Alameda District of Seville city
Back in the 1990s, this area was notorious for its louche inhabitants (think ladies of the night), widely consumed controlled substances, and generally perilous ambience. Nowadays, it's the focus for the LGBQTi scene, and home to trendy bars, innovative restaurants, and those all-in-one bar-gallery-stores that were first hip in Soho, New York, about 40 years ago. You'll find sushi and Asian-fusion restaurants here, while yoga and pilates studios abound. It's also hugely popular with families, and the playgrounds are heaving in the afternoons and evenings, late into the night in the steaming-hot summer.
The Alameda is the area surrounding the Alameda de Hercules, a broad, tree-lined avenue flanked by trees, and built on marshland in 1574. The impressive Roman columns at the southern end hold statues of Caesar and Hercules, possibly governor and founder of Seville, respectively. The Alameda still has an edginess which draws trendy, alternative types, as well as a large gay community - Pride is held here every June. It's a popular destination for nightlife - lots of bars and cafes with outdoor terraces, dance clubs, and a lively punk and anarchist scene.
Buildings of note in this area include the Convento Santa Clara, with its magnificent cloister, used for exhibitions - don't miss the Torre de Don Fadrique; while the Convento San Clemente, is decorated with superb frescoes and 16th-century azulejos, and sells pastries made by the nuns; it also houses an arts centre, ICAS (Instituto de las Artes y Cultura de Sevilla).
