Europa Park, Germany / License: Image author owned

Getting There

Europa Park is situated close to the A5 Autobahn 39 km north of Freiburg. It is a hassle free drive from the channel ports but if you wish to fly the park can be accessed from Basle and Karlsruhe airports both of which have shuttle buses to the park. Europa Park has a dedicated exit from the motorway and plenty of parking and so you will rarely be delayed on arrival in the area.

Layout

The park is ranged in areas themed on European countries and is beautifully landscaped. Each area features rides, attractions, restaurants and shops with something to please everyone in the family. The food is generally excellent, an uncommon occurrence in theme parks, and prices are surprising low for the quality of the food. There are plenty of places to relax and watch the world go by and a scenic lake in the centre of the park affords the opportunity for a pleasant walk when the rides have become too much!

Europa Park, Germany / License: Image author owned

Highlights

There is truly something for everyone at Europa Park. If you want peace and tranquillity you can explore gorgeous gardens with dancing fountains, beautiful woodlands or take a spin around the lake. There is an area dedicated to rides and attractions for small children and family favourites like the log flume and Fjord Rafting.  Serious roller coaster enthusiasts should check out the magnificent steel coaster Silver Star, the launch coaster Blue Fire and the incredible new woodie, Wodan which has the best queue line ever! If that is not enough thrills then there is also a bob sleigh ride, a coaster in the dark and the Matterhorn Blitz, a wild mouse ride with a unique twist at the start. Finally you will not believe Poseidon a visually stunning ride which is a roller coaster and water ride all in one. The best thing of all is that this park runs with relentless efficiency. The queues move quickly and the rides never seem to break down.

Accommodation

You will need more than one day to experience all of the attractions on offer and so an overnight stay will be required. Europa Park offers 5 beautiful themed hotels on site. The newest option is the Bell Rock hotel a masterpiece of New England styling with rooms that feature real wooden floors, oak furnishings and beds for children in the shape of boats. All of the hotels offer excellent dining, bars and entertainment. If the on-site hotels are beyond your budget there are numerous privately run local hotels which are very reasonably priced and are walking distance from the park.

Europa Park, Germany / License: Image author owned

Give it a try!

If you like theme parks and you haven’t visited Europe Park then give this place a try. I know of no other park which is run so well and offers such a fantastic range of attractions for everyone to enjoy. The hotels are superb and the prices very reasonable, there really isn’t a reason not to go.

Sally Stacey is an enthusiatic blogger and theme park fan currently writing on behalf of National Furniture who supllied the fantastic oak furnishings for her new bedroom inspired by the Bell Rock Hotel.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Marcel Janus

The area is popular tourist destination thanks to the beautiful countryside and unspoilt nature. Allgäu Alps with an altitude reaching more than 2000 metres above sea level are popular places for winter sports. Its highest point is Großer Krottenkopf with the hight of 2,656 metres above sea level, however, Nebelhorn is the most famous peak reaching an attidue of 2,224 metres.

Allgäu is one of the most popular tourist areas and winter resorts in Germany. For Alpine skiing lovers, there is a large selection of well groomed slopes – and it does not matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced skier with high demands. Most of the slopes are artificially cared and such they have enough snow until the end of March. After skiing you can drink in one of the cozy cottages, cafes and pubs, or lately at night in one of clubs.

You can choose from a number of skiing resorts that include Adelharz-Breitenstein Lifte, Alpsee Bergwelt, Balderschwang, Bolsterlang/Hornergruppe, Breitenberg, Buronlifte Wertach, Fellhorn – Kanzelwand, Grasgehrenlifte, Grunten, Halblech, Hornergruppe/Fischen, Hörnle, Hündle-Thalkirchdorf, Luggi-Leitner-Lifte Scheidegg, Oberjoch Bad Hindelang, Oberstdorf/ Nebelhorn, Oberstdorf/Sollereck – Hollwies, Ofterschwang, Scheidegg, Schwäbeleholz / Sonthofen, Steibis, Steibis-Hochgrat, Tegelberg, Thalerhöhe Skilifte, Weiler/Simmerberg.

In the eastern part of the Allgäu is located famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Allgäu is also known for the dairy industry. One of the best known product is Hirtenkäse – herdsman’s cheese.

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Oberstdorf is the gateway to the five ski areas (Nebelhorn, Söllereck, Fellhorn / Kanzelwand, Ifen, Walmendingerhorn) which together have “only” 50 km of slopes, but this may just be ideal for a long weekend.

Right above the city rises 2224 metres high mountain of Nebelhorn with the skiing season lasting until May. It is a good place for snowboarders and freestyle enthusiasts. On the other side, six kilometers from the city you can get into the main and largest site of Fellhorn / Kanzelwand that overflows to the Austrian valley Kleinwalsertal. It offers a nice mix of shorter and longer rugged trails with modern comfortable lifts.

Söllereck and Ifen offers rather easier descents and are suitable especially for families with children. The smallest of the local centres is Walmendingerhorn primarily offering a unique experience of skiing in deep snow.

Oberstdorf is naturally very attractive, from Nebelhorn you can enjoy amazing views of 400 Alpine peaks.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by BildSpracheundCo.de

Fares are different in each of five centres, e.g. one-day ski pass to Nebelhorn will cost €37.50 for adults and €14 for children. In the centre of Ifen you will pay €32 for adults and €14 for children.

Oberstdorf ski resort offers all kinds of services at the highest level including spa and wellness activities, rich cultural program and great restaurants and bars. Right on the slopes you will find children’s areas, fun parks, several snowboard parks and a range of extreme sports. Practically under each lift you will find parking place, but you can travel by skibus for free. In addition, a resort offers the longest downhill slope in Germany.

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Photo by Zugspitze.de

The resort in the valley of Loisach river offers a completely ideal ski conditions and hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1936, World Cup in downhill skiing in 1978, FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2011 and many others. It is ideal both for lovers of challenging downhill skiing as well as cross-country skiers. In addition, Garmisch-Partenkirchen resort offers a skating track, slopes for alpine skiing and other winter sports.

Popular resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is divided into two areas; Garmisch Classic and Zugspitze.

Garmisch Classic has 40 kilometers of slopes at an altitude ranging from 700m to 2050m and consists of winding slopes leading below the peaks Hausberg, Kreuzjoch and Osterfelderkopf. Here you find both family slopes and killer black slope called Kandahar, which is the most difficult slope of all in the area.

Slopes on the Zugspitze glacier are situated at an altitude ranging from 2050m – 2962m and are mostly red, nicely rugged. The peak of the highest German mountain offers spectacular views over the surrounding Alpine peaks. Since this area is situated on the glacier, it provides a good snow conditions from November to May

Photo by Zugspitze.de

Ski pass prices and opening hours
You can buy Top Snow Card which allows you to use the extended range of up to 87 lifts in 215 km of slopes in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen resort and the wider area. Two-day ticket costs €72,50 for adults and €43,50 for children from 6 to 15 years. Seven-day card costs €218 and €131 for children.

The area also offers a top-level service and luxury hotels and atmosphere of a real mountain resort. You can find here also a ski school, rental equipment and a variety of wellness services.

For further information visit Zugspitze.de.

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You will really enjoy your staying at Bad Füssing. It is Europe’s most popular spa resort in the Bavarian golf and thermal area. You will find here thousand of wellness possibilities, which help you with rheumatism, problems with joints and back or other problems.

The medicinal spring with a sulfur content at the temperature of 56 °C, which gushes from a depth of 1000 meters, have according to the opinions of many guests, scientists and doctors incomparable natural healing power.

An offer of the medical and therapeutic services in Bad Füssing is immense, ranging from Chinese medical practices to top medicine. Many local health experts help each guest and prepare an optimal plan for the health program or holidays.

Like many others, also mentioned services are for the guests staying in Bad Füssing provided for free. The guests can also attend more than 1,500 cultural events such as concerts, lectures and exhibitions for free as well.

Relax simply from stress and bustle of everyday life in one of the most popular areas of the European spa. Here you can even find first potato sauna in Europe or other more than 1,000 wellness activities.

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You cannot miss Europa-Park as the Silver Star – the tallest steel roller coaster in Europe is visible from far away. Do not be fooled, nor discourage from the inclusion of the amusement parks. What you’ll see and experience here at the 85 hectares, you certainly not enjoy anywhere else. Fantasy worlds are waiting for you to be discovered!

You can try the rapid ride through the Greek antiquity on the water roller coaster Poseidon, or shocking Silver Star with a top speed of around 130 km/h, or an expedition into the world of dinosaurs.

Europa-Park provides hundreds of attractions and a great show not only for the kids but also for the adults. You can get into the train that take you from one fairy tale to another fairy tale and passes through the town of Rust.

Europa-Park is one big city, composed of twelve districts, which follow and bring atmosphere of the selected European countries. The main gate to welcome you to Germany, and take you to a panoramic train. France invites you to an ultra-fast single-track Silver Star, where you usually waste an hour in the queue. Swiss will sit you on the bobsleigh track. Norwegians throw you into the rubber rafts in the vortex of a wild river bed. Russians offer traditional tunes and fables with scenes of pagodas, and you can also visit the space station MIR, where the centrifugal force tries the resistance of the space candidates. Dutch people will sit you into porcelain tea cups and spin in a wild circular motion.

You can feel free to let your children explore the world of dinosaurs, play on the pirate ships, seek the treasure or watch knights jousting while you enjoy the charms of European countries. You will distinguish them easily from each other according to the typical architecture and culture, but also by shops, restaurants, delicacies and visage of staff in different parts of the park. You can walk through Spain in the beat of the flamenco, try paella and then go e.g. to Italy. In Café Benedeta you can taste a cup of coffee, while enjoying magic of Venice Carnival. In Holland you can buy great chocolate to your children. The ladies probably get lost in France during a visit boutiques and fashion shops. You can then meet in a bar Marianne and take a glass of real champagne.

However you can pass Europa-Park in one day, we recommend you to take 2 days for it. During the day you can watch the exciting contest of gladiators, dancing on ice, visit London’s Globe Theatre, or a medieval jousting tournament, but the park is alive at night as well!

In the program you can choose from a Spanish fiesta “Viva la Vida”, the German knight’s banquet, an evening with a French cook in the bar La Cigale, or sitting at La Scala and listening to Caruso and his friends…

In Europa-Park you can enjoy a memorable gourmet dinner with cultural program, simply select a country to which you desire! Stylish performances do not end the show in the evening, it continues even in local hotels that are full of inspiring experiences and dreams. For example, you can stay overnight in the Colosseo, Santa Isabel, El Andaluz, or in an Indian village.

Europa-Park is open 09.04.2011 – 06.11.2011 from 9 am to 6 pm (extended opening hours during peak season). 2 day ticket for adults costs €67, for children (4-11 years) costs €59,50. For children under 4 there is free entry.

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There are several sport games during Olympics where everyone can join (if you reserve places in advance) e.g.:

• Mud Football
• Mud Tug-o-war
• Mud cycling
• Mud volleyball
• Mud Handball
• Mud skiing
• Mud snorkeling and much more

The dates for 2011 are the weekend of July 23rd with the music festival on Saturday 23rd July and the Mud Olympics on Sunday 24th July.

These are the German mud olympics; “Wattolümpiade Brunsbüttel” The most popular event is mud football. There’s also mud skiing and bicycle races. Prizes are provided for sporting performances, prizes are awarded in such bizarre categories as Funniest Team Name, Best Fans, and Funniest Team.

If you want to see the craziest mud festival in Europe, do not miss this opportunity.

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You can see thousands of small people, Scouts on the streets. weddings or people on strike. Within minutes you walk through Finland, Hamburg, Germany, The Alps and Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia or America. All Miniature Wonderland is divided into six sections (southern Germany, Hamburg, America, Switzerland, Scandinavia and the airport). In addition, France and Italy sections are in preparation and you can watch the modelers and technicians at work. Day and night is changing there in 20 minute intervals.

The whole world of Miniature Wonderland does not include only trains, but there are also computer-controlled running cars or a sailing ship. But the Miniature Wonderland is not just about transport but also about people. You can find here humans in almost every real situation, from work to entertainment. Furthermore, the world contains domestic and wild animals.

You can also see flying planes and even UFOs. As in the real world there are days and nights and sometimes the wind blows. From time to time you can see some accident or fire.

Opening Times at Miniatur Wunderland
Open 365 days a year;
Daily – 09.30 to 18.00
Tuesdays – 09.30 to 21.00
Saturdays – 08.00 to 21.00
Sundays and Bank Holidays – 08.30 to 20.00

Basic adult admission is €10 and children pay €5. It is recommended to book the tickets before your visit.

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When you come to Therme Erding for the first time, you really be just staring. The amount of attraction is incredible, there are slides, sauna, salt caves, bars, massages, restaurants, waterfalls and geysers with palm trees… Moreover, everything is perfectly clean, organized, imaginative.

Spa was opened in October 3, 1999 and has already hosted more than 10 million visitors, which regularly takes care of 600 employees. At peak times you can meet there up to ten thousand people a day and they all go here with one goal. Enjoy the hot spring emanating from a depth of 2350 meters below ground, at 63 degrees Celsius. The medicinal effect, which is accepted by the state, is useful for all who have problems with joints, spine, rheumatism, skin diseases or are after trauma.

Gigantic thermal world covers an area of 145,000 m2 and consists of five mutually separated, but still closely connected parts. You can buy ticket to each part separately, but definitely worth to take a ticket for the whole area.

Probably the biggest attraction in Therme Erding is its sauna paradise. On 13.000 m2 you can enjoy 25 saunas, designed like a world tour. Each sauna is dedicated to a particular country. In Britain you can find Celtic waterfalls and sauna with space sky at Stonehenge. In Italy there are Roman baths, etc… It just depends on your taste, and visit Bavaria, Spain, India or North Africa…

In Sauna pavilion you will find lots of naked people, who enjoy swimming at the world’s best dipping.

Admission to all parts of the Therme Erding (in VitalOase and Saunaparadies from 16 years only) per adult per day is 34EUR, on holidays and weekends to pay 4EUR more. Children under 3 are admitted free.

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Magnificent Tropical Islands water park can be found in Krausnick, Germany, about 60 km southeast of Berlin. It can accommodate over 6600 people at once and the fun can lasts without any interruptions as aquapark is never closed! Tropical Islands complex is open nonstop and offers also an overnight stay. You can sleep in cabins, tents or on a sun lounger on the beach.

It is suitable for the lovers of warm weather and water sports. The air temperature at the water park is about 30°C and the water in the lagoon has 32°C. It is ideal both for young people as well as families with children. You can meet here mothers with strollers, teenagers, but also pensioners who are coming here especially due to a wide selection of luxury saunas.

You can get warm in luxury and Europe’s largest sauna complex, which won the quality awards from Deutsche Saunabund (German Sauna Association).

Tropical Islands complex is built in a huge hall, which formerly belonged to the Soviet Air Force and was intended for production of airships. No airship, however, has been made here. The surrounding land and a hall have been bought for €17.5 million Euro by Malaysian company Tanjong, who turned a hall into the tropical park with rainforest, sandy beaches, a lagoon and the sea (large pool), waterfalls, whirlpools, saunas, water slides and other attractions.

The water in aquapark is perfectly clear and its quality is comparable to drinking water thanks to the latest technology of cleaning with ozone filtration. For hygiene reasons swimming pools are also made of stainless steel.

Rainforest

The rainforest is situated in the middle of the complex and the trail leading through it is nearly one kilometre long. While walking through the forest you can see many tropical and carnivorous plants, banana trees, coffee shrubs, and more. You can see a fish or water turtles in water. It is a pleasant walk. Rainforest in Tropical Islands has over 50 thousand trees, shrubs and plants.

Bali Lagoon

Romantic Bali lagoon, covering an area of ​​1200 square meters, offers ideal conditions for swimming and relaxation in the water with temperature of 32°C. Next to the lagoon are two minor children’s waterslides, two whirlpools, a waterfall or current canal. Bali Lagoon is beautifully illuminated at night and swimming is possible even at night.

If you decide to stay overnight at the Bali Lagoon be aware of the noisy waterfall that falls directly into the lagoon. For those who like a quiet night it is recommended to stay on the beach.

Sauna complex

Saunas are really amazing in the Tropical Islands. The entire sauna complex has 6 sections with different types of saunas. You can use a steam bath, dry sauna, spa baths or radiant heat rooms. Sauna complex also offers a wide range of massage treatments including traditional massage, Thai massage and healing mud baths.

Entry in all saunas and whirlpools is prohibited in swimsuit. It is recommended to move only with a towel or bathrobe throughout the sauna complex.

Tropical Sea

Tropical Sea (large pool) with its 28 °C, is four degrees colder than the water in the Bali lagoon. Around the sea is a beautiful sandy beach of fine sand. You can spread a blanket and sunbathe during sunny days, as the sunlight passes through the huge glass wall, so do not forget to take sunscreen with you. In the sea you can snorkel, swim with fins or play with a ball. The sea as well as the lagoon are not very deep.

From the beach you can watch the evening shows that take place on the pier in the middle of the sea. The shows are organized every day from 19:00.

How much does it cost?

Two days and one night in the Tropical Islands water park costs €45 for one person (children have discounts). If you would like to enter also Sauna Paradise, it is better to buy combined ticket in the price of €37.50 + overnight charge of €15.00, plus there’s what you spend on food, drinks and souvenirs. Lunch or dinner costs in average €11 and a beer €3.20.

The tickets are sold only once here and it does not matter if you stay one day or a week. Each additional night spent in the complex will then costs €10. The parking space is free here as well as the shuttle service to railway station.

Camping at Tropical Islands

You can stay in the five-star camping at Tropical Islands which offers a view of aquapark, free shuttle bus service (however camping is right next to aquapark so in fact you will not need it). The advantage of camping is that you just need to pay one admission to Tropical Islands, every additional day is free.

For further information visit the official site of Tropical Islands

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