Visitors to Seville should consider purchasing a Sevilla Card (http://www.sevillacard.es/), designed to aid city exploration and conserve precious travel funds. The card includes free admission to most Seville museums and monuments, unlimited use of public transportation TUSSAM Buslines, NB: only for Cards with Public Transport, a guided visit of the Real Alcazar of Seville, unlimited use of sightseeing buses, boat rides on the Guadalquivir River and admission to the Isla Mágica Theme Park. The card also allows access to significant discounts in shops, restaurants, shows and leisure centres for adults and children. The Sevilla card is accompanied by a guide and city map. However, please note that Sevilla Card cannot be used for trams and buses.
The Sevilla card comes in three denominations of 1, 2 or 3 daysâ duration in blocks of 24 hours from the time of first activation when inserted into the electronic validation terminal of the suppliers associated with the Sevilla Card Programme be careful not to activate too soon.
Prices: 1 day â¬50 with transport â¬53, 2 days â¬60 with transport â¬66, 3 days â¬65 with transport â¬72. The 2 and 3 day options attract a discount of â¬3 per card when purchased on the website.
The Sevilla Card can be purchased by the following means: Online (http://www.neoturismo.com...); by telephone +34 91 600 21 21 / 902 088 908; and, once in Seville, at tourism offices, the airport, the train station, travel agencies and through national and international tour operators check the website for addresses.
A less expensive version, the Sevilla card Cultura is valid only for museums. 1 day â¬28, 2 days â¬32, 3 days â¬36. - 5% if purchased online.
If you are simply interested in using the local buses (http://www.tussam.es), you can get either pay the â¬1.10 single fare price or you can purchase a bonobus, a 10 trip travel card. Bonobuses are found at most kiosks and tabacarias tobacco shops. Regular times are kept until around 11:30PM, after which night buses run, with different routes, on the hour until 2AM.
museums and galleries
The Museo de Bellas Artes, Plaza del Museo, 9, +34 954 22 18 29, +34 954 22 07 90, (http://www.museosdeandalu...). Open Tu 3PM-8PM, W-Sa 9AM-8PM, Su 9AM-2PM, closed Mon, free entrance for EU citizens. Considered by some as the second most important fine arts museum in Spain after the Prado in Madrid. The museum building is a former mercy convent renewed in the 17th century and the fifteen exhibition rooms show a comprehensive picture of Sevillian art from the Gothic period to the early trends of the 20th century. The square just outside hosts an open-air art market on Sundays until around 1:30PM. Plenty of original paintings on local topics, although some not so interesting bits as well!
Museo de Carruajes
Plaza de Cuba, +34 95 427 2604. Open M-F 10AM-2PM. A small museum with carriages of various kinds. Free admission for EU citizens, â¬3.60 for other nationals.Museo del Baile Flamenco
Cristina Hoyos' Flamenco Dance Museum offers an experience for all the senses with ambiental music, videos, touch-screens and artifacts to be found in this 18th Century building at the heart of the historical Barrio Santa Cruz. On Friday and Saturday evenings a spectacular show is hosted at a discounted price for visitors to the museum at 19:03. Flamenco art and photography exhibitions are also on display as well as offering dance, singing, precussion and guitar lessons. Open all day everyday from 09:00 - 19:00. (http://www.museoflamenco.com) tel: 00.34.954.34.03.11, Address: Museo del Baile Flamenco, C/ Manuel Rojas Marcos 3, 41.004 SevillaArcheology Museum
It has one of the best collection of Roman-era artifacts in Spain, brought from nearby Italica.
landmarks
The Cathedral of Seville was once judged the third largest church in the world after Saint Peter's in Rome and Saint Paul's in London, it is now arguably the largest church in the world when compared using the measurement of volume. Seville's fifteenth century cathedral occupies the site of the former great mosque built in the late twelfth century. The central nave rises to an awesome 37 metres over a total area of 11,520 square metres. The Cathedral is the final resting place of the remains of Christopher Columbus. Adult admission is â¬8 each.
La Giralda
is a large and beautiful minaret tower, originally intended for the chief mosque, but now is the magnificent bell tower of the Cathedral and a symbol of Seville. Climb the 34 ramps for a great view of the city. Adult admission to both attractions is â¬9 each.The Real Alcázar is a beautiful palace in Mudéjar Moorish style, built in the XIV Century by Pedro I the Cruel. With its myriad rooms, extravagant architecture, lavish gardens with many courtyards, ponds and secrets to be explored, it is a fascinating place to visit. Be sure to check out the room where Christopher Columbus's journey to the Americas were planned. You can see his coat of arms embroidered on the wall along with many other royals. In the heat of summer it offers a cool retreat from the suns glare and can quite easily keep you occupied for a few centuries, if not all of your life. Adult admission is â¬8,50 - students younger than 25 years pay â¬2. To see the Upper Palace with audio guide, admission is â¬4,20. Open Mon-Sun: 9:30-19:00, Closed 1 Jan, 6 Jan, Holy Friday and 25th Dec.
The Jewish Quarter Barrio Santa Cruz is located around the Cathedral. It is filled with small winding streets and is generally regarded as the most charming part of the city, but it is also fairly touristy.
The Hospital de los Venerables, Plaza de los Venerables. A 17th century retirement home and hospital for aged and sickly retired priests, recently restored by the Fundación to preserve an example of Andalusian architecture at its very best. Includes a resplendent Baroque chapel which is highly recommended. Adult admission is â¬4.75 and includes an informative audio guide.
Torre de Oro
is a thirteenth century tower, the top of which is rumored to have once been covered in gold. It now houses the local maritime museum. Admission â¬1 for students.Parque MarÃa Luisa
was built for the 1929 Iber-Americano World's Fair and now is landscaped with attractive monuments and museums.Plaza de España
is the site of the Spanish pavilion from the 1929 exhibition. In more recent years it was used in the filming of the new Star Wars episodes. It is somewhat in need of repair. Visit it early in the morning on a weekday to see a long line of immigrants outside one of the government offices it now houses, or visit it right before it closes officially at 10PM but likely half an hour later to see it completely empty and rather eerie.Universidad de Sevilla
was once the Tobacco Factory of Seville and was constructed between 1728 and 1771 by Sebastián Van der Bocht. Over the main entrance, the triangular facade ends in a statue of La Fama fame. The tobacco factory was then the largest industrial building in Spain. A monopoly assured high income, which is reflected in the factory's architecture and surrounding Gardens. Its chapel and prison complement the main building. In the interior you find impressive stairways, fountains and Patios. It was the setting for the first act of Bizet's opera Carmen. In 1953 the factory was converted into the main building of Seville University. Just behind the tobacco factory, the 9 MarÃa Luisa park borders the historic center of Seville to the south.