European Theme Parks: Our Favorite Rides, Parks, and Surprising Finds
We’re not saying we plan our road trips around European theme parks… but we kind of plan our road trips around European theme parks.
Europe is home to some of the most creative, thrilling, and beautiful theme parks in the world — and many of them are surprisingly affordable and easy to get to. Whether you’re into record-breaking coasters, immersive storytelling, or cotton candy and creepy animatronics, there’s something here for everyone.
Here’s our ultimate guide to the European parks we’ve actually been to — plus a few we’re dying to visit next.
🇳🇱 Efteling – Netherlands
This park has serious storybook vibes — think dark fairy tales, charming forests, and creepy animatronic nursery rhymes. Dylan’s all about the thrill rides like Baron 1898 (a vertical drop coaster), but I love the storytelling and the… trash cans? (You’ll get it when you go.)
🧙♂️ Don’t miss: Symbolica, Dance Macabre, and the secret swan ride hidden in the back of the park (seriously, it’s hidden through a sketchy little path — very on-brand for this magical chaos).
📚 Fun Fact: Efteling predates Disneyland by 3 years and is widely rumored to have inspired Walt Disney.
🍽️ Best part: Affordable food and that fairytale walk-through. It’s charming, weird, and just a little bit dark — in the best way.
🕒 Opening Hours: Typically 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; extended hours during summer and holidays.
💲 Ticket Prices: €38–€53 depending on the date. Kids under 4 are free.
👉 Visit Website
🇮🇹 Gardaland – Italy
taly’s biggest theme park, located near stunning Lake Garda. It’s got more coasters than Efteling, Peppa Pig Land for the littles, and ridiculously good food (because Italy, obviously). There’s also a nearby Safari Park and Movieland, making this a destination, not just a park.
🌈 Top thrill: Raptor — Dylan-approved.
🥞 Don’t skip: The pancake restaurant inside the park and the hilltop breakfast zone.
💸 Fun Fact: Tickets start around €35–€40 — half of what you’d pay at a major U.S. theme park.
🕒 Opening Hours: Generally 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; varies by season.
💲 Ticket Prices: From €39 online.
👉 Visit Website
🇩🇰 Tivoli Gardens – Copenhagen
The oldest operating amusement park in the world (since 1843!), and honestly one of the most beautiful. It’s more about nostalgia and atmosphere than adrenaline. Think twinkling lights, classic rides, and epic holiday decorations.
🎯 Favorite ride: Tik Tak — a surprise hit.
🎺 Why we love it: It’s part amusement park, part fairy tale. Gardens, music, and vintage rides come together in a way that feels timeless — like Knott’s Berry Farm with Scandinavian flair.
📜 Fun Fact: Tivoli inspired Walt Disney and Hayao Miyazaki (creator of Spirited Away). Basically, if you’re a theme park nerd or animation fan, this is sacred ground.
🕒 Opening Hours: Varies by season; during Easter, 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
💲 Ticket Prices: Vary by date and ticket type.
👉 Visit Website
🇫🇷 Disneyland Paris – France
We went during Halloween (Erin’s birthday!) and hit the limited-entry nighttime event — short lines, great costumes, and Space Mountain front row. Smaller than the U.S. parks, but still full of Disney magic. Dylan mourns the loss of the Aerosmith coaster, now replaced by Avengers Assemble.
🎵 Gone but not forgotten: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith.
🕸️ Fun Fact: Paris Disneyland was almost built in Spain, but France won the bid thanks to weather and infrastructure. Imagine a tapas-fueled Tomorrowland…
📍 Tip: About an hour from Paris — we recommend staying nearby to make the most of it.
🕒 Opening Hours: Varies daily; check calendar.
💲 Ticket Prices: Vary based on date and package.
👉 Visit Website
🇩🇪 Phantasialand – Germany
This one takes the gold for Dylan. It’s got the fastest double-launch coaster in the world (Taron), a flying coaster where you actually fly (F.L.Y.), immersive themed areas, and fun houses that feel straight out of a European carnival.
🧰 Theming highlight: Each section of the park is a full-on world of its own — steampunk coasters, African-inspired lodges, Chinese gardens. It’s immersive without being over-the-top.
🐶 Fun Fact: It’s dog-friendly! Rex came with us and had a blast waiting at each ride.
🍣 Don’t miss: The international buffet — real sushi, real variety, real food.
🚗 Tip: Stay on-site if you can, but Airbnbs in nearby Brühl or Cologne work great too.
🕒 Opening Hours: Usually 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (March to mid-November).
💲 Ticket Prices: Around €57.
👉 Visit Website
🇪🇸 PortAventura + Ferrari Land – Spain
Just outside Barcelona, this park has Red Force, the fastest coaster in Europe. It’s the only coaster we’ve ever been on where people clapped when it ended. PortAventura itself has fewer rides, but they’re all solid, and there’s a full waterpark and simulators too.
🎈 Top pick: Shambhala + Red Force
🔧 Fun Fact: Red Force hits 180 km/h (112 mph) in just 5 seconds and climbs 112 meters — that’s higher than the Statue of Liberty.
🏨 Heads up: The on-site hotel is convenient but not exactly luxury. Worth it if you want early entry, though.
🕒 Opening Hours: Typically opens at 10:00 AM, closing times vary.
💲 Ticket Prices: From €62 per adult (2-day, 2-park).
👉 Visit Website
🇩🇰 Djurs Sommerland – Denmark
This is Denmark’s largest summer amusement park — and the best-kept secret for coaster lovers and families alike. It’s divided into themed areas like Viking Land, Western Land, and Water Park, with rides that are fun without being overwhelming.
🎢 Top thrill: Piraten — consistently ranked one of Europe’s best coasters.
🌲 What’s great: Huge green areas, picnic zones, and something for every age.
📜 Fun Fact: Despite its size, it still feels laid-back and never too crowded.
🕒 Opening Hours: Generally 10:00 AM – 5:00 or 6:00 PM; varies by season.
💲 Ticket Prices: Around €40–€50 depending on the day.
👉 Visit Website
🗺️ Still on Our Theme Park Bucket List
These are the parks we haven’t made it to yet — but they’re high on the list:
Europa Park (Germany) — second most visited theme park in Europe, with a massive indoor waterpark
Liseberg (Sweden) — charming and reportedly packed with surprises
Walibi (Belgium) — said to go all-in on Halloween with haunted houses and scare zones that rival U.S. horror nights
Alton Towers (UK) — iconic… and possibly haunted 👻
If you’re visiting Europe with kids, teens, or fellow thrill seekers, these theme parks are 100% worth detouring for. They’re more affordable than U.S. parks, the food is wildly better, and the rides are just as epic — sometimes more so.
