Europa-Park: More Than Just A Theme Park
April 12, 2018
Fans of speed, g-force, and generally spending a lot of time in an inverted position love to spend their time at theme parks, including whilst they are on holiday. Britain has its fair share of thrilling destinations, including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures, but what of the rest of Europe?
Here are some exciting amusement parks that you can enjoy as part of our European city breaks-
Let's get the obvious one out of the way first, shall we? Any park bearing the Disney name is sure to be full of family fun and provide action-packed adventure in abundance, and this iconic attraction doesn't disappoint. Situated 27 miles to the east of Paris itself, the theme park can easily be incorporated into a stay within the city limits. However, Eurostar now offers a limited number of direct trips that will take you straight to Marne-la-Vallée station, dropping you off right outside the park gates.
Firm favourites such as 'Thunder Mountain', 'It's a Small World' and 'Buzz Lightyear Lazar Blast' are joined by the recently updated 'Space Mountain: Mission 2' to offer a wide range of attractions for all ages. Obviously, there is also the chance to meet all of your favourite Disney characters and, when the day is over, there's a whole second park to explore tomorrow.
Phantasialand, one of Germany's two most popular theme parks, is situated between Cologne and Bonn in the town of Bruhl. The excellent metro system makes it easy to reach during your Cologne city break and there is a shuttle bus that can take you from the Bruhl Mitte metro station to the gates of Phantasialand.
The park consists of six different areas, with a large section dedicated to rides for younger adventurers. Looping thrills are courtesy of 'Black Mamba', whilst family fun can be had in the 3-D world of 'Maus au Chocolat'. The newest ride at the time of writing is 'Chaipas', a log flume which includes a section of the track which you ride backwards.
PortAventura is situated on the Northeast coast of Spain and can easily be enjoyed during a Barcelona city break. The park is just over an hour's drive away from the city and there is also a train that takes you right along the coastline on a journey that lasts around ninety minutes.
The park itself balances a great selection of rides with well landscaped natural areas to create something that not only provides fun in abundance but also looks great too. The rides are known for holding many different records; including the fastest hypercoaster in Europe ('Shambhala') and the longest boat ride in Europe (the new for 2014 'Angkor' ride). There are also plenty of shows happening throughout the six different 'worlds' and an adjacent water park to double the fun potential.
Tivoli Gardens in one of the oldest theme parks in the world and, due to its city centre location, can be an exciting part of your Copenhagen city break. It is a place that can be enjoyed even if you don't wish to sample any of the rides on offer as there is so much else to see, including the gardens themselves and a wide selection of open-air shows.
This 19th-century park was used as inspiration by Walt Disney as he started to build his own parks around the world. Among the biggest thrill rides are 'The Demon' and 'The Golden Tower', whilst the popular and aptly named 'The Rollercoaster' is the oldest wooden coaster in the world.
Reached by taking an hour's drive south from the city of Amsterdam, Efteling theme park is perfect for families travelling with kids. Everything has a fantasy feel to it with many references to famous fairy tales and an atmosphere that is reminiscent of Disneyland (but on a much smaller scale). Real thrill-seekers may be disappointed with the lack of big rides but there is still a lot to keep you busy throughout the day.
Children will love the Fairytale Forest and all the other links to their favourite stories, whilst there are also a variety of different shows that the whole family can enjoy together. Older riders will enjoy the 'Joris en de Draak' rollercoaster and there is set to be a brand new dive coaster in place for the summer of 2015, similar to the 'Oblivion' ride at Alton Towers.
If you would like to see any of these theme parks for yourself then Fred. Holidays can help you organise your adventure. Whether you want to incorporate it as part of a nearby city break or you would rather spend all your time at the resort itself, we can help find the best deal for you. Call us today or submit an online enquiry.
