Seville Travel Guide

Seville's system of public transportation is set to enter the 21st century. That's the good news. The bad news is that construction of a new Metro and other improvements, which began in January of 2004, is predicted to last until the completion date of 2020.

Keep up-to-date by checking the website of the Metro's Oficina de Información at www.metrodesevilla.net. Perhaps by the time of your arrival, most of Metro Line 1 will have been completed, with 17 trains running. Pick up a map at the tourist office to see if any of these underground stations will tie in with where you are going.

By Bus

You can actually walk most everywhere in Seville. Buses are used mainly for visiting the environs that have little interest for most visitors. If you use a bus for getting around the city, you'll find that most lines converge at Plaza de la Encarnación, Plaza Nueva, or in front of the cathedral on Avenida de la Constitución. Bus service is daily from 6am to 11:15pm. The city tourist office will provide a booklet outlining bus routes. The best buses for circling through the center of town include C1 and C2 (circulares interiores). It costs 1€ ($1.30) for transit via bus between any two points in Seville. No buses go directly into the town's medieval core, since the streets are too narrow, but anyone can reach the approximate point of their intended address by getting out at an appropriate point on the avenues that encircle the central core and then walking a short distance. If you plan on riding the bus frequently, consider buying a bus pass, known locally as a Bonobus, for 5.15€ ($6.70). It allows its holder 10 rides on any bus in Seville, and because it's a bearer instrument, it can be transferred without penalty from one person to another. You cannot buy these passes on the bus: They're available at tobacco stands, news kiosks, and during any morning session at the Seville Tourist Office at Plaza Nueva. For general bus information, call tel. 90-245-99-54. For lost items, call tel. 95-442-04-03.

By Bicycle

Although Seville is intensely hot in summer, bike rentals are possible, even though spring and autumn are better times -- at least cooler -- for cycling around. Rentals are available at Cyclotour (tel. 95-468-96-66), located at Avenida Hernán Cortez, Parque de María Luisa s/n. The shop is open daily from 10:30am to 8pm. Rentals are 6€ ($7.80) for 2 hours, 8€ ($10) for 4 to 8 hours, 18€ ($23) for 24 hours, and 70€ ($91) for 1 week. A deposit of 100€ ($130) is required.

By Carriage

They're romantic, the echo of the horses' hooves makes an appealing clip-clop on the cobblestones, and the Giralda seems ever-so-evocative from behind a horse's rump. You'll find clusters of such carriages on the eastern side of the cathedral (Plaza del Triunfo), their official gathering place. In some circumstances, they'll crop up near the Alcázar and in the shadow of the Giralda as well. Don't expect uniform behavior or treatment from the many entrepreneurs who, with their horses, work the trade, but they tend to be available daily between 10am and 11pm. They charge between 35€ and 40€ ($46-$52) for a 35- to 40-minute clip-clop tour of the city's broader avenues, and the drivers are somewhat brusque.

By Taxi

This is quite a viable means of getting around, especially at night, when streets are dangerous because of frequent muggings. Call Tele Taxi (tel. 95-462-22-22) or Radio Taxi (tel. 95-458-00-00). Cabs are metered and charge about .50€ (65¢) per kilometer at night and .40€ (50¢) during the day.

By Car

Chances are you arranged to rent a car before you got to Seville (rates are lower that way). However, if you didn't, you'll find Avis at the airport (tel. 95-444-91-21; www.avis.es) and at the train station (tel. 95-453-78-61). Hertz is also at the airport (tel. 95-451-47-20; www.hertz.com) and on Vía Santa Justa near the train station (tel. 95-442-61-56).

Seville: A Driver-Unfriendly City -- Be warned that driving here is a nightmare: Seville was planned for the horse and buggy rather than for the car, and nearly all the streets run one-way toward the Guadalquivir River. Locating a hard-to-find restaurant or a hidden little square will require patience and luck.