7 of the coolest theme parks Europe has to offer
By Mina Solanki
Want to do something a fun but a little more adventurous than usual? We have just the thing! Europe is home to some of the coolest theme parks for you to enjoy during your down time, with rides for everyone from seasoned thrill-seekers, to family-friendly rides for kids. Here's seven of the coolest theme parks that Europe has to offer, in no particular order.
1. Gardaland, Italy
Gardaland in northeastern Italy is not just a theme park; it is also an amazing aquarium! Garda Sea Life Aquarium allows you to venture into the deep blue via a transparent oceanic tunnel. Look all around you at sharks, rays and other tropical creatures. The aquarium also features interactive rock pools and more than 40 themed fish tanks.
The park is full of attractions for all ages, so there will be something to do for the whole family. Some particular highlights include the Jumanji - The Adventure ride, based on the popular film franchise, the Dragon Empire area, newly remodelled for the park’s 50th anniversary in 2025, and the drop and twist tower ride The Wolf.
Other classic rides you don’t want to miss out on include the Blue Tornado inverted roller coaster, which will have you feeling like you are on a supersonic jet; Shaman, a double loop-the-loop roller coaster that is simply exhilarating, and Mammut, which will have you racing over the roller coaster tracks to avoid the Mammoth that’s chasing you.
2. Europa Park, Germany
There is an abundance of theme parks in Germany, but Europa-Park is the busiest and best. The biggest theme park in Europe in terms of size, it’s also the second-most popular and undoubtedly deserves a place on this list.
Located in Rust, in the southwest of Germany, Europa-Park covers an area of 950.000 square metres, and has more than 100 attractions and a whopping 14 roller coasters across 20 themed areas. It’s literally a mini-continent that allows you to whizz around 17 countries and three fantasy-themed areas in a matter of hours.
There’s something for everyone at the park, and adrenaline junkies are sure to be satisfied with rides like the Voltron Nevera (new in 2024), the longest launch coaster in Europe with the world’s steepest launch at 105 degrees, and Alpenexpress Coastiality, a roller coaster which has you wearing a VR headset whilst you ride.
In 2025, Europa-Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary and promises visitors a selection of spectacular attractions, shows and anniversary events.
3. Disneyland Paris, France
Disneyland is of course on this list. Not only is it the biggest theme park in Europe in terms of visitor numbers, it is also the place where all your favourite fairy tales - not to mention scores of Disney, Pixar and MARVEL characters - come to spectacular life.
There isn’t just one park - Disneyland Paris has two! You’ll find the iconic Disneyland castle at Disneyland Park and, just around the corner, you can venture into the movie-themed Walt Disney Studios.
In Disneyland Park, classic Disney fairy tales and Star Wars legends are spread across five enchanted lands, brimming with Disney characters and filled with attractions, street parades and stage shows. Blast off into space on Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain or scream your lungs out aboard the runaway train on Big Thunder Mountain.
The focus over at Walt Disney Studios used to be diving behind the scenes of our favourite Disney movies, but over the coming years this park will be transformed into a new area called Disney Adventure World. The first part of this, the Marvel-themed Avengers Campus, is already open, and new areas dedicated to the worlds of Frozen and the Lion King are scheduled to open in 2026 - mark your calendars! Disneyland is perfect for the whole family.
4. Phantasialand, Germany
Located in Brühl, between Cologne and Bonn, Phantasialand is another fantastic park in Germany, and was voted the best theme park in Germany in 2024/25. It attracts over 2 million visitors annually, and is famous for its unique rides and amazing shows.
Some of the rides at the park even hold world records, like the high-speed roller coaster TARON, which is the world's fastest multi-launch roller coaster, or RAIK, the fastest and longest family boomerang in the world. The new Avoras family attraction, opened in 2024, allows visitors to explore a giant bird on climbing nets, ladders and slides.
The park has six themed areas - Deep in Africa, Rookburgh, Mexico, Mystery, Berlin, Fantasy and China Town. Board an expedition boat in Mexico, take a turn through Berlin in the lively 1920s, and whizz through the jungle on the back of the Black Mamba, the queen of snakes!
5. PortAventura World, Spain
PortAventura World is one of Europe’s most iconic theme park complexes. It is the most-visited theme park in Spain, with around 5 million visitors per year. Located south of Barcelona in Salou, Tarragona, it is divided into three parks: PortAventura Park, Ferrari Land, and Caribe Aquatic Park.
While Caribe Aquatic Park is a Caribbean-themed water park with more slides and waves than you could ever want, Ferrari Land is the world’s only theme park dedicated to the Italian racing team. PortAventura Park is a destination for adrenaline seekers. It has six worlds for you to discover, including Mediterrània, Polynesia, China, México, Far West and SésamoAventura. And yes, that last one is a world based on Sesame Street!
The park has a bit of everything, from jump-out-of-your-skin roller coasters to water rides and child-friendly rides and mazes. A few attractions catch the eye, such as the Furius Baco, one of Europe's fastest roller coasters that hits 135 km/h in just three seconds; Hurakan Condor, one of the tallest drop tower rides in the world, Dragon Khan, a former record-holder that is consistently voted one of the best roller coasters in the world, and, new in 2023, Uncharted, a dark ride roller coaster based on the popular video game and movie franchise.
6. Tivoli Gardens, Denmark
The last on the list, but certainly not the least popular, is Tivoli Gardens in the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen. This theme park is the second-oldest in Europe and the world, having opened its gates in 1843! The park has something for everyone and is especially enchanting in the evening when fairy lights illuminate the grounds.
Kids can enjoy an array of rides and there are also stages across the park with certain performances already included in the ticket price. Tivoli has also announced plans to build three new major rides in the park by 2030, so watch this space!
7. Efteling, the Netherlands
Efteling is the largest and most iconic theme park in the Netherlands, focusing on fairy tale stories. Efteling is, of course, not just famous for its abundant fairy tales, but also for its awesome rides.
The park is divided into five different areas, each with different kinds of attractions. For example, if you love roller coasters, Ruigrijk is the area you need to head to. If you have children, the Marerijk area is your best bet, as it has many child-friendly attractions.
The park has a mix of water rides and terrifying roller coasters, such as Joris en de Draak, a double-track wooden racer roller coaster, which will have you squealing your lungs out as you accelerate to race the other team to the finish. Another extremely popular ride is Baron, a dive roller coaster that plunges down 37,5 metres at a speed of 90 kilometres an hour. If you like chills and thrills, head to the Danse Macabre, a new attraction that opened in 2024 and is designed to scare you like never before!
Tell us about your favourite theme park!
Of course, this list doesn't detail every cool theme park in Europe, since there are so many great ones! Have you visited any of the above-mentioned parks before? What is your favourite theme park in Europe?
This article originally appeared on IamExpat in Germany.
Completed her Master's degree at the University of Groningen and worked as a translator before joining IamExpat. She loves to read and has a particular interest in Greek mythology. In addition to this, she is an avid rower.Read more