Amusement Parks: Fun for all the family on the Costa Blanca

As we have already seen in previous articles, Spain offers an endless range of leisure options, but for those seeking fun for all the family Amusement Parks are an excellent choice. In this article we will take a look at some of the best the Costa Blanca has to offer.

The hotspot is Benidorm, as it is here that most of these attractions are to be found. This city is home to leading amusement parks such as Terra Mitica, Terra Natura, Mundomar, Aqualandia and Aqua Natura.

Terra Mitica, together with PortAventura in Tarragona (Catalonia), is the only real theme park on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. In a setting based on the ancient Mediterranean civilizations, Terra Mitica is divided into 5 large areas representing Greece, Egypt, the Roman Empire, Iberia and The Islands. Each of these areas offers a multitude of rides, shows, restaurants and other services which will make your visit an unforgettable experience.

For those who love extreme thrills, Terra Mitica offers outstanding rides which combine height and speed to challenge even the most daring. Magnus Colossus is the longest roller coaster in Europe, reaching speeds of 100 km/h, with falls from a height of 35 metres and an acceleration force of 2 g. The Flight of the Phoenix offers a 54 metre free-fall at a speed of 100 Km/h. Tizona, Inferno and Synkope complete the rides for the most adventurous.

Terra Mitica also offers some great water rides. Benidorm enjoys a sunny climate all year round and these rides, as well as being fun, are also extremely refreshing and help visitors to withstand the high temperatures, especially in summer. All the areas of the park offer these rides, including Triton’s Fury, the Rapids of Argos and Falls of the Nile.

Families visiting Terra Mitica love the fact that the park offers lots of specific activities and rides for children. For example, the large rides such as Magnus Colossus or the Flight of the Phoenix have miniature replicas so that smaller children can experience the same sensations as the older members of the family but, of course, adapted to their age.

Another popular attraction are the shows and street animation held in each of the areas of the park. More than 80 daily shows are held in the open air or in specially prepared spaces for scenic tricks. In addition to these events, other temporary shows are held all year round. Examples of these are the High School Musical and Fame shows in July and August respectively. And now, from 9 October to 2 November, horror comes alive at Terra Mitica with a special, fun-filled Halloween party.

Finally, we should highlight the fact that Terra Mitica is continuously evolving and offers innovations every year to guarantee a more interesting visit, adding new rides, shows and leisure areas to satisfy the most demanding of visitors. The latest addition is Ocionia, a leisure and entertainment area which is totally independent from the Benidorm theme park. Admission to Ocionia is free and the star attraction is Atalaya, a complex adventure circuit located next to the entrance filled with zipwires, Tibetan bridges, rock climbing circuits, etc. where both young and old can test their skills.

Terra Mitica is open from early March to the beginning of December. For more information visit www.terramiticapark.com

Nature lovers will also find a wide range of wildlife parks in Benidorm. The largest is Terra Natura, a new-generation wildlife park where you can discover the “Zooimmersion” experience, a new concept in habitat design which allows you to come into contact with the animals with almost invisible barriers. The park’s 320,000 square metres are home to over 1,500 animals from 200 different species and the excellent work carried out by their keepers has enabled some species in serious danger of extinction to be bred in captivity.

Terra Natura is divided into four themed areas, Pangea, America, Asia and Europe, each of which is filled with the area’s native fauna and flora.

The park also offers a range of shows and visitors can see the flight of birds of prey, ride a dromedary, feed wild animals or take in a musical show set in extraordinarily beautiful surroundings.

Each of the areas of the park has a wide range of restaurants and bars where you can buy snacks, sample a wide selection of menus or à la carte options.

Terra Natura is open all year round. For more information on opening times and entrance fees, visit www.terranatura.com.

Mundomar is another of Benidorm’s nature parks. Smaller than Terra Natura, it specializes in marine and exotic animals. Of particular interest are the live shows with dolphins, sea lions and parrots.

For smaller children Mundomar has a playground with slides, nets, ramps and a wide range of attractions for the younger members of the family.

We recommend visiting www.mundomar.es to see what this very special nature park has to offer.

To round off the wide range of attractions on the Costa Blanca, the area offers a number of water parks, the most important of which are Aqualandia (Benidorm), Aqua Natura (Benidorm), Aquopolis (Torrevieja) and Aquapark (Ciudad Quesada, Rojales).

Water parks are the perfect option for an enjoyable, fun day out in summer or even in spring. The Costa Blanca’s warm Mediterranean climate means they are open from mid-April to the beginning of October. All these parks offer very similar water rides which range from relaxing wave pools, to fun-filled “Rapids” or large “Kamikaze” slides, which reach great speeds and are only for most adventurous. Of course, all the water parks offer a number of children’s pools and attractions as well as large green areas where you can sunbathe and rest and picnic areas.

Whatever option you choose, you will be sure to have great fun. Whenever you take a family holiday, a visit to one or more of the Costa Blanca’s amusement parks is a must. The facilities and level of service will satisfy even the most demanding and all comply with the established quality standards.