Storybook Seville: the lizard, the weathervane and the star
Seville is full of stories that sound like fairy tales, and this route walks through them one by one so they can be told as you go. On the north side of the Cathedral hangs a wooden lizard that a sultan gave a king centuries ago. The Giralda, watching over the city from above, has no stairs: you climb it along ramps because it was ridden on horseback. In the Patio de Banderas the tower peeks between the houses and children touch it with their fingers, and in Plaza de España a film was shot years ago in which the square became the capital of planet Naboo. It is the easiest route to tell and the one children remember most: a whole city turned into a story.
Getting there & around
Bus C1/C2 or taxi from the apartment to Avenida de la Constitución (10 min). The whole route is on foot with short stops: ideal for small children. Prams pass through the centre without any problem.
The route
Apartamento Esencia Sevilla
Starting point towards the Cathedral: bus C1/C2 or taxi (10 min). Today Seville is told as a story.
Tip: Before setting off, tell the children they are going to find a crocodile hidden in the Cathedral: the lizard hunt hooks them from the first step.
Puerta del Lagarto
On the Cathedral's north wall hangs a wooden lizard with a serpent. Legend says a sultan sent it as a gift and that, on arrival, it frightened the whole city.
History: The wooden lizard seen today, with the serpent, replaced a real crocodile sent by the Sultan of Egypt to Alfonso X in the 13th century. The same gate keeps elephant tusks that were also a gift from the sultan.
Tip: Tell it like this: the real lizard lived in the Nile and the sultan sent it to Seville as a gesture of friendship. The poor thing did not arrive alive, but its story did: that is why the gate is called the Lizard Gate.
Patio de los Naranjos
The courtyard of bitter orange trees, where the air smells of blossom in spring. Before the cathedral, this was the mosque's ablution courtyard.
Tip: Game for children: count how many oranges they see without touching any. The oranges in this courtyard are bitter and only used for marmalade and the city's scent.
La Giralda
The tower watching over Seville for eight centuries has no stairs: it has ramps, because its guardians climbed on horseback. It is crowned by a weathervane that turns with the wind, the Giraldillo.
Tip: Climbing the Giralda is a great plan with children over 6-7: 35 ramps and the best view of the city. The climb is comfortable and takes 10-15 minutes.
Patio de Banderas
The magical corner of Santa Cruz: between the houses of the courtyard, the Giralda peeks out so close it seems you can touch it with your fingers.
Tip: The trick photo: have the children stand with their backs to the tower and one hand out, the Giralda 'resting' on their finger. It works first try.
Plaza de España, el planeta Naboo
The end of the tale: one of the Star Wars films was shot here and the square became the city of Naboo. Children hunt for the details that appear in the film among the bridges and tiles.
Tip: The final game: find the bench where the actors sat and the bridge seen in the film. The prize: a boat ride on the canal.
