You can level your characters using the same tactic used for leveling up your Materia with AP. Check out the Materia Leveling page in the Tips and Tricks section for more information, and head to the Northern Cave to level both at the same time.

An alternative strategy is to fight monsters and enemies in the Sunken Gelnika. Check out the Sunken Gelnika section for more information about where to find it.

You can also find a small area just south of Cosmo Canyon called “Cactus Island,” which you can use to level earlier on in the game.