Especially for Kids

The greatest thrill for kids in Seville is climbing La Giralda, the former minaret of the Great Mosque that once stood here. The view from this 20-story bell tower is certainly worth it, but most kids delight in the journey up. With some inclined ramps and some steps, the climb was originally designed to be ridden up on horseback. Little gargoyle-framed windows along the way allow you to preview the skyline of Seville.

With your family in tow, head for Plaza de España; you'll find rowboats as well as pedaloes (pedal boats) for rent. A collection of Andalusian donkey carts here adds to the fun, and there are ducks to feed on the Isla de los Patos.

The tourist office can give advice on how to rent pedaloes (canoes) for trips along the Guadalquivir River. Or you can go to the riverbanks near the Torre del Oro and rent through the Cruceros Turísticos Torre del Oro, Paseo Marqués del Contadero (tel. 95-421-13-96; www.crucerostorredeloro.com). The hourly fee is 15€ ($24) per person.

Isla Mágica, Pabellón de España, Isla de la Cartuga (tel. 90-216-17-16; www.islamagica.es), is on the island of La Cartuga, across the river from the city's historic core. It's installed on the site of the 1992 World Expo grounds. Today the site has been transformed into a Disney-esque playground. The whole park has a 16th-century motif in honor of the fact that Seville was the departure point for many of the great discoveries of that century. Like a Disney park, Isla Mágica is divided into a series of seven attractions, everything from Amazonia (an unknown forest) to the Pirates' Cove. There are also street performances, themed festivals -- including one devoted to beer -- and a film, Piratas, showing in a movie house where the seats shimmy and shake. Admission varies with the season, the day of the week, and that month's schedule of school holidays. Depending on those factors, entrance during the day (up to 4pm) costs from 24€ to 27€ ($38-$43) for adults and 17€ to 19€ ($27-$30) for children 12 and under. Evening entrance (from 4pm 'til closing) goes for 17€ to 19€ ($27-$30) for adults and 12€ to 14€ ($19-$22) for children 12 and under. Discount passes, which allow three separate entrances, cost between 89€ and 112€ ($142-$179) per adult, and between 45€ and 72€ ($72-$115) for children 12 and under. Days of admission vary with the complicated array of factors stated above, but hours are always 11am to somewhere between 7:30pm and midnight. The attraction is across a prominent bridge (Ponte de la Barqueta) from the rest of Sevilla. Take bus C2 from the center.

To cap a family trip to Seville, take one of the horse-and-buggy rides that leave from Plaza Virgen de los Reyes on Adolfo Rodríguez Jurado, or from the Parque de María Luisa at Plaza de España.