Maquiavelo
Maquiavelo is a terrace bar on the Alameda de Hercules that anchors the boulevard's alternative drinking scene. The outdoor seating faces the tree-lined avenue, and on warm Sevilla evenings (which is most of the year), the terrace fills with a creative, slightly bohemian crowd. The bar is known for its gin and tonics, which it prepares with the seriousness that Spain brings to what has become the national mixed drink. A proper gin and tonic here comes in a balloon glass with premium gin, quality tonic, and a considered garnish, running EUR 7-10. Beer is EUR 3-4, wine EUR 3-5. The atmosphere is relaxed and conversational. Nobody's in a rush, and the terrace encourages long sessions. The crowd is local, predominantly in their twenties and thirties, with a creative-professional lean: designers, musicians, journalists, and university faculty. The interior is less interesting than the terrace, functioning as a standard bar. Maquiavelo doesn't try to be a destination venue. It's a neighborhood bar that benefits enormously from its Alameda location and the quality of its regulars.
What to Expect
A terrace bar on a tree-lined boulevard. You'll sit outside with a gin and tonic, watch the Alameda's foot traffic, and talk for hours. The crowd is local and creative. The pace is slow. Nobody will rush you to order or leave.
Relaxed, slightly bohemian, and quintessentially Sevillan. A terrace for long conversations.
Background music at conversation volume. No live music.
None. Casual is the standard.
Gin and tonic enthusiasts, couples, anyone who wants to sit on a terrace and watch Sevilla go by.
Cash and cards accepted
Price Range
Gin and tonic EUR 7-10, beer EUR 3-4, wine EUR 3-5
≈ $8-11 gin and tonic, $3-4 beer, $3-5 wine
Hours
Daily 5 PM to 2 AM
Insider Tip
Order the gin and tonic; it's the house specialty. The terrace is the point; inside is just a bar. Arrive before 9 PM on weekends for a terrace table. The Alameda fills with bar-hoppers on warm evenings.
Full Review
The Alameda de Hercules is Sevilla's most interesting boulevard: wide, tree-lined, and flanked by bars and restaurants that cater to the city's creative class rather than tourists. Maquiavelo's terrace occupies a prime position along this strip, with tables facing the avenue and enough shade to make afternoon drinking possible even in Sevilla's brutal summer.
The gin and tonic is the order to place. Spain takes this drink seriously, and Maquiavelo follows suit. A balloon glass arrived with ice, premium gin, a measured pour of tonic, and a sprig of rosemary. It was cold, balanced, and properly strong. At EUR 8 it was the same price as a mediocre cocktail in the tourist center, but the quality was incomparably better.
The crowd on a Thursday evening was local and lively. Nearby tables held a group of architects reviewing plans, a couple reading from the same book, and three women debating something political in rapid-fire Andalusian Spanish. Nobody was speaking English. Nobody was taking photos of their drinks.
Maquiavelo's appeal is entirely tied to its terrace and its crowd. The indoor space is forgettable, and the drink list beyond gin and tonics is basic. But on a warm evening on the Alameda, with a good gin and tonic and the company of Sevilla's interesting people, it delivers something that no tourist-oriented bar can replicate.
The Neighborhood
Maquiavelo is on the Alameda de Hercules, the long boulevard that serves as Sevilla's alternative nightlife center. The Alameda is lined with bars and restaurants and fills with people from early evening until late. Fun Club, Bulebar Cafe, and other venues are within walking distance.
Getting There
Walk from central Sevilla; the Alameda is 15 minutes north of the Cathedral. Bus lines C3, C4, and 27 stop nearby. Taxis from the center cost EUR 5-6. The bar is on the Alameda itself.
Other Venues in Alameda de Hércules
Fun Club
Sevilla's most iconic alternative club, located in the Alameda area. Hosts live concerts, DJ nights, and themed parties in a former cinema. The programming ranges from indie rock to flamenco fusion to electronic. A Sevilla institution since the 1980s.
Casa Anselma
Legendary flamenco bar in Triana run by its namesake owner, who sings, dances, and conducts the room until the early hours. No cover charge, no set program, no guarantee of what will happen. The most authentic flamenco experience in Sevilla, if you can get through the door.
La Carbonería
Former coal yard converted into a sprawling bar complex with free nightly flamenco shows in the back room. The atmosphere is rough, the drinks are cheap, and the flamenco varies from amateur to genuinely moving. Open since the 1980s and beloved by locals and visitors alike.
Bulebar Café
Multi-level bar and event space on the Alameda that hosts art exhibitions, live music, and DJ nights. The rooftop terrace is popular in warm weather. An anchor venue for the neighborhood's creative community.