|
By Fiona Flores Watson
 |
Enrique Sanchis, watchmaker, Sierpes street |
It's an art form in Seville, a serious business.
Strolling down Calle Sierpes on a Saturday evening with your family
or friends, discussing the merits of the various wares in the window
displays, from fans to hotpants - it's an unmissable part of a Sevillano's
weekend.
The main shopping area is the square between Plazas
Nueva, Magdalena, Encarnacion and San Francisco, with Calle Sierpes
at its heart. For more touristy gear (flamenco aprons, T-shirts,
bullfighting souvenirs) Barrio Santa Cruz has a wealth of places;
for more individual shops, Barrio San Vincente and the Alameda;
while for ceramics, Triana is where the beautiful azulejos (ceramic
tiles) which adorn many Sevillano bars, hotels, churches and private
houses are made.
Most shops are open from 10.00-14.00 and 17.00 to
20.00 Monday to Friday, and 10.00-14.00 only on Saturday, although
some larger ones in the centre stay open all day and on Saturday
afternoon. Nearly all accept major credit cards.
HANDICRAFTS (artesanía)
Your visit to Seville isn't complete without a walk
over to the old gypsy quarter of Triana, the centre of tile-making.
You can watch the craftsmen at work in their studios in C/Alfareros
(20 and 22). Don't miss Ceramica Santa Ana (San Jorge 31) with its
beautiful tiled façade, a testament to local workmanship.
Inside is a treasure trove of every imaginable item of ceramic and
pottery, from tiny bowls and jugs to statues and huge pots. The
sizeable array of pieces can be overwhelming, so take your time
to wander round and absorb it all.
Tiny cobbled c/Antillano Campos has several shops
worth a look, including Ceramica Rocio Triana, which has ceramics
with pretty yellow and blue designs and large beer mugs, which make
great presents. Also on this street is Ceramica Santa Isabel, an
outlet for its factory, which has everything from plant pots to
earthenware jars. The prices in all these shops are reasonable -
around 20 to 25 euros for a large plate or bowl, down to 2 or 3
euros for the smallest bowls.
If you don't have time to go to Triana, there are
plenty of ceramics shops elsewhere. Martian and Sevillarte on Sierpes
(74 and 66) both have good selections, Sevillarte offering more
contemporary Matisse-type designs, while El Postigo (Arfe, near
the Cathedral) is an indoor craft market with stalls selling ceramics
as well as silver, glass and metal wares. Look out for the mosaic
tiled mugs, dishes and mirrors. Coco Seville (Ximenez Encisco 2)
in Santa Cruz has tiles, fans and ceramics with modern designs by
local artists, as well as hand-painted silk scarves with bold geometric
and flower designs. Plates with 18th-century style patterns cost
25 euros. There are some unusual handbags made of small wooden tiles
with Chinese-style flower designs, from 35 euros. Plaza Dona Elvira
has some small shops selling beautiful Moroccan pottery and ironwork,
such as lamps for 15 euros.
DEPARTMENT STORES
El Corte Ingles
Plaza de la Magdalena 1 (clothes, accessories, toiletries, food)
Plaza del Duque 7 and 13 (kitchenware, electrical goods, linen)
It's no exaggeration to say you can buy almost anything here; they
claim to offer 500,000 items in their 200 departments. The main
store at the top of Sierpes has fashion departments for men, women
and children, a great toiletries hall and an excellent supermarket
with a wide selection of olive oils and wine. You can also buy English
newspapers and magazines. Beware though, prices are steep.
Flamenco Fashion
C/Francos has a good selection of shops selling
Flamenco dresses. Expect to pay at least 200 euros for a quality
one; remember you also need flower, combs, jewellery, shawl, bag,
fan and shoes.
Fans cost from 5 euros for the smallest, simplest
one upwards. You can get one with pretty carving for 25 euros in
Dizal (Sierpes 48), while many shops stock collectors' items made
of materials such as ebony and mother of pearl. Abananicos de Seville
(Plaza San Francisco 7) has a wide range, including handpainted
ones from 15 euros and trademark bold designs and bright colours
of ubiquitous Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.
ACCESSORIES
Buying bags, jewellery and sholes (shawls) is a
serious hobby for Sevillano women, whether it's for every day, Feria
or a wedding. That's why you'll see such a profusion of shops packed
with bags of every shape, size and colour, along with mantones (triangular
fringed shawls, often embroidered), an essential element of your
flamenco outfit (see above). For shawls, you can pay anything upwards
of 20 euros for a small, plain one, to 150 euros for a large silk
one with hand embroidery. The price depends on the size, fabric
and quality of the embroidery.
San Eloy and Alcaicería de Laloza
Near Alfalfa, both are good hunting grounds for complementos (accessories);
Aldebaran in San Eloy has an impressive range of bags.
Elena Bernal
Sierpes 50 and branches
Several shops, including one dedicated to flamenco accessories,
ie shawls and flowers, in an extraordinary range of colours. The
shop opposite has an equally impressive array of bags and jewellery.
Elena Berenal is a Sevillano institution.
Prestigio
General Polavieja 3 (off Cuna)
Headpieces made of wisps of chiffon and flowers make an original
finishing touch to a wedding outfit. This more upmarket shop also
sells dainty shoes and bags.
Casal
Sierpes 73 and branches
This bag shop has a huge range, from workaday beige leather shoulder
bags to sparkly purses and vintage-style moulded plastic evening
bags.
SHOES
Seville is heaven for shoe lovers. While the many
different stores offer a variety of styles and prices, overall the
selection is impressive, the quality good and the prices extremely
reasonable. C/Sierpes, Tetuán and Huelva are all packed with
shoe shops. Nicolas (Sierpes 49 and branches) is slightly more expensive
and conservative, Ziro's (Tetuán 11) also pricier and more
designer-led - look out for abstract designs from Barcelonan brand
Muxart - while Pilar Burgos (La Campana 3) is known for its amazing
range of colours. Paco Rodriguez (Sierpes 37) has a good selection
of elegant evening shoes with intricate designs, such as Lodi, from
Alicante - as well as top-quality sports shoes from Italian company
Geox. Many of these shops also sell bags to match your shoes, as
the Spanish love their juegos (matching sets).
Camper
Tetuán 24
Already hugely popular outside Spain with shops now as far afield
as Japan and Australia, this highly individual Mallorcan family
footwear company counts Woody Allen and Uma Thurman among its fans.
Its sturdy, practical unisex shoes and boots feature quirky design
touches, such as footprints, or photographs of flowers or animals.
The prices reflect the excellent quality; these shoes are built
to last but they aren't cheap. Look out for their free bi-lingual
magazine, The Walking Society.
CLOTHES
Women'secret
O'Donnell 10 and branches
Beautiful prints, good quality cotton and great lounging clothes
make this underwear heaven. Highly recommended.
www.womensecret.com
Victorio and Lucchino
Plaza Nueva
The bold colour palette and flouncy styles of this Andalucian design
team may not be to more sober northern European tastes, but they're
huge catwalk stars here in Spain. Clothes are stored in cupboards
with sliding doors, an unusual touch.
Purificacion Garcia
Rioja 13
Minimalist, clean lines typify this avant-garde Spanish designer.
Some seriously sharp suits for men and women, and the prices aren't
bad.
Adolfo Dominguez
Sierpes 2 and branches
Probably the most famous Spanish designer outside his own country,
this Galician offers contemporary looks with quirky touches. His
men's and women's collections are very wearable and aren't limited
to one season.
Zara
Plaza del Duque and branches
Catch the latest women's trends at high street prices, with a wider
selection and lower prices than stores outside Spain. Also men's
and kids' clothes in the Plaza Nervion branch. The interiors collection,
Zara Home, features gorgeous cushions, glasses and bedspreads. Between
them, Zara and Mango (below) outfit most of Spain's 18-35 women.
Mango
Velazquez 9 and branches
Leather goods are especially good value from this Barcelona-based
women's fashion haven, but funky tops for going out are just as
desirable. This brand new store has a large main area with a glass
ceiling making it beautifully light, as well as offering lots of
seats for tired shopping companions to wait in comfort.
Homeless
O'Donnell 16
Cool, sophisticated women's clothes, with the added bonus that all
the profits from its SOS line to homeless charities. Look out for
the Prada-style prints and gorgeous eveningwear.
Blanco
Sierpes 12
Three floors of funky streetwear for fashion-conscious chicas, with
loads of fun prints and sexy tops. A great range of styles means
you're bound to find something to your taste.
Springfield
Plaza del Duque 2
Men will love this store with its great range of good quality smart
casual shirts, trousers and jackets, plus a good selection of quirky
shoes.
FOOD
Food is life here, a Sevillano can argue for hours
about whether the best jamon serrano (cured ham) comes from Huelva
or Aracena. Recommended buys are local produce: sherry, olive oil,
marmalade and, of course, ham.
El Cortes Ingles
Plaza de Duque
As mentioned above, this department store has an excellent food
hall with a wide selection of olive oils from Andalucia plus a good
delicatessen. Expensive but useful if you don't have time to shop
around, and the quality's always top-notch.
Horno de San Buenaventura
Avenida de la Constitución and branches
The oldest horno (bakery) in Seville, this is also a popular café
and delicatessen. It's open every day till 11pm, very unusual in
Seville, and has a good range of meats and cheeses, which they will
vacuum pack for you to take home. Also good for picnic food, with
a variety of breads, chorizo and excellent salads such as salpicon
de mariscos (seafood salad).
Meson Cinco Jotas
Castelar 1
Jamon serrano is measured in Js, so five Js has got to be top quality
stuff. The prices are steeper than elsewhere, but at least you know
you're getting the best.
Supermercado Baco
Plaza Ponce de León 15
Specialises in bacalao (cod) but also has a good selection of cheeses
and Spanish wines.
MARKETS
There are flea markets on Sundays on the Alameda
and every Thursday on Feria.
BOOKS
La Casa del Libro (Velasquez 8 and branches) and
Libreria Beta (Sagasta and branches) have fiction and travel books
in English.
NEWSPAPERS
There are shops selling a good range of foreign
newspapers on Alemanes and Mateas Gago, plus at various newsstands
around the centre.
Back to top
|
