Traveling to Europe has long been familiar to our compatriots. Many are planning a trip to one of the European countries for May holidays, although it is best to take a vacation for this purpose in June or August. Interestingly, independent travels in Europe are very much in demand today. They are planned for quite some time and carefully, therefore they are most often successful. Italy has been considered the most popular country to visit for several years in a row. This is due to its interesting history, a large number of attractions and the amusement park Gardaland. He is known not only in the vastness of Italy, but throughout the world. Moreover, it is one of the ten most famous and visited parks in Europe. If you also want to go to Milan, Verona or Venice in the near future, be sure to include a visit to this park in the list of obligatory events. And it doesn’t matter if you have children, because at Gardaland it will be interesting for visitors of any age.
Brief information about the amusement park
Not to visit the Gardaland entertainment center in Italy is an unforgivable omission that you will regret, perhaps for the rest of your life. Therefore, be sure to take the time to find yourself in this world of reckless fun. About three million tourists from all over the world come here every year. And Italians themselves try to come to the amusement park in August. Therefore, if you find yourself in Gardaland (Italy) during this period, then get ready to stand for many hours in line for each attraction, as there will be a lot of people in the park.
The popularity of this place is also indicated by its ratings. Every year he takes certain lines in the world tables. For example, twelve years ago, the Forbes rating put this park in fifth place in the world in terms of profitability.
History of the Gardaland
The park owes its birth to the Italian entrepreneur Livio Furini. From childhood, he dreamed of magic castles and incredible adventures. His favorite pastime was cutting and pasting cardboard houses. In the end, little Livio turned out to be real cities, which he populated with fictional characters.
Furini was impressed by the visit to Disneyland. For a long time he could not move away from the memories of the magnificent park and planned to present something similar to his compatriots. A few years later, a successful entrepreneur created an amusement park project and found two hundred million lire for its construction.
Gardaland Park was erected in record time and six months later it opened its doors for the first visitors. In July 1975, the creator of the park cut the red ribbon. At that time, he had only fifteen attractions, but it was they who provided the park with the incredible love of Italians, and then tourists from all over the world.
The location of the amusement park
For the construction of Gardaland Park, a very beautiful place was chosen near Verona in the town of Castelnuovo del Garda. The village is located almost on the shores of the most beautiful lake in Europe - Garda.
It is worth noting that the location of the park was chosen very well. Many tourists traveling through Northern Europe tend to visit this lake. And seeing him, they can no longer deny themselves the pleasure of spending time in an entertainment park.
Today it occupies an area of sixty hectares, divided into several thematic zones.
How to get to Gardaland?
We’ll specify right away that there are a lot of opportunities to be in the famous amusement park. If you do not plan to travel throughout Italy, you can purchase a tour to Gardaland at a travel agency. Its cost usually includes a round-trip flight, transfer to the park, entrance tickets (for one or two days) and overnight at the hotel (if necessary). Such a trip is good as a gift to a child for his birthday or the end of the school year. Many call it a "weekend trip."
Those tourists whose plans include not only a visit to Gardaland, but also sightseeing of other sights of the country, should build their trip in such a way that the amusement park is the first point of the cultural program. The fact is that in this case, you can purchase tickets to the airport in Verona or Montichiari. Upon arrival, tourists will be separated from the "Gardaland" only a few kilometers. In addition, your vacation will begin with a lot of positive emotions, which will set a special mood for the whole trip.
If you are already in Italy, then take the rail. You need a train going from Venice to Milan. Your station will be Peschiera del Garda. From it to the amusement park can be reached on foot or by bus, whose traffic interval is half an hour. Keep in mind that the train goes to the station indicated by us, the ticket price for which does not exceed three and a half euros. And there is a free bus to the park itself.
Many tourists travel around Italy in a rented car, so it is not surprising that this way to get to the amusement park is also very popular. You will need to go onto the Brescia-Padova road and turn off after the sign. From this point to the "Gardaland" will remain about two kilometers.
Admission fee
Tickets for Gardaland are sold in different places, their cost will depend on this. However, the average adult entry price ranges from forty euros; for children under ten years of age, parents pay about thirty-four euros. Kids whose height does not exceed one meter can go to the park for a free ticket.
There is the possibility of purchasing tickets for two days at once. This purchase is very beneficial for visitors. Judge for yourself: in this case, adults will pay fifty-two euros, and children will take forty-six euros.
It is also possible to purchase a half day ticket. Immediately make a reservation that for Gardaland this time is sorely lacking. But if you have no other opportunity to visit the park, then a ticket on weekdays will cost twenty-one euros. On weekends, the cost rises to twenty-four euros.
Where is the best place to buy tickets to an amusement park?
Every experienced traveler will tell you that it is better to buy tickets to the amusement parks of Europe not at the ticket office at the entrance. Strange as it may seem, but this is the most expensive option of all possible.
If you want to save a little, then order tickets on the official website of the park. In this case, the purchase will cost you about ten percent cheaper than the price at the box office.
Also, tickets to Gardaland are sold at railway ticket offices. Here they will be slightly more expensive than the cost indicated on the site, but definitely cheaper than the one for which you will purchase them at the entrance to the park.
Mode of operation
Hours of operation "Gardaland" is difficult to specify in two figures. The fact is that the park has a very complicated work schedule, which directly depends on the season, month and holidays. For example, on New Year's Eve, Gardaland works from half past ten in the morning until half past six in the evening. After January 8th, it closes until early April.
From April 8 to June twenty-second, the park opens at ten in the morning and closes at six in the evening. Then, until September 10th, he works until eleven in the morning. During this period there are special days when the park is open until three in the morning.
Until the end of September, Gardaland is open until eleven o'clock in the evening, in October it opens only on weekends. November becomes a break in work, and only with the onset of December does it open for several days in accordance with the January schedule.
Keep in mind that two hours before the end of the park, the ticket office closes.
Park zoning
If you look at the map of the Italian "Disneyland" - "Gardaland" - which is issued at the entrance, you will definitely notice that the entire vast territory of the park is divided into three zones:
- Amusement area
- aquarium
- two hotels.
It is interesting that the guests of these hotels receive all kinds of discounts on visiting the park. Sometimes they reach even seventy percent. In addition, check-in at the Gardaland hotel complex is very convenient for those people who plan to spend at least two days in the park.
It is noteworthy that on the map the entire territory is divided into color sectors. From them, you can determine what kind of entertainment is ahead of you. For example, the most tickling nerves of amusement rides are highlighted in red, and the adventure and historical sectors are highlighted in green. Zones with fantastic attractions for the youngest visitors are painted in blue.
Brief description of the amusement park: thematic sectors
Today, Gardaland in Italy is not only forty attractions gathered in one place, but also hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants and magnificent green alleys. The entire territory of the park is a real botanical garden, which is carefully looked after. Even in the hottest weather, there is where to hide from the scorching rays of the sun.
The park is divided into sixteen thematic zones:
- Atlantis.
- Middle Ages.
- Fantasy.
- Hawaii and so on.
In each zone there are attractions stylized for a certain topic, and they are divided into three categories: for toddlers, older children and adults.
The sector for babies is located at the very entrance to the park. Here, small visitors are met by a dinosaur, who has become a very popular comic book hero. In this area you can ride on trains and explore the park with the help of other attractions. Toddlers really like funny singing animals that draw them into their performance. Some are happy to travel through the maze and attend the Peter Pan ride.
Older children will find a lot of entertainment for themselves in Gardaland (Italy). The most popular is the Tunga ride. It is an incredible journey along the river, on the banks of which some kind of action takes place every minute. Visitors will see Tarzan, Mowgli and will be saved from the Indians. At the end of the journey, they are waiting for a picture of the capture of King Kong by the natives. Your children will not forget such an adventure yet. Also in this sector there are attractions with animated mummies, bloodthirsty pirates and other heroes of children's stories.
Adults at Gardaland are attracted by the opportunity to sip adrenaline. To this end, several versions of roller coasters and other exciting rides have been invented that will long be remembered with a trembling heart.
The most risky rides
For those who can’t imagine their life without the adrenaline rush, this section of the article can be very useful. After all, here we will name the most terrible attractions that are definitely worth a visit.
Park visitors often call the Blue Tornado the most exciting attraction. It is a steep rollercoaster with five flips, dead loops and hovering in the air.
Many are delighted with the Raptor. Visitors fall on a roller coaster located in the Lost World with an abundance of dinosaurs and other scary creatures that fall in the way of brave travelers.
Also recently, a new four-dimensional attraction has become increasingly popular. Visitors find themselves in a helicopter shot down by a dinosaur. They experience all the charms of the fall, during which terrible insects and other monstrous creatures attack them.
Gardaland: reviews of tourists
What do visitors to the park write about the time spent in it? Definitely all of them admire the Gardaland. Moreover, both children and adults who suddenly fall into a fairy tale express enthusiasm. Many write that even two days in the park is not enough to take a ride on all the rides and explore every corner of it. Therefore, be sure to visit the "Gardaland", once in Italy. Believe me, this park will give you a lot of unforgettable emotions.