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Articles > Europe > Spain > Seville > When a Sleeping Beauty Awakes - A Tour of Sevillian Nightlife
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When a Sleeping Beauty Awakes - A Tour of Sevillian Nightlife
Close your eyes and try to imagine Seville in late September. Can you feel what it's like? I found
it out during a spontaneous two weeks backpacking tour in 2002 – and it made me still want more.
The air is drenched with the sweet and exhilarating, warm summer night smell of blossoming jasmine, acacia, orange trees, roses, oleander and bougainvillea. The sound of ska, reggae, flamenco and latin music comes out of the bars. You can hear all kinds of languages in the streets. It is hot and even at night it is too warm to sleep.
The city is under a constant tension and, just like a sleeping beauty, waits to be awakened.
I booked a cheap flight and reserved a room in a youth hostel – best place to go to meet people with the same intention and to discover Seville on your own. I bought me a city map, packed my bag and – Spain, here I come.
In contrast to larger, tourist-crowded Spanish cities such as Barcelona or Madrid Sevillan nightlife is rather easy to survey and more concentrated on some central areas – which doesn't mean it is less turbulent and exhausting. I was told by the locals that Sevillanos work very hard from Monday to Friday – and celebrate the weekends even wilder. Very sympathetic guys...
Spanish people usually start going out later than we do – and party until sunrise. The bars, discos and nightlife venues open late and close late, too. Because of the high temperatures at night the nightlife mainly takes place under the open sky.
I quickly learned the old Sevillan tradition of starting the nights by practicing "el botellón" - which means buying packaged alcohol ("un lote") in a supermarket, going out with no direction in mind, joining a group of people, start drinking in the streets and plazas in a cheerful atmosphere and wait and see. Most certainly, it will develop into a funny open air party.
I spent quite a few nights at Calle Betis in the Triana quarter ("Barrio de Triana") south of the Guadalquivir river. Calle Betis with its many bars, discotheques and live music venues is a wortwhile nightlife destination with spontaneous flamenco music sessions taking place in the open. Chances are high you end up here after a pub crawl through the streets of Sevilla. The Triana quarter is the old gipsy quarter. It has a high density of flamenco schools and is the best address if you want to do a Sevillana dance course.
Another good place to go at night is "La Alameda de Hércules" ("Pillars of Hercules") in the Macarena quarter ("Barrio de la Macarena"). The Alameda de Hércules is a broad, sandy promenade flanked by trees with bars, discotheques and live music venues on both sides.
One of the best places to be on a summer night is "La Carbonería" ("Coal house") in the Santa Cruz quarter ("Barrio de Santa Cruz)" near the Cathedral of Sevilla ("La Giralda"). This is a kind of insider tip because it lies hidden in the maze-like quarter and cannot be found without asking the locals.
The Carbonería is a former coal yard converted into a live music venue. It is divided into three sections. The elaborate, castle-like foyer is dimly lit. An open fire casts shadows on the carvings, inclined walls and twisted aisles and creates an intimate and cozy atmosphere. The entry room leads to a very large, partially roofed terrace with a long bar, many benches and a small stage.
Behind the terrace is a typical Andalusian patio with tables and chairs. Wild growing jasmine, oleander, orange trees and roses fill the air with a sweet, exhilarating and oriental scent which makes you feel set back in time to the era of ancient Moorish palaces and to the fairy tales from 1001 night. This place has a unique atmosphere and is a must for every tourist. Here live bands play flamenco, jazz and arab music almost every night and the place is crowded with Sevillanos and tourists.
The owner of the Carbonería, Paco Lira, has spent his whole life opening and closing down flamenco venues under the rule of the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s and 1970s when flamenco music was still considered illegal. During its beginnings, the Carbonería used to serve as a place for musicians and for whole gipsy families to come together and play flamenco music.
Chances are very high even today that some musicians from the local flamenco music scene such as Paco de Lucía or Joaquín Cortéz show up in the Carbonería, enter the stage and start a flamenco live session which leaves no one untouched – an awesome place to go.
it out during a spontaneous two weeks backpacking tour in 2002 – and it made me still want more.
The air is drenched with the sweet and exhilarating, warm summer night smell of blossoming jasmine, acacia, orange trees, roses, oleander and bougainvillea. The sound of ska, reggae, flamenco and latin music comes out of the bars. You can hear all kinds of languages in the streets. It is hot and even at night it is too warm to sleep.
The city is under a constant tension and, just like a sleeping beauty, waits to be awakened.
I booked a cheap flight and reserved a room in a youth hostel – best place to go to meet people with the same intention and to discover Seville on your own. I bought me a city map, packed my bag and – Spain, here I come.
In contrast to larger, tourist-crowded Spanish cities such as Barcelona or Madrid Sevillan nightlife is rather easy to survey and more concentrated on some central areas – which doesn't mean it is less turbulent and exhausting. I was told by the locals that Sevillanos work very hard from Monday to Friday – and celebrate the weekends even wilder. Very sympathetic guys...
Spanish people usually start going out later than we do – and party until sunrise. The bars, discos and nightlife venues open late and close late, too. Because of the high temperatures at night the nightlife mainly takes place under the open sky.
I quickly learned the old Sevillan tradition of starting the nights by practicing "el botellón" - which means buying packaged alcohol ("un lote") in a supermarket, going out with no direction in mind, joining a group of people, start drinking in the streets and plazas in a cheerful atmosphere and wait and see. Most certainly, it will develop into a funny open air party.
I spent quite a few nights at Calle Betis in the Triana quarter ("Barrio de Triana") south of the Guadalquivir river. Calle Betis with its many bars, discotheques and live music venues is a wortwhile nightlife destination with spontaneous flamenco music sessions taking place in the open. Chances are high you end up here after a pub crawl through the streets of Sevilla. The Triana quarter is the old gipsy quarter. It has a high density of flamenco schools and is the best address if you want to do a Sevillana dance course.
Another good place to go at night is "La Alameda de Hércules" ("Pillars of Hercules") in the Macarena quarter ("Barrio de la Macarena"). The Alameda de Hércules is a broad, sandy promenade flanked by trees with bars, discotheques and live music venues on both sides.
One of the best places to be on a summer night is "La Carbonería" ("Coal house") in the Santa Cruz quarter ("Barrio de Santa Cruz)" near the Cathedral of Sevilla ("La Giralda"). This is a kind of insider tip because it lies hidden in the maze-like quarter and cannot be found without asking the locals.
The Carbonería is a former coal yard converted into a live music venue. It is divided into three sections. The elaborate, castle-like foyer is dimly lit. An open fire casts shadows on the carvings, inclined walls and twisted aisles and creates an intimate and cozy atmosphere. The entry room leads to a very large, partially roofed terrace with a long bar, many benches and a small stage.
Behind the terrace is a typical Andalusian patio with tables and chairs. Wild growing jasmine, oleander, orange trees and roses fill the air with a sweet, exhilarating and oriental scent which makes you feel set back in time to the era of ancient Moorish palaces and to the fairy tales from 1001 night. This place has a unique atmosphere and is a must for every tourist. Here live bands play flamenco, jazz and arab music almost every night and the place is crowded with Sevillanos and tourists.
The owner of the Carbonería, Paco Lira, has spent his whole life opening and closing down flamenco venues under the rule of the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s and 1970s when flamenco music was still considered illegal. During its beginnings, the Carbonería used to serve as a place for musicians and for whole gipsy families to come together and play flamenco music.
Chances are very high even today that some musicians from the local flamenco music scene such as Paco de Lucía or Joaquín Cortéz show up in the Carbonería, enter the stage and start a flamenco live session which leaves no one untouched – an awesome place to go.
About the Author
Author of the article is Markus Mross. For more information on lodging opportunities in Andalucia, please check these Andalucia apartments.
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