Theme Parks in Europe - 11 of the Best

With this in mind, we think it's high time we at Trip.com highlighted some of the very best theme parks in Europe for you to consider. Whether you're young, have young kids, or are young at heart, we're sure you'll be interested.

Below, we have picked some of our favourites, with links to tickets (where possible), transport and more besides. Enjoy!

Paris, France

Disneyland® Paris is the most-visited theme park in Europe

The big one - the largest, best-known, best-loved and most popular theme parks in Europe are at Disneyland® Paris. With not one but two separate parks - Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park - there is just so much to experience here we scarcely have words.

Disneyland Park houses Adventureland, Fantasyland, and an array of other 'lands' that will surely thrill the family. Walt Disney Studios Park dives into the magical worlds of Disney and Pixar films. Top tip: go to both.

Buy your tickets to Disneyland® Paris here.

If you're heading straight to the park, there are shuttle buses from Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports.

If you're coming from Paris, the Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy train station is just a 2-minute walk to the Disney Parks.

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Stoke-on-Trent, England

Alton Towers Resort is also known as Britain's Greatest Escape - which, as anyone familiar with the place will attest, is a very suitable name.

Alton Towers is the perfect destination for a day (or more) of fun and laughter for everyone. Thrill-seeking adults, families, and kids alike will surely be enamoured with the rides, attractions and entertainment here. Get ready to explore over 900 acres of parkland and more than 40 rides…

Buy your tickets to Alton Towers here.

Driving a car is probably your best bet - but if you're not willing or able to, then Uttoxeter train station is the nearest to Alton Towers, around 10 miles (16 km) from the resort.

Click here to book train tickets to Alton Towers

Brabant, Netherlands

One of Europe's most-visited and highly-acclaimed theme parks lies in the south of the Netherlands. Celebrating over 70(!) years since its opening, Efteling's rides are still absolutely fantastic, with attractions based on folklore, fairy tales, and ancient legends…

There are roller coasters galore, magical forests, river rapids, boats, miniature worlds - in short, much to experience and a trip that will offer timeless family fun.

Buy your tickets to Efteling here.

If you're coming straight to Efteling, be sure to fly into Eindhoven - about a 35-minute drive away.

If you're coming from elsewhere in the Netherlands, take the train to 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) or Tilburg, where bus connections will take you to Efteling.

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Catalonia, Spain

PortAventura Park boasts 5 areas, with their own themed rides

PortAventura Park is an exceptional amusement park - and as it's located in Catalonia, you are guaranteed gorgeous surroundings too.

What can you expect at PortAventura Park? Five areas of rides, themed after prominent countries and regions, is what. Mediterrània, Polynesia, China, México and the Far West all offer a hugely exciting array of rides, attractions, restaurants, shows and so much more.

Incidentally, PortAventura Park is part of the 'PortAventura World' - Caribe Aquatic Park and Ferrari Land complete the trio of exciting attractions…

Buy your tickets to PortAventura Park here. Get a PortAventura Park + Ferrari Land ticket here.

You can get to PortAventura World in about an hour from any terminal at El Prat Airport (Barcelona) by bus, taxi, or transfer.

By train, there is PortAventura World stop on the R-17 and RT2 lines of Rodalies de Catalunya.

By car, you can access PortAventura World from the A-7 highway.

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Windsor, England

LEGOLAND Windsor is one of the UK's biggest theme parks

Those building blocks that you, your parents, and your children play with make for one heck of a theme park. And it's a stunning feat of engineering - Miniland, which depicts Lego towns and cities from around the world, uses nearly 40 million Lego bricks. And that's just in one attraction!

LEGOLAND Windsor is split into 12 themed lands, and is home to an abundance of attractions, restaurants and shops. Trust us when we say every attendee will love it.

Buy your tickets to LEGOLAND Windsor here.

If you're heading by train, LEGOLAND Windsor is about 30 minutes from London, with Windsor & Eton Central and Windsor & Eton Riverside providing shuttle buses.

London Heathrow is 12 miles (20 km) away, and the M3 junction 3, M25 junction 13 and M4 junction 6 are all signposted to the park.

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Copenhagen, Denmark

For nearly two centuries now, visitors have streamed to Tivoli Gardens. This historic theme park is a genuine Copenhagen icon, with over 30 rides, shops, shows, and play areas, as well as dozens of eateries. All set against the backdrop of a truly beautiful garden. What more could you wish for from a theme park?

Buy your tickets to Tivoli Gardens here.

Tivoli Gardens are pretty straightforward to get to - being located in the city centre of Copenhagen means that you can get there easily by foot.

Tivoli Gardens are about a 20-minute drive from Copenhagen airport.

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Rust, Germany

The largest theme park in Germany, and the second most-popular theme park in Europe (behind a certain Parisian park with a mouse mascot, mentioned above). That means, it's going to be a good one.

There are 100 different attractions at Europa-Park, aimed at kids of all ages - and we do include adult-aged kids in that statement. Thrillseekers have got to check out Silver Star, a roller coaster with a height of 73m (240 ft), and a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80+mph).

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden is the closest international airport to Europa-Park with direct flights from the UK , but the venue is actually close to both the French and Swiss borders.

Via car, you can reach Europa-park via the A5 motorway (exit 57b Rust). For navigation, type in: Europa-Park-Straße 2, 77977 Rust.

Via train, the Deutsche Bahn to Ringsheim/Europa-Park station is where you want to head.

Click here for cheap flights to Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden

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Plailly, France

Asterix Park is located just 30 mins from Paris

Asterix Park - or Parc Asterix for the French-speakers - is a theme park based on the eponymous French comic book hero. Francophiles will be very familiar with the Gaulish warrior character, but even if you're not, the theme park is sure to be a wonderful experience.

Why, you may ask? Well, the second-most visited amusement park in France - behind you-know-where - features no fewer than 42 attractions, shows, restaurants and shops. C'est tres bon!

Buy your tickets to Asterix Park here.

Plailly is just a 35 km (21 mile) drive from Paris - around 30 mins on the A1 motorway to Lille, direct exit to Parc Astérix between exits 7 and 8.

Buses are also available from cities like Lille and Bruges.

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Castelnuovo del Garda, Italy

The largest theme park in Italy, Gardaland Resort is widely regarded as one of the finest on the continent. It's no wonder, really, with water parks, roller coasters and fantasy kingdoms, as well as the Gardaland SEA LIFE Aquarium.

What's more, there's the LEGOLAND® Water Park, and the brand new Jumanji - The Adventure Themed Room at the Gardaland Resort, too. Excellent.

Verona is the nearest city to Gardaland Resort, around 20 km (12 miles) away by car.

The park is just 2 km from the Peschiera del Garda railway station, where there is a free shuttle bus service every 30 minutes. There are buses from across Italy that will take you here, too.

Click here for cheap flights to Verona

Click here for hotels near Gardaland Resort

Watford, England

The Making of Harry Potter is sure to delight

While this isn't technically a 'theme park', we know there is likely to be at least one Potter-head in any family. This one is for them.

The Harry Potter tour is a walkthrough exhibition, showcasing many of the sets where all eight of the Harry Potter films were shot. You can see some of the backdrops, costumes, special effects and props, as well as the triple-decker bus, Mr. Weasley's modified car and the Dursley home. Oh, and of course, the scale model of Hogwarts itself…

Buy your tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter here.

We recommend getting a train. The Studio Tour’s nearest train station is Watford Junction, a short hop from central London. From Watford Junction you can get a shuttle bus.

If you'd like to drive, or get a taxi, make sure the postcode you tap in is WD25 7LR.

Click here for trains to Watford

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Zator, Poland

Krakow is truly a magnificent city to visit, and if you have a family - or you're shamelessly just a big kid/thrillseeker (delete as applicable) - then may we heartily recommend Poland's biggest amusement park?

Energylandia covers an area of around 30 hectares and houses over 30 attractions. The zones here include the Little Kids Zone, Family Zone, Extreme Zone and a water park, which all sounds rather exciting to us…

Buy your tickets to Energylandia here.

A bus is available to Energylandia from Krakow train station, and takes around an hour.

Alternatively, Zator train station is a short journey from Krakow, and a special Energylandia Choo Choo Train that will take you from there to the main entrance of the park.

Click here for cheap flights to Krakow

Click here for hotels near Energylandia

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