Feria de Abril, Seville April Fair

Most casetas are private, owned by families, clubs, companies and associations, and you need an invitation to go in. The public casetas, run by the city's districts and some political parties and unions, are open to anyone and serve food and drink at fair prices. A local contact with membership somewhere is the best way to see the private side.

Sevillian women wear the traje de flamenca, a fitted, ruffled dress with a shawl, a flower in the hair and earrings, and visitors are welcome to wear one too. Men usually wear a suit or jacket and tie, or the traditional short jacket and wide hat if they ride. Smart casual is fine for visitors; shorts and flip-flops will stand out.

Rebujito, a mix of manzanilla or fino sherry with lemon-lime soda, served in jugs over ice, is the fair drink. Manzanilla on its own, from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, is the other classic. Beer and soft drinks are available everywhere.

Sevillanas are danced in pairs in four sections, or coplas, each with its own steps, and each set of steps is learned in advance. Several dance schools in Seville run short classes for visitors in the weeks before the fair. If you have not learned, it is fine to watch; joining in uninvited is less welcome than enthusiasm suggests.

Yes. The Real Maestranza bullring holds its main season, the Feria Taurina, around the fair week, with corridas most afternoons. Tickets are sold through the bullring's official box office and website and the best dates sell out early.

Metro line 1 and special city bus services run extended hours during the fair, and taxis queue at ranks near the fairground. On busy nights the taxi wait can be long, and walking back over the bridges to Triana or the centre often takes 20 to 30 minutes.

The fair was proposed in 1846 by councillors José María Ybarra and Narciso Bonaplata as a three-day livestock market, and the first edition opened in April 1847 on the Prado de San Sebastián with only a handful of booths. Within a few years it had turned from trading into a social event, and in 1973 it moved to its current, much larger site in Los Remedios.

No. Walking through the gate and along the lanes is free. You pay for what you eat and drink in the public casetas, for carriage rides and for the rides at the funfair.

Expect tapas: fried fish (pescaíto), tortilla, jamón, cured cheese, prawns, and sometimes stews late at night. Dishes come on small plates for sharing. In the public casetas prices are listed and similar to an ordinary bar.

Yes. Children in flamenco dresses and riding outfits are part of the scene, and the funfair has rides for all ages. One weekday is usually the children's day, with reduced prices on many rides. Afternoon visits are calmer than the late evenings.

The lanes are covered with albero, the compacted yellow sand of Seville, which is hard work for wheels, especially after rain or watering. The pavements beside the lanes are firmer. Weekday afternoons are the least crowded time to visit.