Best Things for Young Kids to Do in Seville

Seville is a lively, joyful, informal city where people have a good time — not just the tourists, but the locals, too. They gather with friends in cafes and tapas bars, where all ages mingle easily. Children are welcome at all but the more formal restaurants and playgrounds are usually easy to find in the many public gardens. Here are a few of our kids’ favorite things to do in Seville.

The maze at the Alcazar Gardens, Seville, Spain © Stillman Rogers

Get Lost in the Maze in the Alcazar Gardens

The large maze is no knee-high hedge where you can see the easiest way in and out, so it’s better for kids old enough to not panic when out of sight for a few minutes. But kids brave enough to venture by themselves will love this green puzzle where paths end abruptly or circle back on themselves. The youngest kids should be with parents here or try the smaller maze close to the palace. The rest of the gardens are great for strolling, running and dabbling in fountains. Kids also love exploring the arcaded wall, where they can look down into the gardens from on high. Under the wall, look for the water organ, which plays music by water power.

Ride a Boat Around the Plaza de España

The over-the-top plaza was built as the Spanish pavilion for the 1929 Exposiciones Universales, and Spain went all out to decorate the mammoth semi-circular building with huge panels of colored tiles representing all the regions of Spain. Beneath its neo-Moorish arcades is a wide canal where you can rent boats, popular with families on weekends. You don’t even need to know how to row a boat — clearly many others don’t either, so watching boaters go in circles as they learn is a popular spectator sport.

Plaza de Espana, Seville, Spain © Stillman Rogers

Explore Maria Luisa Park in a Pedal Car

The huge park in front of Plaza de España was also part of the exposition grounds, and today its paths, promenades, pools, fountains and formal gardens make a shady place for families to play away an afternoon. Pedal cars are big enough for the whole family, and you can stop to admire the pavilions, explore the faux grotto and climb its waterfall or picnic on the lawns.

Climbing the Grotto waterfall in Maria Luisa Park, Seville © Stillman Rogers

Climb a Tree Root

Little kids will be fascinated by the giant trees that shade the walkways and plazas of Maria Luisa Park. They will want to join local children in clamoring among the huge roots while you sit on a tiled park bench and snap pictures of them. These sprawling root systems are like natural jungle gyms.

Stand on Top of a Giant Mushroom

It’s really called the Metropol Parasol, but Sevillanos call it the mushroom for its curving shape that spreads out over Plaza Incarnacion. This huge, modern monument is built of wood, and you can ride an elevator to its upper terrace to climb the curving ramps for even higher views. Kids who’ve studied about the Romans will like the excavations hidden underneath, where they can see floors and walls of Roman buildings.

Eat Tapas

With the tremendous variety of these small plates, you’re sure to find something to please young palates. Most are not highly seasoned, and a favorite with kids are the tortillas — not the Mexican kind, but more of an omelet, often with potatoes inside. Look for tortilla de patatas. Order a selection of different tapas to share — there’s sure to be something for everyone. In good weather, choose an outdoor table and enjoy your tapas as the Spanish do — at a leisurely pace. Maybe a group of street musicians will entertain you as you eat.