This short (one hour) walk starts
[1] Plaza del Trufino which is behind the Cathedral and between La Giralda and the Archivo de Indias, and near the entrance to the Alcazar, so it could easily be combined with a visit to one of these city landmarks. This area is like a maze, and you may find you cannot locate yourself on the map. But no need to panic: getting lost is half the fun!
From Plaza del Trufino, follow the walls of the Alcazar to
[2] Plaza de la Alianza, which in summer is resplendent with red Bouganvillea.
Turn right into
[3] Calle Vida (the Street of Life). Note the typical houses with their courtyards protected by iron gates, brilliantly decorated with colourful flowers. Don't hesitate to peer through the iron gates to the courtyards beyond as Sevillians are proud of their courtyards and (some) often leave them open to view.
Continue into
[4] Plaza Doña Elvira. Named after Doña Elvira Manuel, a Spanish noblewoman who was a chaperone (duenna) to Catherine of Aragon, Doña Elvira was a major player in a royal intrigue involving Catherine of Aragon, Mary Tudor and Ferdinand II. In the late afternoon, you may care to enjoy a quite moment on one of the tiled seats in this typical Sevillian plaza.
In the middle of the Southern boundary of the plaza is the start of Calle Susona, so named because of a
tragic incident involving the Susona family.
Follow C. Susona into Calle de la Pimmenta (spices were sold in this street) and then into
[5] Calle de Agua. This street runs through the picturesque Plaza Alfaro and alongside the wall separating the city from the Alcazar gardens.
Continue along to
[6] Plaza de Santa Cruz, presided over by the Cross of the Cerrajería (the Locksmiths). (Interestingly, San Quentin, the famous Californian lock-up, is the patron saint of locksmiths.) Unlike many plazas in Seville, you wont see any accompanying similarly named
iglesia. The church of Santa Cruz was destroyed by the French during the Napoleonic Wars in 1811 and rebuilt in Calle Mateos Gago.
Somewhere in this plaza are the remains of
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, a son of Seville who became one of the most important figures in Baroque painting in Spain. He excelled in the painting of light clouds, flowers, water, and drapery, and in the use of color.
During the Napoleonic Wars French troops occupying the square relocated Murillo’s grave marker, making it impossible to know where his remains specifically reside. The Murillo gardens are adjacent to this plaza.
Now proceed North along Calle Lope de Rueda to
[7] C. Teresa and follow the map trail via Calle Remoso through to Calle Jamerdana where you will find
[8] Hospital de los Venerables [Plaza Venerables 8]. Originally built to house poor and elderly priests, it is now a museum and a place for exhibitions. It contains frescoes painted by Valdés Leal (1622-1690) and by his son, as well as many other works. The interior courtyard contains an interesting series of concentric steps, going down to a fountain at the base. As the hospital was built on land higher than the water level, the fountain was built below ground level to better facilitate the flow of water.
Return back up Calle Jamerdana, left into via Calle de Rodrigo Caro to
[2] Plaza de la Alianza and your starting point.