The Walkable City
If you ever visit Sevilla, and you are trying to decide whether or not to splurge on that really nice pair of sandals, BUY TWO! Sevilla is like Boston—it is extremely walkable, and I’d argue it even more so. One of the main reasons for this is that there is no subway system, just the train, whose tracks are more traveled by walkers than by the train itself. There are taxis, but sometimes it is faster to walk the shortcuts through the narrow alley streets than hail a cab. To get to class, I walk about fifteen minutes, and about half of that time is spent on streets “peatonal” (pedestrian), or on streets where cars can just barely brush through.
There is a popular public bike system, through which you can take a bike from one bay to another, at a flat seasonal rate. I decided against doing the bikes because I can walk most places I need to go in under half an hour, and I will only be here for 4 weeks. Plus, for the excursions we go to for the Dialogue that are far away, we take taxis paid for by the program. However, everywhere I look there are people on the red Sevici bikes, so it must be the best choice for those who need to travel a little farther than most people would care to walk.
Our professor recommended we download the myTaxi app, somewhat of a Spanish equivalent to Uber, before we left for the trip. Although some of my friends have used it successfully, the few times I’ve tried I have not had good enough service or wifi connection to use it. Plus, I live relatively close to a plaza where a lot of taxis are stationed, so it is usually easier for me to just walk to get a taxi. However, with the myTaxi app, you can pay through your credit card, which is I think the best part of the app.
All in all, walking is definitely my preferred means of getting around the city. I don’t have to worry about where the train stops or where to return a bike, and it’s free! Plus, there’s no better way to get your bearings in a new place than to wander around on foot, and I’ve always needed a little extra time getting my bearings, anyway. There is also a freedom to it—being able to walk into a gelato shop or stop to look at that nice pair of walking sandals in the window—that puts it above all the rest.
