those pennies!
There is one metro line that runs through the city, if you aren't up for walking. However the primary purpose of the metro is to connect the city centre with the suburbs. Ticket prices start from €1.35 and the subway map can be found here.
There are also several bus lines serving the city with lines C1, C2, C3 and C4 running in, through and around the city centre. Tickets can be bought from the driver or at station kiosks starting at €1.30.
To/From the airport
The airport is located 9km outside of the city centre.
Your cheapest option to get to/from the airport is via shuttle bus for €4 (single) or €6 (return). The bus takes 30 minutes and the timetable can be found here.
If you're arriving late/early, you can expect to pay €30 for a taxi from the airport. Official metered taxis are white with a yellow line, however rates are higher at night/weekends/holidays.
To/From the Train station
We walked from our apartment in the centre to the train station which took around 20 minutes.
However, if you're carrying heavy bags/staying further away the 28, 32, C1 and C2 buses all run between the train station and city centre.
Currency and ATMs
Just the basics when it comes to money
Currency: Euro
Best ATMs: Deutsche Bank should have no ATM fees in Spain. But if you can't find these, Bankinter charges €0.50 while Banco Popular, Banco Pastor, Targobank and Caja Rural all charge €0.80.
Cash Vs. Card: Most shops, supermarkets and restaurants will accept card. However smaller stores, bars and restaurants may not so it's always good to have some cash on you!
Safety
With Seville being such a small city, we felt super safe the whole time! Streets are generally well lit so we felt fine walking around at night, and didn't have any negative experiences ourselves. Just exercise usual caution when walking around cities - keep an eye on bags/pockets and be aware of your surroundings.
My City Map
I've put all of my suggestions above onto this super handy, colour coded (stunning) Google map. Any cheap restaurants/bars I've highlighted using a purple € symbol, I've found using the single £ sign search filter (aka if they're crap don't blame me x). This is by no means all of the cheap restaurants/bars that came up, just a few to get you started.
TLDR - What are your top tips?
Seville isn't super cheap - It's a small city with few free activities, but still somewhere worthy of a visit, maybe more of a weekend break kind of vibe though!
Go to La Carbonería - Definitley more of an experience than just a bar! Free, authentic Flamenco and cheap(ish) strong drinks! Just remember it's cash only and there's no photography of the dancers!
Visit the Plaza de España - It's free to walk around and you can even see some free flamenco! Head to Parque de María Luisa after for a picnic.
Get free tickets to the cathedral - These are only available online for entry Monday - Friday between 2pm-3pm (except on national holidays). There are only a limited number available and you can get them up to 4 weeks in advance.
Get the airport shuttle - Taxis from the airport are €30 one way - if you're arriving between 4:30am - midnight you can get the airport shuttle to the city centre for just €4 instead.
Try a 'blood of christ' (Sangre de Cristo) cocktail - Head to Bar Garlochí and try their signature drink. You won't have ever been to a bar like this before, I promise!
Walk everywhere - Seville is a super small city and you can pretty much walk everywhere, so don't stress about spending money on transport and taxis!
Try the oranges - Our Airbnb even came with a juicer! They're famous for a reason - and when juiced and mixed with vodka you've got the most refreshing cocktail ever!
Get lost in Barrio de Santa Cruz - Wander and go window shopping through seville's tiny winding streets.
Hit Triana and Macarena neighbourhood for cheap eats.
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