Best Theme Parks In Europe

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen Denmark

Contributed by Melissa of Parenthood and Passports

Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark is the second oldest theme park in the world. It first opened in 1843. With its beautiful gardens and thrill-seeking rides the amusement park is said to be what inspired Walt Disney to create Disney World.

The theme park is one of the most picturesque places in all of Copenhagen. Twinking pavilions, fountains, walkways lined with illuminated lanterns, and colorful flowers make it a great place to visit even if you don’t enjoy rollercoasters. You could spend hours simply strolling through the gardens and taking beautiful photos or grabbing a bite to eat in one of the parks’ restaurants or eateries.

For adventure lovers there are more than 30 rides at Tivoli Gardens for everyone from toddlers to adrenaline-seeking adults. As a family traveling with a small child, we were pleasantly surprised at how many rides toddlers and younger children could go on as long as an adult was with them. But it isn’t just a theme park for the really young.

There are plenty of terrifying rollercoasters, like Vertigo, that will send you upside down, take you through twists, turns and sudden drops. At night, an electrifying light show in the gardens combines lasers, color, music and even fire to entertain and captivate onlookers.

With live shows, concerts, and parades, Tivoli Gardens offers so much more than just amusement park rides and pretty scenery. It is an experience the entire family will love.

For more information click here. 

Popeye Village, Malta

Contributed by Oli Of Not Brits Abroad

Phantasialand, Germany

Contributed by Fiona of Passportandpiano

Paultons Park, United Kingdom

Contributed by Kaylie  of Happiness Travels Here

Paultons Park is located 2 hours south-west of London and only 20 minutes from Southhampton. Voted the United Kingdoms number one theme park by Trip Advisor. A visit to Paultons Park can be added to a family-friendly itinerary for those visiting Stonehenge, the New Forest or before jumping on a European cruise departing Southampton.

The nice this about Paultons Park is that it is designed for the whole family to enjoy. So often the smaller members of the family have to miss out on the excitement and the bigger members need to deal with the logistics of having a non-riding family member. At Paultons Park, the height restriction is set quite low with even the most thrilling rides having a limit of 120cm and many that a child can ride if accompanied by an adult. There is even a family roller coaster that can be ridden as young as 1 year old.

Another reason Paultons Park is so popular is that it is the exclusive home of Peppa Pig World. The British cartoon is a world phenomenon and one of the most watched children’s shows in history. The candy coloured Peppa Pig World has rides such as George’s Helicopter and Grandpa’s Train. Parents will love the indoor playground where kids can be left to run free without escaping while parents drink coffee and refuel their sanity.   

The best ride in the park is the Edge. Riders are strapped to the side of a giant revolving disk which spins as it hurtles back and forth along a stomach-churning undulating track. 

For more information click here.

EuroDisney, France

Contributed by Elisa from World in Paris

My favorite theme park in Europe is Disneyland Paris, better known in France as EuroDisney. Located in Marne La Vallée, in the Parisian Region, EuroDisney is one of the best day trips from Paris, very easy to reach by train (RER A) from the city center. However, this theme park is so big and with so many rides and shows that you can easily extend the fun a couple of days by staying in one of the park’s fabulous themed hotels.

EuroDisney is like a world apart where everybody feels happy and the characters, decoration and shows can easily transport you to your favorite Disney films. This is a theme park focused on kids but parents or adults alone can also have fun thanks to the variety of rides and shows: don’t think you will be bored just because you are above a certain age!

In EuroDisney it is possible to spend all your day on your favorite rides or just decide to explore the different areas of the parks and watch the shows and parades. In regards to the rides, Disneyland Paris has a lot of them, from age appropriate rides for toddlers to the scariest of roller coasters for adults. My favorite rides include the Space Mountain 2 (an updated version of the old ride), the oh so cute It’s A Small World, Star Tour and Big Thunder Mountain.

On the other hand, shows are seasonal and for a better planning we recommend checking the program in advance on their website. The website also proposes interesting offers and discounts, which are very convinient especially if you are interested in sleeping in the park.

For more information click here. 

Ferrari Land, Spain

Contributed by Inma of A World To Travel

Gardaland, Italy

Contributed by Leo of Safari Nomad

The day when I visited Gardaland – a theme park in Italy was one of my days never to forget. It was a day full of adventure and adrenaline. Wow!

Gardaland, located in the town of Ronchi (close to Lake Garda), is not only the biggest theme park in Italy but also one of the largest in Europe. It boasts huge areas that offer a special combination of fantasy (for kids), adrenaline (for the bravest) and adventure (for all ages). This is the reason I like this theme park so much – a good selection of attractions and rides for all ages and tastes. The younger ones will enjoy in Peppa Pig Land, Kung Fu Academy, etc… Adults will enjoy in the furry of the rapids in the jungle, Colorado Boat, dizzying rollercoasters and other challenging games.

It is interesting to see how the park’s areas resemble geographical areas – Hawaii, Burma, Egypt, the West, also Middle Ages and 20th century Europe.

This magic world contains approximately 40 major attractions, musical performances, light show, also the Sea Life Aquarium, where you’ll see sharks, manta rays, and turtles, observe shark-feeding sessions, and discover the underwater mysteries of Lake Garda.

This amusement park also offers a good range of restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops and also the prices are reasonable.

July and August are the most crowded, so try to avoid these months if possible. Make sure you get to the park before opening time and visit the park during the week.

For more information click here.

Tripsdill, Germany

Contributed by Diana of The Elusive Family

As the oldest amusement park ride in Germany with over 29 attractions and plenty of green space and places to wander and rides to go on, Tripsdill is a wonderful amusement park in southern Germany.  An accompanying nature reserve next door makes it for an especially wonderful trip for families.

Geared towards families with kids of all ages, Tripsdill has rides for everyone, which makes it unique for an amusement park, as it equally spreads its rides among all age groups. For younger kids, there are shows at different parts of the park, including a funny magician and animatronic shows that are thoroughly enjoyable.  

There is a small train that takes you through different parts of the park, several small boat rides for parents and young kids, a ride along that track that spins you at various times when you travel around the tracks (Weinkubel), a teacup spin ride (Suppenschusselfahrt), climbing areas, carousels as well as several parent and me rides that parents and kids can both use pedals to move the ride including the Butterfly ride (Schmetterlingsflug).

Tripsdill has rides for older kids and adults including the wooden rollercoaster Mammut and the metal coaster Karacho are the top two favorite rides. A cart along a high track is also a fun ride though the speeds and the turns aren’t for everyone, and parents should hold on to the younger kiddos if they do go on. There are also numerous picnic grounds, cafes, restaurants and even water play areas that make it an all-day event for kids.

Water rides at Tripsdill provide a lot of fun to cool off in the summer, and the water raft ride (Waschzuber-Rafting) is great for kids around ages 4 and up.  There is a log ride which is a thrilling adventure for older kids, especially as you fall down from a beautiful German castle into the water below.

For more information, click here.

FICO Eataly World in Bologna, Italy

Contributed by Amber from Bologna Living

Opened in 2017, FICO Eataly World, located in Bologna, Italy, is the world’s first food-focused theme park. Developed by the creators of Eataly, the Italian food speciality marketplace, FICO Eataly World allows visitors to experience food and drink from across Italy in one location.

Consisting of food shops, restaurants, and food “factories,” FICO Eataly World aims to educate visitors on the diverse cuisine of Italy. With no admission fee, visitors are free to explore the nearly 20,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor space. They house over 200 animals and over 2000 different examples of plant life found throughout Italy.

For a hands-on approach to understanding Italian food, visitors can participate in one of several food factory experiences. These paid offerings range from making gelato to learning about brewing beer and making wine. When you are ready to eat, Eataly World has 45 different places to eat including bakeries, restaurants, and even a pasta outpost from the one Michelin Star restaurant Trattoria da Amerigo.

Throughout Eataly World there are shops selling a wide range of Italian food and drink products. Additionally, visitors will find Italian kitchen appliances and cookware available for purchase in a 9,000 square meter marketplace. For visitors who have made purchases at FICO Eataly World, there is a shipping service on the premises to help facilitate delivery home.

From Bologna, FICO Eataly World can be reached in twenty minutes. The park operates a shuttle bus from the Bologna train station and Bologna airport. Round trip bus service will cost €16. FICO Eataly World is open seven days a week.

For more information, click here.

Alton Towers, United Kingdom

Contributed by Louis of The Northern Boy

Awesome, pulse-raising and adrenalin pumping rides, what else could it be other than the epic Alton towers in England. This epic theme park is located in Staffordshire and is one of the most popular theme parks in England. It is by no-means a children’s theme park, there is rides here for all the family. Let’s look at some of the best rides;

The Smiler – This is one of the craziest roller-coasters on Alton Towers and it actually holds a world record for the most inversions on a roller-coaster.

Th13teen – This is a frightening free-falling roller-coaster, but it’s crazy fun. This is not one for the faint-hearted.

Oblivion – This epic ride was known as the world’s first vertical drop roller-coaster. This was actually the first ride I went on when visit Alton Towers and the queue was quite, so I think we went on it 3 times. This was a head spinner.

The above mentioned rides are more suited towards adults as they’re crazy fast. However there is plenty of things to do for children and plenty of rides for the children.

There is also a hotel at Alton Towers to stay at if you’re travelling far. You can also get hotel and theme park packages.

How much is a ticket for Alton Towers? You can expect to pay anything from £35 upwards for a ticket. However, these prices change with the seasons.

Overall, this is one the best things to do in England and is still one of my favourite theme parks.

For more information, click here.

Legoland, United Kingdom

Contributed by Michelle of GreedyGourmet

When I think of best theme parks in Europe, a lot springs to mind. However, none other comes to mind faster than the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort theme park in the United Kingdom! It is a complete LEGO adventure that the entire family can enjoy. So, if you’ve got children and you would like to treat them to something special, this is the place to bring them!

LEGOLAND Windsor Resort has over 55 interactive rides (including many toddler rides) across 150 acres of park, which is why I love it so much. It leaves quite a nice buffer for the children to select their favourite ride in case they find one too daring (I am sure we’ve all had an experience like this with our kids right?). Moreover, there are many live shows, workshops, and other attractions to excite your children. Mine definitely were!

Our favourite rides were Atlantis (submarine ride), The Dragon (rollercoaster) and Raft Racers (inflatable dinghy racing down the waterslide). Plus, there were many more which were just as enjoyable.

The best part about LEGOLAND is that you don’t have to stay in a hotel that’s just miles away. Nope, you can stay right in the heart of the theme park, in the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel. This way, you don’t miss out on any opportunity to have fun.

For more information, click here.

Efteling, Netherlands

Contributed by Daniela of Ipanema Travels

Efteling Theme Park in the Netherlands is like no other theme park. Set amidst a beautifully landscaped park with lots of green, it takes you on a journey through a world of fairy tales and legends. The park was created in the 1950s and remained true to its original concept and design over the years. I can’t think of a more magical place than the Efteling and I visit the park quite often. Well, I have to admit that I am pretty spoiled as I live only 10 km away from it.

For the little children and not so little ones there’s the Fairytale Forest. Mushrooms radiating music, talking trees, fire-spitting dragons will guide you on your way from one fairy tale to the other: Hansel and Gretel, Tom Thumb, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, the Wolf and the Seven Kids, the Little Mermaid, Rapunzel – they will all come to life in front of your eyes.

For the thrill seekers there are the roller coasters George and the Dragon, the Flying Dutchman, the Python and my favourite one – Baron 1898, where you experience a free fall from a height of 36,5 m with 90 km/h. Each detail of these attractions has a role in the story-telling. You truly believe that you are boarding the doomed ship in one of the harbours or that you are plunging into a mineshaft.

The immersive story-telling goes a step further in the family attractions Symbolica, Fata Morgana, Dream Flight, and Villa Volta, the last two being another favourites of mine.

Efteling Theme Park is located near Kaatsheuvel in the southern Dutch province of North Brabant. The park is open 356 days a year and holds special events like Winter Efteling, New Year’s Eve at the Efteling, and Summer Festival.

For more information click here.

Zatorland, Poland

Contributed by Ania from The Travelling Twins

We travel extensively with our kids,  and have visited theme parks worldwide.  When it comes to dinosaur-themed-parks, our favourite is Zatorland in Poland.

Zatorland boast that they have the largest animatronic dinosaurs in the world, and they certainly feel that way.  Argentinosaurus,  at 35m long and 13 m high is the biggest.  Besides moving unexpectedly and scaring you, some of them spit water, which is great fun for kids.

The Museum of Skeletons and Fossils is full of interesting information and fun facts for the dino-geeks in the family as well as its displays of fossil skeletons.

In the age of selfies and social media Zatorland is set up to give lots of great selfie opportunities to impress your friends and fill your family album.

Apart from Dinosaurs, Zatorland has other attractions too

• Park of Insects – This was another win with my daughters, we spent the rest of the day running among human size insects statues and learnt about potato beetles and earwigs.

• Park of Mythology – This one gave us a great opportunity to discuss ancient myths from different cultures. The enormous statue of Cyclops was really impressive.

• Funfair

Zatorland is in the South of Poland, about 50 minutes west of Krakow.

Premium ticket  – Tickets to all parks – valid for one day 59,90 PLN ($16) for adults and 49,90 PLN ($13) for kids.  There are discounts for 2 day tickets, and children under 90cm tall get in for just 1 PLN. (25 US cents)

There are several hotels very close and if you enjoy the kind of theme park with fast and scary rides you can also visit Zatorland’s neighbour, Energilandia. 

For more information, click here.

My favorite theme park is located on the beautiful island of Tenerife on the Canary Islands in Spain. Whereas the island is a great travel destination thanks to its vast beaches, numerous hiking trails, and tasty food, this theme park is only one reason more why you should visit Tenerife.

For me, the best theme park in Europe is the legendary Siam Park. Located in the southern part of the island, it has been awarded as the best waterpark for five years in a row. The water park is located at only 10 minutes from Adeje village, the main tourist area in Tenerife.

I love the park because it is Thai themed on all its restaurants, rides and buildings. It is actually the largest collection of Thai-themed buildings outside Thailand. The park includes tons of fun rides and it will be hard to choose. That’s why I also recommend staying more than only 1 day in Siam Park. During high season and on weekends you can expect long queues too.

My favorite rides are “the Dragon”, a 20-meter wide funnel and a large dragon model overlooking the drop and the “Wave Palace”, a wave pool artificial white sand beach. With its  3.3 meters high waves, they are considered the highest of any wave pool in the World. You can even take surf lessons here. There is also the Tower of Power where you slide through a transparent tunnel going through a swimming pool with sharks and fish. As you see, there are loads of fun waiting for you in Siam Park, Tenerife.

For more information, click here.

Vienna Prater, Austria

While the Prater’ peak season is from March to October, the world-famous Giant Ferris Wheel and a few other attractions are open all year round.  During summer you can see people jogging or walking in the green spaces around the park or enjoying a picnic.

Even if you have been to other Madame Tussauds, don’t miss this one inside Prater.  With over 80 wax figures – from the usual celebrity wax model like Angelina Jolie, Michael Jackson to more special ones unique to Austria like Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Sisi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Falco, Maria Theresia and Gustav Klimt can be seen here.  Spread over three floors there is even an interactive intelligence test you can take against Albert Einstein, conduct the “Blue Danube” waltz with Johann Strauss and also see “The Sound of Music” fame Julie Andrews!

For more information, click here.

Thorpe Park, United Kingdom

Contributed by Bradley Williams of Dream Big, Travel Far

Without a doubt, the best theme park I’ve been to anywhere in Europe is Thorpe Park. Which is lucky seeing as it’s just an hour down the road from where I grew up! As a family, we usually revisited once a year, and even when I became a teenager and then an adult, my love for Thorpe Park has never diminished!

Which I think is perhaps the secret to Thorpe Park’s success, which is that it’s a favourite for people of all ages. There’s a massive selection of rides, meaning there’s something to suit everyone. However, by far the best reason to visit is to check out their high adrenaline rides. They have some of the biggest and fastest rides anywhere in Europe, and have set a number of records over the years.

Such as with Colossus. I remember it opening more than a decade ago when I was a kid and everyone from my school was excited to ride this new coaster that boasted more loops than any other ride anywhere in the world! Other great rides to be found there include Nemesis, Stealth and SAW – The Ride.

Since I last visited they’ve opened a few new attractions, which I’m excited to try out. This includes The Walking Dead: The Ride, Derren Brown’s Ghost Train and The Swarm. But perhaps my all time favourite ride at Thorpe Park has to be Tidal Wave! I remember queuing for more than 3 hours once to ride it, and was not let down!

For more information, click here.