Exploreseville.com

Internet and Internet Cafes in Seville


Getting connected to the internet while on the road has become a necessity for many. It's an easy way to keep in touch with family through email or chat. You may also want to send home some pictures or work on a web page like this one. If you are a study abroad student chances are your program has a computer lab for you to use. You'll find more than often that the hours of use do not always match your needs. Thankfully the digital age is here and booming. Spaniards are adopting broadband over dial-up much faster than people in the U.S., thanks mostly to the availability of ADSL service. Internet cafes are also very common, although the quality of connection and equipment varies greatly. There are plenty of cyber cafes listed below and all are open as of November 2007. More are being added every week as I slowly crawl the city. Still looking for more free WiFi access points and will let you know when I find them. If you have one to suggest, please let me know the details (Name and address are the basics, any descriptions, etc. would be helpful!). If you would like information about getting connected at home check out my Living in Seville section.

Topics in this section

What to expect

lo que encuentras

Internet access may be available at some 4 and 5 star hotels as well as a few smaller ones such as Hostal Lis, although it is not very common in the budget hostels. The most common solution is the internet cafe and there are plenty of them in Seville, both in the center and in the outlying neighborhoods. Many cafes are open throughout the day and some until late at night. Expect to pay anywhere from 2-3€ per hour. A few observations about internet cafes here:

Different keyboards

Like the shift function on U.S. (English) keyboards, you'll need to master the art of Ctrl-Alt to access the third character on the key (keep this in mind when looking for the @ key). Other letters or characters are simply in different places.

An outdated OS

(Operating System) in some places. At least in some cafes you'll still find Windows 2000, and don't expect use of a Mac in most either. There are a few, and a very few, cafes which offer use of a Mac. Recently this is getting better - just in time for them to start introducing Vista to really screw things up.

Additional services

Entertainment such as Xbox or Playstation 2, online gaming, video conferencing, international fax and phone, calling cards, mobile phone sales/rentals, scanning, digital picture developing or storage, CD-burning and use of MS Office applications.

Cyber cafes in Seville

ciber cafés

Most cafes do a poor job promoting themselves online, and many online lists of cyber cafes do a worse job of keeping up to date on closings (and openings) of internet cafes in Seville. Many do seek out tourists although it is surprisingly hard to find web sites for individual cafes. Here is a list of internet cafes up and running around November 2004. (This list has since been updated in May 2008). So you understand how I am listing these they are by location (i.e. - Centro, Triana, Alameda) and then more specific to neighborhoods when appropriate (i.e. - Santa Catalina, Arenal, Alfalfa). Then of course I've listed the street below each locale. More reviews are coming soon:

Centro

(CLOSED)
Cyber Tourist Office
Address: Plaza San Francisco
Nothing beats a free cyber cafe, and that's kind of what the new tourist office has put together for you in Plaza San Francisco. On the ground floor on the Calle Granada side you will find a number of computers (10 total) free to use. If you don't mind the limited hours (10am-2pm; 5-8pm), and the limited usage (30 minute limit, some are now reporting 10 minutes) then the new "cyber" tourist office offers a great service at a great price: free. To use the internet you need to give your last name at the desk in the back of the lobby and then you can surf away at no cost. Especially nice if you just have to check your email.

Correos!
Address: Avda Constitución
It's hard to imagine that the Spanish Post Office has moved into the 20th century, or should I say the 21st. But things are improving since the time I sent three boxes home only to get one of the three some two months later. That said, Correos has now opened a kind of locutorio with internet access. A few modern computers, flat screens and reasonable rates are what you can expect. They are open from 10 or 11am until 11 or 12 midnight depending on the day. You can also call home (the U.S.) for something like 6 cents per minute. Add this to the fact that it is a convenient location in the center and you have to start liking what Correos has done.

Vodafone
Address: c/ Imagen
The Vodafone store on the corner near Calle Cuna now has several new computers. Maybe not the most private place to surf the web, as other cell phone shoppers walk by. Still, you get 30 minutes free access for every 20 euros that you recharge in the store. Not much, but it's free if you already plan to recharge that móvil. A note: this store is just awful if you are in a hurry to recharge your phone. There are always lines and so few people to attend to you that it's enough to avoid buying your phone at this location for fear of having to return with some kind of problem.

Sevilla Internet Center
Address: c/ Almirantazgo
Just across from the Cathedral off of Avda. Constitución offering internet access, fax and calling cards. The only trick is the location on the first floor, but you will likely see the signs from the street. Run by a fellow named Gary who is American and has been in Sevilla a while. I've never met Gary but know people who have and say he is very helpful, and of course he speaks English. Ok, so I have met Gary once, a while ago and can attest that he is a very nice fellow. And he does speak English!

Distelco
Address: c/ Pérez Galdós
A locutorio with internet access as well, and often with classical music playing in the background. They have good rates, it's generally quiet and always clean. This place has manged to stay open while many others have gone under so they have to be doing something right.


Close to the University of Sevilla

WorkCenter
Address: c/ San Fernando,1 (Puerta Jerez)
Open 24 hours. It's located on a corner near the Universidad de Sevilla in Puerta Jerez, not far from the Cathedral. Newer machines with flat screen monitors. There is a Kinkos feel to it, with all sorts of copying and printing services included as well. This place shrunk a little to make way for a Starbucks on the corner.

Starbucks
Address: c/ San Fernando, 1 (Puerta Jerez)
Taking over much of the Workcenter space, Starbucks offers Wifi as well as their famous 50 item coffee menu. While I find it strange to have so many choices for just coffee, I'm sure it will comfort many Americans...as well as anger many Americans escaping the "coffee culture". I guess you either love or hate Starbucks. There are now many locations: three along Avda Constitucion and one in La Campana.

Cyber Alcazar
Address : c/ San Fernando, 23 - 2ºA
Just across the street from the University of Seville. They do everything, including sell mobile phones and calling cards. They cater to students and have agreements with several study abroad programs to offer discounts to their students. Being close to the University it is also heavily traveled with Spanish students.

Internetia
Address: Avda. Melendez-Pelayo (between Puerta Carmona and Puerta de la Carne)
Another place which offers Mac use, plug-in access for your laptops and a nice bunch of computers. It's now closer to the Puerta Carmona with a new location, just a few blocks from the Barclay's bank. Offers perhaps the most computers of any internet cafe in Sevilla. No longer neighbors with the strip club across the street, this is likely a good thing. It's about the best connection speed and most modern of the bunch.


Plaza de Armas

Cafe Bar Marigalante
Address: c/Baños, 60
Internet access...


Santa Catalina

Locutorio
Address: c/Jose Carrión Mejias
Less than a block from the Santa Catalina church, recent renovations have it looking pretty good. Still smaller than I would like, but a good alternative.


Triana and Los Remedios

Ciber Triana
Address: c/Pages del Corro 132B
Internet access and more.

CentroMatica
Address: Corona Center
Internet courses as well as internet access. “Internet para todos” is their slogan, and when I passed by there was a 70 year old fellow learning how to surf the net! Once finished you can see a V.O movie in Cine Corona Center.

Cafe de la Prensa
Address: c/Betis
A bar de copas, a place to get a coffee and a few coin-op machines towards the back. Nice view of the river, but not from where you'll be using the computers. A laid back place during the day with an entrance on calle Pureza as well.

Tequila Connection
Address: c/ Betis
Bagels, "good music" and internet access. Think they may be after an American crowd? Are the bagels any good? I'm from the south so I've never much cared for them Yankee biscuits, so you may have to try them for yourself.

Cyber...(don't have name yet)
Address: c/ Pureza
A small joint on the first block of calle Pureza, which runs parallel to calle Betis. Folks are friendly although the hours could be better.

Ciber Thanalot
Address: Virgen de Fatima, 9
Internet access, scanning, CD burning, chat and webcam. You can also buy calling cards.

Locutorio
Address: c/Trabajo
Internet access in a locutorio, of course with calling cards and phones.

Net Gaming
Address: c/Virgen de Loreto, 33
Online gaming, internet access, video conferencing and chat, scanning, printing, CD-burning, mobile phones and consumables such as CD-Rs and other accessories.


Alameda

Cyber Alameda
Address: c/Doctor Letamendi
Internet access plus they sell computers, accessories and do repairs. Get a little bit of everything.

Ciber Thanalot
Address: c/ Calatrava 2
Internet access, scanning, CD burning, chat and webcam. You can also buy calling cards.

Ciber DucKe
Address: c/Trajano, 10
Internet access, scanning, CD burning. Just a block or two from Plaza del Duque. You can also buy calling cards. Rates are very reasonable.


Macarena

Cyberama
Address: c/ San Luis
Small outfit with internet access close to the Macarena church. Flat screen monitors and some younger kids hanging around.

The Planet Internet
Address: c/San Hermenegildo
Internet access on a dozen or so computers, hook-up for laptops, a bar with what I am told is some of "Seville's best coffee". Run by an American and a Spaniard for over 5 years! Rates are also very reasonable and an eye for customer service (ie: treating customers as customers should be treated!)

Ciber Bécquer
Address: c/ Bécquer
Internet access and more.


Torneo

Cyber Café Tornet
Address: c/ Torneo, 35
Food, drink plus internet access, printing, scanning and phones for calling home. They also help with computer problems. Close to the river.

Nervión

Máskcafe
Address: Nervión - Avda. Ciudad Jardin, 8
Internet, online gaming, video-conferencing and more.

FEATURES

I am slowly putting the finishing touches on my menu reader, one which is more specific to Seville, but will also help you when dining out in many parts of Spain. Once finished, I will place a link in this section. For now you can refer to the food dictionary in either.

FEATURES

I am slowly putting the finishing touches on my menu reader, one which is more specific to Seville, but will also help you when dining out in many parts of Spain. Once finished, I will place a link in this section. For now you can refer to the food dictionary in either.

WiFi in Seville

WiFi has arrived in Spain like in the U.S. and for a while it was a little behind in development and offerings. Home systems have taken a steep drop in prices over the last years and it's getting much more affordable to set it up at home. Telefonica offerred a wireless modem/router (a wireless card comes with the kit which you insert in the modem/router to convert it to wireless) and USB adapter for your desktop computer for around 180€. It was expensive, and pretty bad hardware. This was the service I ordered 4 times and waited over 45 days for them to deliver it correctly to my house. These days it is getting better.

As for WiFi in cyber cafes, bars or coffee houses you'll have to look for a long time...and then come back to this site and email me once you find a place! There were a few short lived weeks in the new Starbucks but the connection was dropped after problems. I now hear it is back up and running. And now some time later after first writing this I think Wifi is starting to catch on. I think it is only a matter of time before you can find it in more locations. Everyone who owns a cafe except for a few have told me they are thinking about putting it in. For now, the following places are your best bets:

Starbucks

Address: Avda Constitución (Centro)
Address: Puerta Jerez (Centro)
Address: Nervión Plaza (Nervión) no WiFi

The first Seville location on Avda Constitución near the Cathedral. For those seeking a smoke-free place to enjoy coffee they also have a non-smoking section. This location Cathedral offers wireless internet access (WiFi) but at a price. The new location in Puerta Jerez also offers WiFi, as the droves of American study abroad students with laptops will indicate. The location in Nervión does not offer WiFi at this time.

Texas Lone Star Saloon (Tex Mex Bar)
Address: c/ Placentines (next to the Cathedral)
A favorite spot for American's aborad now offers WiFi.

Maya Soul
Address: c/ Betis, 41 (Triana)
A place in Triana catering to students with live sports on a big screen TV. They also have wireless internet access at a price, or you can hit their happy hour of 16:00 - 21:00 when they let you connect for free.

Merchant's Malt House
Address: c/ Canalejas, 12 (Arenal / Plaza de Armas)
A pub which caters to expats, whether it's a sporting event, trivia contest, Halloween party or the ever requested WiFi connection.

WiFi Hot Spots in Seville

If you find one, please report it to me. Below are places you can connect to open connections most of the time. I am not responsible nor in any way recommending you connect to someone else's network, but...

Plaza Cristo de Burgos

In some parts of the the plaza you will have luck connecting to someone's network. Again, no password or encryption.

Finally, don't forget that many places offer connections for laptops. I think many people forget about this in their crazed search for wireless access. In the end you probably: 1) have to plug in your laptop unless you have an extra battery and 2) need someplace like a desk to surf and write comfortably. In the end is it that different to just plug a network cable into your computer at a workstation somewhere??

Some links to help you locate WiFi hotspots, although they don't have much on Sevilla yet:

Wi-Fifreespot.com (Europe)
Wi-Finder.com
Tempest Telecom (offers the largest WiFi network in the world with 24 hour block rates)

Free Dial-up in Spain

So what to do if you want to provide dial-up service as a company and know your customers get charged for a local call? You offer the service for free! Then "buy" or rent the phone number from Telefonica so you can get a percentage of every phone call your customers make when they connect. This is a decent option if you are traveling and I've heard from a few people who have successfully signed up and taken advantage of this while on the road. A few things to look at when considering this option:

  • Equipment: You can use the same equipment from the states so the modem you have in your laptop or desktop and the phone cord will work with the phone system in Spain.
  • Cost of call: Depending on the telephone number offered the cost of the call can be relatively cheap or more expensive. Some of the major providers through Wanadoo, Terra, etc. have very good rates for dialing their local number. If you are staying in a hostal or apartment make sure you have a phone line and verify the cost of a local call. Some hotels may charge you between 0,75€ - 1,50€ per local call, making this a poor choice for internet access when traveling.
  • National number: Check to see if they offer one national number or one telephone number which works in all of Spain for dial up access which is charged at a local rate. This can be helpful rather than hunting down the local number for your area every time you are on the road.
  • Customer service: Be prepared for minimal customer service - some have even discontinued their telephone customer service, making it difficult to fix the problem if you don't have a connection.
  • Email: Check to see if they offer a POP email account or only web based if you want to be able to check your email using Outlook Express or another client.
  • Web space: If you want web space consider the space - some offer up to 50MB, while I've found that 10MB is more standard.

Below are some providers for free dial-up (except what you pay Telefonica) and some of what they offer. In most cases I've pointed you to the section with information on the service. Always read the fine print!

Gonuts4free.com - national, free dial up with one national phone number for Spain that is the equivalent of a local call. An hour costs around 1,44€, which you pay to Telefonica on your phone bill. Also offer free service in the UK, plus paid options for higher speed connections
Zork.com - national, uses an ad supported model (ads appear in your browser, email, etc - much like Netzero did). One dial-up number for Spain like Gonuts4free, plus email and web space.
Tiscali.es - national, 4 email accounts, 10MB web space, get your email by phone, receive faxes on your PC, and some multimedia applications.
Terra.es - national, 1 email account, 5MB "briefcase", 5MB photo storage and Terra Messenger.
Oriolnet.com - national, 1 email account, one dial-up number for all of Spain (with local call rate) and one annoying flash intro when you go to their home page.
Offcampus.net - email account, and hidden free access, as in I can't find the free service listed anywhere. They do have an announcement that they no longer offer phone support for free customers (ie: "go away freeloaders!")
Ya.com Jazzfree - national, 1 email account, 30MB web space, very cheap local call rates and 24 hour technical support!
Iredi.com - very easy set-up, one national number (with local call rate), multiple email accounts, 10MB web space plus a free domain name (all are using a www.yourdomain.es.org standard)
Wanadoo's Eresmas.com - national, cheap local dial up rates, pop-up blocker, an Accelerator app for faster connection but increases your dial up costs just a hair (um, ok), 1 email account, 50MB web space and tech support.
Atodevela.com - Asturias only, with 2 email accounts, 10MB web space and some other utilities such as anti virus, ftp, irc and more.

Internet Tools and Resources for the Traveler

Herramientas y recursos de internet para el viajero

Whether you're here for a short time or an extended stay knowing the tools you can use online to manage your life makes things a lot easier. Below are some recommended links with a few descriptions.

Using your ISP abroad or securing one before traveling

This is an option which may work for some, although I would recommend using a cyber cafe over trying to connect through your existing ISP. Working out the logistics, signing up to be eligible to use your ISP's plan and a whole host of other issues make this a less than preferred method in my book. If you have AOL check out their international access plan for more information. Earthlink offers a WiFi plan through Boingo which may get you connected in some places, but not anywhere in Spain. Roam International may be an option in that they offer local dial-up numbers around the world, but I didn't want to take the time to download their software to view the access points. They also appear to offer broadband as well. Otherwise consider one of the free dial up providers above, but if you're staying in a hotel be absolutely sure to check on the cost of a local call. Some charge up to 1,50€ per call, then add a per minute fee!

Email

Most will sign up or use an existing webmail service such as Hotmail or Yahoo!. I prefer Yahoo only because they give you 1Gig of space. But more space is great in case you cannot check your mail for a while. Yahoo also includes a briefcase that allows you to store files which you can retrieve from anywhere. Uploads are limited to 5MB per file. If you keep a calendar and task list in Outlook you can also synchronize it with your Yahoo Calendar using Intellisynch software. I don't mention Google's popular G-mail only because they don't offer it to everyone yet. But if you are lucky enough to get an account the large mailbox space is hard to beat. Free and easy solutions to check your pop email can be found on sites like Mail2web. These allow you to put in just about any email address and password and check your email from anywhere in the world. You don't need to know any of the server information in most cases. Also check with your ISP - Roadrunner, Earthlink and AOL all offer web based access to your pop-email accounts.

Skype and other VoIP services.

As a regular user of Skype with a good USB headset, I can vouch for the service. I have been very pleased with the quality of computer to computer calls, as well as the SkypeOut service, which allows you to call telephone numbers for just a few cents a minute. This has cut our phone bill by about 20 Euros a month! There are some practical considerations for using Skype and SkypeOut, like if you connect in a cyber cafe your conversations may not be that private. But using this with a home internet connection or outdoors while connected to an open/free wireless connection is better. Of course MSN and Google Talk are now in the game, and soon the other major players such as AOL, etc. will join. But I have had good experiences with Skype, and like giving my business to the first one who brought quality service to the masses.

Chat, Conferencing and Remote Access

Most everyone is familiar with instant messaging, so I won't go into this too much. It's worth mentioning two things: 1) AOL offers a web based version of it's instant messenger so you won't need to download the program; 2) Check out Trillian if you use multiple services. Trillian allows you use their chat client and get online simultaneously with all other instant messaging services, including ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, IRC and AOL. That way any of your friends can contact you regardless of what service they use. Video conferencing is never as easy as it seems. You can use a webcam on Yahoo and Windows Messenger, although the windows application is often picky about what type of camera you are using. Netmeeting is an alternative in Windows although it is hidden in XP (to start it in XP select Start > Run > and then type in "conf" and hit enter). Both Netmeeting and Windows Messenger allow you to share applications and a whiteboard, but it requires some tweaking on both side to get the application sharing working correctly. Remote access to your home or work computer is simple if you're bringing a laptop or have access to a computer where you can install a program. PCanywhere is simple although you may need to do some firewall tweaking. For many work connections this may include installing a VPN client, (Virtual Private Network) to allow you to securely and safely access your work computer using this program. You can transfer files as well as do anything on your computer as if you were there. GoToMyPC is another software/service like PCanywhere but they charge a monthly fee. You've likely seen their banner ads which are on almost any page on the internet. If you have XP professional installed on your work or home computer you can also enable Remote Desktop and connect from anywhere. Again, some firewall tweaking or talking with your network administrator may be necessary.

Web Pages

I use my page not only to tell people about Sevilla but also keep in touch with family. Reading my semi-daily entries keeps me from writing a lot of emails or sending pictures. There are a ton of free hosting alternatives out there, including Yahoo (through Geocities), Tripod and a list of others. I'll soon add some pages where you can compare the free hosting options. And you don't need to know html to make a page - many come with some basic templates to upload photos or write messages. You can also be hip and start a blog, like everyone is doing now.

Online Banking

Most banks now offer online banking, many for free. For a short trip it may be enough to look at your balances and transfer from one account to another while you travel. If it's a longer stay and you need to pay bills make sure your bank offers a bill pay system so you can take care of it online. Most larger banks, such as Bank of America, offer bill pay. One thing to beware of when entering your information in a cyber cafe are programs which track keystrokes. Not a big threat, but a few employees of cyber cafes in Europe have been arrested for installing these key trackers. They got banking information and either managed to withdraw or transfer funds around, causing a problem for people on the road. Aside from your bank most credit cards offer online access where you can pay your bill or view transactions. If you plan to stay more than a month it can be helpful to keep your payments up to date. You can also send emails to customer service if you have questions or report lost/stolen cards, although it is best to do the latter by telephone.

Links

Here are some links to sites which may be helpful during your stay in Seville or anywhere else. You can see more links on my Links page.
Currency Converter - convert any currency into another, even the now defunct peseta.
Time Zone Converter - find out what time it is now anywhere in the world.
Online Conversion - convert any measurement to another. The largest list online.
Locate an ATM - find any Visa/Plus ATM throughout the world.

 

Safety tips when using a public computer

Seguridad con ordenadores públicos

Pay attention

The rest of the items below mostly have to do with the computer use. However, it is easy to become so involved with what's on the screen that you don't pay attention to your bag or other belongings which you have set down next to you. Always try to guard your belongings and keep them in a place where they are difficult for others to reach while you are using your computer.

Login information

Be sure to always log out of any web page by using a log out feature rather than simply closing the browser. Closing the window while leaving other windows open may allow someone to log back into your account because your session has not expired. Always uncheck any boxes which offer to remember your log-in and/or password.

Don't leave your computer unattended

If you have to leave your seat but are not ending your time on a public computer you should log out of any web pages and close all programs.

Who is watching you

Some internet cafes offer more private, cubicle style desks for surfing. Others are more open for anyone to view. In either case it's still possible someone can see your screen and/or keyboard to obtain personal information such as log-ins and passwords, even a credit card number.

Delete your history, cache and cookies

Many internet cafes automatically delete your history and cache when you end your turn. However, just as many don't. To delete these files in Internet Explorer
    1. Select Tools and then click Internet Options.
    2. On the General tab (the default), look under the header Temporary Internet files and click Delete Cookies.
    3. Under the same Temporary Internet files header click on Delete Files.
    3. Under History, click Clear History.

Avoid entering important or sensitive information

Sometimes you have to check your bank balance or make other important transactions online on a public computer. Still, if you are able to avoid online banking and or credit card transactions on a public computer you will protect yourself even more. While clearing your history, logging out and some of the other steps above will help protect you, there have been some (rare) cases of software such as keystroke capturing programs being installed in internet cafes. These essentially record every keystroke you make and save them to a file. The installer can then retrace any of your steps and obtain your credit card number, log-in information, etc.

 


 

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Editor: Jeff Spielvogel
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