All you need to know about studying in Seville

Seville has Moorish and Christian architecture, medieval alleyways and tiled courtyards. In plazas a couple of thousand years old, you’ll find Flamenco dancers, street performers and orange trees. If you’re studying Spanish in Seville, you’ll learn more than just the language – you’ll learn the Spanish way of life.

Location

Seville is the capital of Andalucía, located in the south of Spain and about an hour from the sea. From Seville, you can do day trips to places like Ronda (which has Spain’s oldest Bullfighting ring) Granada (bordered by the Sierra Nevada mountains) and Cádiz, which has beaches and one of the most celebrated Carnivals.

Image source

Attractions

The city is full of old buildings like the Alcazar palace with its walled gardens, the gothic Cathedral where Christopher Columbus is rumoured to be buried, the Casa de Pilatos with domed ceilings, tiled walls and wild gardens. It also has more modern constructions like Santiago Calatrava’s bridge and the honeycomb Metropol Parasol. When you’re tired of wandering, take a soak at the Baños Árabes (Arab Baths). This Moroccan style bathhouse also serves mint tea.

Transport links

Metro: The metro is fast and there’s only one line so it’s hard to get lost. It’s open until 2am on Friday and Saturday night.

Bus: The bus is cheaper than the metro and might work better for short trips. The buses run until midnight (also at the weekend). There are also two stations where you can take buses to the rest of the region.
Taxi: Easy to find (even at late/early hours) but a little pricey, a 15-20 min drive will cost around €20. You will probably need Spanish to give the driver directions.

Train: for travelling out of Seville, the train is faster but more expensive than the bus.

Student communities

The school organises cultural and social events for both the foreign students as well as the local Spanish students studying other foreign languages. Seville itself has over 10,000 students each year who come for study abroad programmes. You can meet them in bars like Bodega Santa Cruz. If you want to live with other students you can opt for the halls of residence. As for young bohemian neighbourhoods, Alameda de Hércules is the place.

Image source

Way of life

It’s said that for people who live in Seville, their living room is the street. This might be partly because of its good weather. Though it has a population of around 700,000, the compact neighbourhoods help it keep a small-town feel. It also has a strong sense of tradition with flamenco and bullfighting.

Culture and shopping

Seville has big celebrations for Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter) and La Feria de Abril (two weeks later). In Semana Santa there are parades and costumes, while La Feria de Abril opens with fairgrounds and carriages, and continues with in casetas like Er 77, where you can drink the famous “Rebujito” ( a mixture between withe wine and Sprite)

Image source

The main streets for shopping are Sierpes and Tetuan. For ceramics, the  area of Triana is full of shops with adventurous displays.