Isla Mágica

After a few days of palaces and cathedrals, children tend to want something else, and Isla Mágica is Seville's answer. The theme park opened in the late 1990s on the island of La Cartuja, the site of the 1992 Universal Exposition, on the far side of the river from the old town, and it takes its theme from the city's golden age, when Seville was the gateway to the Americas and the treasure fleets sailed up the Guadalquivir. The park is laid out as a voyage: themed areas evoke the port of Seville in the sixteenth century, the jungles of the Amazon, the temples of Central America, pirate hideouts and a legendary fountain of youth, with ships, forts and lakes linking them. There is a solid range of rides for all ages, from gentle attractions for small children to the headline roller coasters, including the Jaguar, a suspended coaster, and the Anaconda, which swoops over a lake, plus water rides where you will get thoroughly soaked, which in a Seville summer is a feature rather than a drawback. Live shows run through the day, with pirates, stunts and musical spectacles, and in summer the adjoining Agua Mágica water park, with slides and pools, adds a second park to the visit; check whether your ticket includes it. In autumn the park transforms for its Halloween season, with haunted houses and scare zones for older children and teenagers alongside gentler experiences for little ones, and that is usually the end of the year's opening. It is not Disneyland, and seasoned theme-park fans will find it modest, but it is well run, shaded in places and great fun for a family day.

When it is open: Isla Mágica is a seasonal park. It typically opens in spring, runs daily or on most days through the summer, opens on selected days in the autumn and closes its season after the Halloween period in early November, staying closed through the winter. The calendar changes each year, so check the opening days and hours for your date before you book; the linked Tiqets page shows only dates when the park is open. The water park operates only in the summer months. On peak days, including weekends in Halloween season, tickets can sell out, and pre-booked visitors have priority.

Tips for the day: arrive at opening to ride the big attractions before the queues build, and plan the water rides for the hottest part of the afternoon. Bring sun cream, hats and a change of clothes for the children, and refill water bottles often; summer temperatures in Seville are very high, and the park's open spaces are hot. Food is available in the park, at theme-park prices. Check height restrictions in advance if you have small children, so they are not disappointed at the gate. Allow a full day; with a summer water-park visit, the day can easily run into the evening. Lockers are useful if you plan to switch between dry rides and water rides, and a shaded table is worth claiming early on busy days.

Getting there: the park is on La Cartuja, about a twenty-five minute walk from the Alameda de Hércules across the Barqueta bridge, or a short bus or taxi ride from the centre. On the same island are the Monasterio de la Cartuja, which houses the Andalusian Centre of Contemporary Art, and the Torre Sevilla, the city's only skyscraper. For a second family day, combine the Seville Aquarium with a boat on the Plaza de España canal and the playgrounds and ducks of the María Luisa park, or take a river cruise from the Torre del Oro.