The Best Theme Parks in Europe (For Adults)

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You don’t need a family to enjoy these popular European theme parks. These are the best theme parks in Europe for adults.



Europe is a wonderland of amazing theme parks. Whenever we travel for a week or more we try very hard to visit a theme park. It’s a great way to break up all the visits to stuffy European churches. We also love that it’s a day when you don’t have to think too much. You just walk into the park and have fun exploring and riding rides all day.

Walibi Holland

On our fourth day in Amsterdam, we hopped the train to the regional theme park Walibi Holland. The park is a former Six Flags located outside Amsterdam.

By far the best coaster in the park (and one of the best in Europe) is Untamed. We rode Untamed twice during the visit. It was loads of fun. It’s a wood and steel coaster with twists and turns.

The Best Theme Parks in Europe (For Adults) - Walibi Holland the best theme parks in Europe

Also in the park are loads of family rides. You’ve got your spinning cups, your tiny cars, and your train around the park. The highlight is the massive Ferris wheel La Grande Roue

Read more about our visit to Walibi Holland.



Heide Park

An extremely easy-to-navigate bus ride from Hamburg gets you to Heide Park in less than an hour. It is the largest park in northern Germany and one of the largest in the country. The park is separated into four main areas with a large lake at the center.

The Best Theme Parks in Europe (For Adults) - Heide Park the best theme parks in Europe

The best coaster in the park, Flug der Dämonen (Flight of the Demon), is a winged coaster that flips you quickly through five flips. I think we rode it three times.

Read more about our day in the park here.

PortAventura World

PortAventura is located south of Barcelona on the Spanish coast of the Mediterranean. It shares a location with Ferrari Land (a car-themed park with just one great ride).

The park is huge with a great collection of rollercoasters. The two best coasters in the park Dragon Khan and Shambhala, are located in the China-themed area of the park.

Dragon Khan PortAventura the best theme parks in Europe

We took the train from Barcelona for a day in the park. Read more here.



Disneyland Paris

Located on the Paris Metro system, Disneyland Paris is extremely accessible during a visit to the city.

While it is not the best Disney park in the world, it is the only Disney park located in Europe. Most Disney fans agree that the park is home to the best castle in all the parks.

Disneyland Paris castle the best theme parks in Europe

Here you will find all your favorite classic Disney rides with a slight French twist. Disney theming cannot be beaten. Visiting Disneyland Paris is a must for Disney fans and those seeking the best theme parks in Europe (for adults).

Located right next door is the sister park, Walt Disney Studios Park.



Alton Towers Gardens - Alton Towers Best Rides - Alton Towers Theme Park

Alton Towers

Alton Towers is one of the UK's premier theme parks, offering a perfect blend of thrilling rides and beautiful landscapes. This blend makes it among the best theme parks in Europe (for adults).

The park is renowned for its innovative roller coasters, such as the newly opened Nemesis Reborn, the first ever drop coaster Oblivion, and the record-breaking Smiler. Each ride is designed to deliver a unique and exhilarating experience, making it a must-visit for adrenaline seekers.

Beyond the rides, Alton Towers is set within expansive and picturesque gardens, providing a serene escape and scenic backdrop making for a great day for adults who might need a break from coasters.

Read more about our trip to Alton Towers.

Europa-Park

The park is located near the Black Forest in the southwestern portion of Germany near the Rhine on the border with France.

Europa-Park is separated into eighteen themed areas. The buildings and attractions in each area are themed to a country in Europe. In England, you’ll find the Silverstone Race Track where you ride through English gardens, a theatre recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe, and lots of soccer (aka football). In Italy, you can ride Volo Da Vinci a suspended monorail themed after Leonardo da Vinci. In Russia, you can ride a spinning rollercoaster named Euro-Mir that is themed around Russian space travel. 

EuropaPark entrance, Germany

The theming of the park combined with the mix of thrill rides and one-of-a-kind rides makes the park one of our favorites and one of the best theme parks in Europe (for adults).

We visited the park in the fall over two wonderful days. Read about our time here.



Efteling

Efteling is one of the best theme parks in Europe for adults. The park is located in the southern part of the Netherlands. The park is one of the World's oldest theme parks, opening with the Fairy Tale Forest in the early 1950s. 

Best Theme Parks in Europe for Adults - Efteling

The park has a good collection of rollercoasters, but the real magic of the park is the classic attractions mixed into the fairy tale setting of the park.

We spent two days in the park, read more here.



Phantasialand

Our favorite park in all of Europe is Phantasialand. The park is located in the northwestern portion of Germany near Cologne.

The park has six main coasters, two water thrill rides, and countless smaller attractions. The best coaster in the park is Taron. It holds the title of fastest and longest launch coaster on the planet. 

Mixed in with the amazing coasters are cheesy and fun dark rides and perfectly themed water rides and smaller attractions.

The park is absolutely wonderful. Check out the full post covering our visit to the park.



The Best Theme Parks in Europe (For Adults):

  1. Phantasialand

  2. Efteling

  3. Europa-Park

  4. Disneyland Paris

  5. Alton Towers

  6. PortAventura

  7. Heide Park

  8. Walibi Holland


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