Lola Gracía Burgos, Emiliano Sánchez Pinçon

Just behind Seville’s emblematic Giralda - a towering 12th century minaret topped by a Renaissance belfry - lies a bar with the self-same name, converted in 1934 from Arab baths into one of Seville’s most architecturally stunning watering-holes. Run by Francisco Sánchez González, its zelij-tiled walls, vaulted ceilings, stuccoed arches and marble-topped tables create a classic meeting-place for Sevillian society. As it is open from breakfast through to the early hours, Bar Giralda functions more like a Parisian grand café than a traditional tapas bar.