La Calle Reinoso, también conocida como calle del Beso, es sin lugar a dudas una de las más estrechas de toda Sevilla. Trascurre entre la Plaza de Los Venerables y la calle Lope de Rueda, en pleno centro del Barrio de Santa Cruz. A pie de calle, la anchura alcanza un mínimo de 106 cms., a penas lo justo para que puedan pasar dos personas al mismo tiempo. Pero más llamativo es que los edificios se estrechan en la parte más alta, de forma que los balcones están prácticamente pegados. Están tan cerca que se podría saludar con un beso al vecino de enfrente, de ahí el nombre popular.
Calle Reinoso o Calle del Beso, Barrio de Santa Cruz, Sevilla
Esta es la calle a la que dan muchos de los Apartamentos Murillo y dónde se encontraba anteriormente la recepción (como se ve en la imagen), hoy en día trasladada a la calle Lope de Rueda Nº 16. Este diseño de calles estrechas y un tanto laberínticas, tan típico del Barrio de Santa Cruz, no responde tanto a la necesidad de aprovechar cada palmo de terreno, como al efecto refrescante que aporta al entorno. En días de calor, la diferencia de temperatura entre el barrio de Santa Cruz y, por ejemplo,la Avenida Menéndez Pelayo puede ser de casi 10 grados. En el verano de Sevilla, esta diferencia es muy de agradecer.
Did you know that you may be entitled to the IVA tax refund when you leave Spain? Any tourist or traveller who resides outside the European Union can claim an IVA or VAT tax refund for certain purchases made in Spain. Not a bad farewell gift, is it?
Tax Free Shopping Spain Logo
The requisites are as follows:
- Your main residence must be outside the EU, including territories such us Gibraltar, Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla, Andorra, etc. You will be requested to present your passport or residence card.
- Purchases must be accompanied by an official invoice, listing each product and the applied tax stated separately. The total amount must exceed 90.15€ (taxes included) per supplier.
- The refund applies to products destined for personal use or gifts that leave the European Union with you no more than 3 months after the date of purchase, and in quantities that cannot be used for commercial purposes.
- The refund does NOT apply to products consumed during your stay, such as food, beverages, bills from restaurants, hotels, etc.
Many retailers throughout Spain have signed up with the Tax Free Shopping Service, which is a program designed to make it easier for tourists to request a VAT refund. These shops may show their logo, but it´s a good idea to check with the staff before you make your purchase. If the retailer is a registered member, the procedure is simple:
- The supplier will give you a detailed official invoice and a cheque.
- At the airport, you must present these cheques at customs BEFORE you check your bags, since custom officials may ask to see the products before they stamp your cheques. They will also ask for your passport and boarding pass.
- Present the stamped cheques at any Bureau de Change in your chosen currency.
Another alternative is to have your purchases sent home by TAX FREE REGISTERED SHOPS. The Spanish refund system has set up a special arrangement with DHL which will do all the paperwork for you and also ensure that your goods are properly packed up and insured and sent to your home. You have to pay for the DHL delivery service, but often the refund that you obtain from the Spanish refund service will easily cover the shipment costs. There´s also the added benefit that you don’t need to collect your TAX refund cheques, because the TAX is automatically deducted from your final bill.
