How can you travel through many nations of Europe in one day? Monster train ride? Airplane roulette? NOT!
A trip to Germany’s largest theme park, Europa-Park, lets you sample everything from the Swiss Alps to Spanish flamenco to Icelandic roller coaster thrills. Started as a small amusement park in the 1970s in southwestern Germany, the park has expanded several times over the years with each growth leading to the addition of new land.
Walking through the park, visitors can enjoy the different themes, attractions and attractions of the country. If you’re not sure which country you’ve gotten into, look for signs on a theme (like the Norwegian fishing village in Scandinavia) or look down at your feet, where custom manholes are marked with city names across the globe. Park.
This overview of the different lands and attractions can help you make the most of your visit. Find out if you want to get to the old German school first or start in the heat of Spain. Do you want to have lunch in Portugal or France? A useful interactive map is also available on the main page to explore the park and mark favorite areas.
(Learn about the rest of the lands in part 2).
Germany
Most visitors enter the park in “Germany” with a walk along “Deutsche Allee.” Filled with shops, cafes, and southern German architecture, this is the oldest section in the part. The original gardens are a bit dated, but still charming. Those in search of the big rides (like me) may be tempted to rush past, but this is the perfect area for smaller cyclists and those looking for a quiet corner of the park.
Russia
Visitors can see the impressive Euro-Mir roller coaster made by Mack in Russia before entering this foreign land. A strange skyscraper a building, most of this structure is a spinning roller coaster based on Russian space travel.
Techno music emanates from this building of steel and light and follows the riders through the spiral entrance. Once it’s been secured inside the car, there is a dark and ominous climb to the top with the car finally showing up on the tracks above the park. If you can keep your eyes open while spinning at great heights, this is one of the best views in the park.
If you prefer a walk that shouldn’t be followed with a shot of vodka to calm your nerves, there are also handicrafts, a children’s car ride, and a snowflake ride through the Siberian landscape.
Italy
A walk through Italy focuses on the seven-meter-high Fontana di Paradiso in the middle of the lake. Piccolo Mondo is a guided walk by Enzo the parrot through Pisa, Venice and Florence. If you prefer something a little more exciting, the Geisterschloss (Ghost Castle) can inspire fear in younger visitors.
And what to eat? Pizza! What else in Pizzeria Venezia?
France
Here you can find another of the park’s star games. Silver Star is the second tallest roller coaster in Europe (239 feet tall) and the fifth fastest (top speed 78 mph).
The EuroSat lure is another thrilling high-stakes roller coaster ride that looks suspiciously like Walt Disney World’s Epcot. It is, like Eur-Mir, the subject of space travel.
Do you prefer something prehistoric? The Energy Universe offers a cheesy and enjoyable dinosaur-themed ride.
Take a break at this halfway point to glide gently up the Euro-Tower and enjoy a spectacular view of the park.
England
Like London, the England area is full of attractions. Mostly family-friendly, they include the Queens Diamonds laser gun set, Silverstone Race Track, British Carousel, London Bus (magic carpet ride), Historama Museum (history of Europa-Park) and the Globe Theater show venue.
Scandinavia
One of the best interpretations of a topic, this area addresses all of Scandinavia rather than the individual countries that make up the region. True to form, there is Fjord-Rafting, a Norwegian church, and an entire fishing village.
For some action, take a giant swing on the Viking ship, Vindjammer.
