







 



<rss version="2.0" xmlns:beenthere="http://ivebeenthere.co.uk/beenthere-rss">
    <channel>
        
                
        <title>Been there | Tips</title>
        
        <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/</link>
        
        <description>
            Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love,
            live in or have just visited - are what make this guide.
        </description>
        
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Santa Maria La Blanca area</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13258</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[Most squares in Seville have got nice old fashioned bars, where eating and drinking is cheap. Santa Maria La Blanca is not an exception, and it is close to the gardens (Jardines del Murillo) and the beautiful building of Universidad de Sevilla. <br><br>I recommend trying as many varieties of tapas as possible, always keeping in mind, or at hand, a nice beer to chill out.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13258</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Aire de Sevilla - Banos Arabes</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12864</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[This restored Arabian bathhouse down a tiny alley in the Santa Cruz district is the perfect escape from the baking afternoon heat. It's mixed, and you can bring your own bathers. After cold mint tea in the relaxation room you are invited to dip into each of the three pools (warm, hot and then cold), steam yourself in the hammam, relax in the whirpool and then float gently in the salt pool. <br><br>A soothing, indulgent atmosphere is created by the glistening white of the marble, and the illuminated blue water that plays patterns across the dark red plaster walls, faded wooden ceilings and archways. Your journey through the baths is guided by shimmering scented candles and Arabic lamps. Visits last for 90 minutes but you must book ahead, as they limit numbers due to its popularity. It is open until midnight, if you fancy a late dip.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12864</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Hotel Alminar</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12863</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[A quiet and friendly hotel despite its central location (it literally is about 50m from the cathedral and main street). There are only 12 rooms in this old building, which have been renovated in a modern style with dark wood and white furnishing, and very sleek bathrooms. If you get a superior room you may be lucky to get one of the two rooms on the top floor, which have outdoor patios giving stunning views of the cathedral. The staff here are genuinely friendly and helpful, and it's a great place to stay.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12863</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Really Discover</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12360</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[I recommend this website as it deals in great tours around Seville. I went to Seville during the Christmas period and although the weather wasn't great, the trip was fantastic due to the tour. For anyone thinking of visiting Seville i strongly suggest using this website.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12360</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Restaurante Jano</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11571</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[Excellent modern Spanish restaurant near Santa Catalina. The menu is interesting (and there's a helpful English translation behind the bar if you ask). The food is very tasty and well prepared. The special house red is amazing and I'm gutted to have forgetten the name already. Child-friendly. Excellent and non-prententious service. Very reasonably priced. I would go back!]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11571</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Bar Alfalfa</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11515</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[A fantastic tapas bar on (surprise-surprise) Alfalfa. Great Italian-style tapas, great wine, great service, laid-back and good music. Amazingly good value for money. <br><br>Also appears to have a slightly unusual resident transvestite. <br><br>Don't go for pudding at Tuereg over the road - it's dreadful!]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11515</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>I do NOT recommend Oasis Hostel, Seville</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9918</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[I recently stayed at the Oasis Hostel in Seville.<br>While I was there, my boyfriend was woken up at 3am by someone who said the bed he was in (and paid for) was hers. Obviously, there had been a double booking (in fact there were double bookings every night we were<br>there). However, during this mix up, the manager had gone into his 'safe' (which is allocated to the bed) and taken out a number of his personal items (which we did not notice until the following day). My boyfriend went to ask for them back and the manager said he had<br>lost them - but hoped they would turn up. Unfortunately, they did not and to be honest the staff did not really take the matter very seriously; they did not seem to understand why we might be offended that the manager had gone into our ‘safe’. Also, instead of replacing or refunding the cost of his UK electric shaver for example, they suggested they buy him a significantly cheaper Spanish (i.e. incompatible) version. Finally, the manager said he<br>would return the cost of the items once we could<br>'prove' how much they cost - after we had left to go home, which left me slightly nervous. This happened over a month ago, and we have just received payment for the items ‘lost’. Not entirely satisfactory to be honest. Thought it was worth sharing…]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9918</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Seville Cathedral</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9689</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[This is a storming place to see in all its glory. When the sun beats down on you it is a wonderful and cool refuge. Once inside, you will be utterly amazed at the wonders that lie in store here. <br><br>The Golden Alter at the centre of the cathedral is something that you just cannot miss even if you tried. <br><br>Must be seen to be believed.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9689</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Casas de los Mercadores</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8877</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[This hotel is a converted bogeda, with a beautifully lit courtyard/atrium. It does bed and breakfast, but has no restaurant or bar. They will do room service to the courtyard, where we supped several glasses of wine and took afternoon coffee. The breakfasts were typically continental offering a huge choice from a buffet ranging from cold meats and cheese to cereals and fruit. Also the reception desk was wonderful, helpful and friendly with good english.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8877</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Alfalfa and Alameda</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8812</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[Both Alfalfa and Alameda are the hub of Seville´s nightlife. Alfalfa is a narrow street chock-a-block with bars and cheap tapas places. It kicks off about 11 o´clock at night and is stuffed with natives and foreigners alike. Bar Robotica is worth a view if only for the comic-book wallpaper and litre-sized drinks, and Bar Berlin is guaranteed to be open until the wee hours. Look out for the old man with a multi-coloured afro and a battered pair of rollerskates.<br><br>Alameda, despite the fact it is currently being reconstructed into what can only be described as a giant sand-pit, is still fun, lively and slightly more bohemian. In particular check out Cafe Central, one of the most popular joints, with the punters spilling out on the side walk, and the odd spontaneous flamenco clapping. The majority of punters there are local Sevillianas, and are all too happy to take the hapless foreigner under their wing, and direct them to the next venue. Don't expect to be in bed before 7 o'clock the following morning though!]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8812</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Exploreseville.com</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8809</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[A great website for trip planning, restaurants and links to accommodation and it's in English!]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8809</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>El Patio</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8799</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[A great place to get a cheap bite to eat.  With a great selection of montaditos and a fair selection of cold tapas as well, it's a lively venue that always reminds me of an old municipal swimming pool.  The main seating area is a series of tiled banks beyond the bar. It's very noisy but that's half the fun.  If you're feeling greedy head down the road a few doors to the bar with the Chocolate y Churros sign hanging outside. The churros there are as good as you'll get in Seville and the background din of gossiping local senoras is the perfect accompaniment to the stodgy churros and thick, rich chocolate.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8799</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Merchant's Malt House</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8797</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[The world has been cursed with Irish pubs; miniature, unpleasant, tacky theme parks that recall an Ireland that probably never existed. If that's what you're looking for then you'll find them elsewhere in Seville, but the Merchants is nothing of the sort.  Slightly off the beaten track, though still only a two minute walk from the centre, it manages to be as much a haven for locals as it is a home for ex-pats and cheap flight weekenders. Spacious and roomy, with free wifi, good music and ridiculously generous helpings of high quality food, it's everything most Irish pubs aren't. If you want to watch the football or have somewhere you can actually sit down and drink (the Spanish are much happier standing than the British) without feeling like you're still at home then the Merchants is the place to go.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8797</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>The Alcazar</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8796</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[Yes, it's in all the guide books but the Alcazar is easily missed.  From the outside it doesn't look anything special but inside it's magical and a lot less frantic than the Alhambra. If you visit make sure you spend some time in the gardens. If you only have an afternoon in Seville and have to choose between the Cathedral and the Alcazar then give the Cathedral a miss.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8796</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Las Coloniales</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8795</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[An incredibly popular tapas bar on the edge of the Santa Cruz district, Las Coloniales is one of the best and cheapest places to eat in Seville.  When you arrive you have to write your name and the number in your party on a small blackboard and your name is called when a table is free.  It's located on the edge of the leafy (for Seville) Plaza Cristo de Burgos, which is handy as you have somewhere shady to sit whilst you wait.  The food is uniformly good and the tapas sizes are exceptional for the price.  Two people can have a decent meal with a couple of drinks for little over ten euros.  One of the best things on the menu are the quail eggs and chorizo on fried bread, which is like a sausage and egg sarnie in the sun.  You can't go wrong with the staples either.  The Solomillo al Whisky is as good as you can get in Seville.  On Sunday afternoons the plaza is full of Spanish families eating ice cream from the Heladeria across the road.  Seville is full of Heladerias and though this one is probably the most expensive it's also the best.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8795</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Madraza</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8789</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[The best tapas on offer in Sevilla - a mixture of modern and traditional dishes, great atmosphere, great wine list and above all fantastic prices. Risotto al Tartufo, Buey a la Mostaza and Pate con Membrillo are three of the best, but it never disappoints. Be prepared to wait, but that's where the diverse wine list comes into its own...]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8789</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Quitapesares (Bar Perejil)</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8788</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[For those of you travelling to the heart of Andalucia to sample something with a little more local flavour than an Irish pub, Bar Perejil is quintessentially Sevillano.  It is owned by the former flamenco singer Pepe Perejil and photographs and mementos from his illustrious career adorn the walls.  The man himself is quite a character and will often treat his customers to an impromptu burst of his still-incredible voice, particularly when accompanied by one of the many guitarists that stop by to have a casual jam Sevillanas-style.  To complete the experience, go for the vino dulce or fino on tap - they go down worryingly easily but don't worry as Pepe will keep a chalk tally on the bar of how many you've had.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8788</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Mercado de Triana</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8785</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[Mercado de Triana, over the river great little market in what was once the poor gypsy quarter of the city. You can pick up lush fruit and stop for a little pick me up at one of the small stall bars. <br><br>In Triana itself, there are plenty of good untouristy good tapas bars where you can pick gambas al pil pil etc. And you can wind your way back via a few of the little bars that line the banks of the river Guadalquivir.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8785</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Hostal Goya</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8784</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[Simple, clean and perfectly placed in the Santa Cruz district near the cathedral. More importantly, it has air con and is cheap (from €55 for a double). I've stayed here over the past 10 years, and have never felt the urge to put up anywhere fancier.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8784</guid>
            </item>
        
            <item>
                
                
                <title>Merchant's Malt House</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8780</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[Behold Merchant's pub in Sevilla.  A two-storey bar that is both relaxed, charming, and definitely the best place to while away your Sunday watching La Liga and the premiership.  There is a lively ex-pat community that frequents the bar with other regulars including locals who love to chat and sing and dance with the best of us.  There is a nurturing spirit within the walls of Merchant's, it's wooden décor and snugs make you feel all cosy and at home, and with friendly bar staff who genuinely enjoy their work, you could find yourself nipping in for a quick “pinta” and not leaving until the early hours having had a brilliant evening, having hardly dinted your Euro holdings, and having made some great friends.]]></description>
                
                <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8780</guid>
            </item>
        
    </channel> 
</rss>
