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LANDMARKS THE WORLD
A THRILL A MINUTE
What’s new at some of our favourite amusement parks around the world
by Cara Greenberg
Nothing says summer like roller coasters, waterslides and other adrenaline-rush-inducing thrill rides. From the most extreme to the enduring classics of childhood memory, these nine parks deliver. Step right up for summer fun!
PortAventura
Salou, Spain
This seaside park, an hour from Barcelona, recently expanded to the tune of $90 million, adding exciting new features. The park’s Himalaya-theme Shambhala coaster is the tallest and fastest on the continent (83 miles an hour); and the water toboggan King Khajuna is Europe’s highest, at 10 stories. Gentler souls can drift in tubes down the lazy river in the new Costa Caribe Aquatic Park section.
portaventura.co.uk; adults AU$79, kids AU$69*
Tivoli Gardens
Copenhagen, Denmark
A national treasure since 1843, Tivoli is an amusement park with two dozen rides as well as a lake and gardens, all packed into 21 acres in central Copenhagen. The big news for 2014 was the restoration of the century-old wooden roller coaster. But this venerable park keeps up with the times, as evidenced by Aquila, a state-of-the-art ride unleashing four g’s of centrifugal force on riders.
tivoli.dk; admission AU$23, kids under 8 free
Europa-Park
Rust, Germany
Go eye level with ladybugs in the new Arthur: In the Minimoys Kingdom, the largest indoor attraction added to Germany’s behemoth theme park since it opened in 1975. Mammoth ants and bees and skyscraping blades of grass turn detailed scenes from French film titan Luc Besson’s fantasy saga Arthur and the Invisibles into a dream universe. Of course, the 210-acre park has some fantastic roller coasters among its 100-plus attractions, like the Blue Fire, its first coaster with inversions. europapark.de; adults AU$72, kids AU$65
Tivoli Gardens
Copenhagen, Denmark
10 JANUARY 2017