Tips and Tricks for Seville, Spain

Ever since high school, I knew I wanted to study abroad. I always pictured myself living in Barcelona because The Cheetah Girls made it look so exciting. But in reality, I spent four months in Seville, Spain, a city I never knew existed until about six months before I left. Moving to Seville for a semester is hands down one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself. It’s exhilarating and overwhelming to move across the world, but the city of Seville made the move outstanding.

One of the many orange trees you’ll see around the city.

Here are a few of my tips and tricks to thriving in the south of Spain:

1. First off, Seville is divided into neighborhoods, and there are four main ones. On one side of the river are the neighborhoods Los Remedios and Triana. These neighborhoods are more city-like and have a lot of families. On the other side of the river are El Centro and Alfalfa. These neighborhoods consist of a lot of the tourist attractions and main restaurants and bars.

2. Right away when I moved to Seville, I noticed there were thousands of orange trees everywhere. And I mean tons of them. And as much as one would like to, don’t pick the oranges off of these trees. The city uses them for products, but they are also very bitter.

3. Another trick to this magical city is to be cautious of the bike lanes. Almost everyone either walks or bikes everywhere; the city has bike lanes to make it safer. Bikers do not appreciate when pedestrians walk in their bike lanes and cause them to slow down.

4. As you walk around the city you will stumble across Calle Tetuán. This street has great shopping and is located in the center of the city so you have great access to local bars and restaurants.

5. Last tip, siesta time. Siestas may be my favorite aspect of Seville because you don’t find built in nap time in most cities. It depends on the time of the year, but usually the people of Seville will pause their day any time between 2-5pm to nap. Businesses usually close down and the streets empty out. They especially utilize this privilege in the summer because of the heat.

A view looking into Triana from the Guadalquivir River.

These are just a few tips and tricks to help you thrive in Seville, Spain. It is a wonderful city, a hidden gem really. It’s filled with lots of great food, people, and architecture and around every corner is a new adventure.

A glance at Seville city life.

Kate B. is a CEA alumni. She studied abroad in Seville in the Spring of 2016.