An aquapark is not simply an amusement park with water attractions and water play areas for kids and teenagers to gather, but it also provides the opportunity for adults to spend the day in a unique environment surrounded by cafes, bars, beach tents, and entertainment.
There are many aquaparks in Barcelona and throughout the country that are open from May to October. It is important to find the option that suits you and your family perfectly, so that your leisure time will be full of interesting activities and unforgettable moments. There is no doubt that PortAventura, which lies close to the Catalonian capital, is the most popular amusement park. In the close vicinity, one also can visit Costa Caribe, the park with the highest free fall water slide in Europe. The park also has an area for the youngest visitors under the roof of a two-level swimming pool. Another famous aquapark, Illa Fantasia, is a 30-minute drive from Barcelona in the coastal town of Vilassar de Dalt. This aquapark offers comfortable, free parking. Aquopolis is a park located in Costa Dorada that also has a dolphinarium. The aquapark closest to Barcelona is Marineland, which also functions as a sea zoo with seals and exotic birds. During the hottest summer days, there is no better place than a park with water attractions offering refreshing coolness, splashes, fun, and bright cocktails.
Illa Fantasia
Barcelona Illa Fantasia aquapark boasts over 20 modern slides and 3 giant swimming pools. The attractions include 3 lanes of multi-track, speed-escalating water slides from a height of 20 meters and “Zig Zags” with a classical descent along three different slides with varying speeds. These are especially popular among visitors. Here, one also can enjoy “Kamikazes,” eighteen-meter high tubes that offer an extremely fast descent at a speed of up to 60 km per hour. This aquatic attraction is considered the most extreme in Europe. For those who are fond of beach leisure time, there is a huge swimming-pool lake, a wave pool, and “The Garden of Earthly Delights” with fountains and water sculptures. The best attractions for kids include the 10-meter long “Supertobogan,” the straight surface slide, and the spiral slides of “Espirotub.” The smallest guests are welcome to take advantage of tiny (no more than a meter high) “Minitous” with a shallow pool.
In addition to the slide attractions, Ille Fantasia offers 2 restaurants and numerous cafeterias that serve burgers, pizzas, classical paella, coffee, and, of course, ice cream. Also, on the grounds of this aquapark, one can find a supermarket and a picnic space equipped with tables and barbecues, where families are welcome to enjoy their own homemade food in close proximity to the attractions. Beach fans will be happy to know that lounge chairs, showers, and a medical center are also included. As with other attraction parks, visitors can take advantage of the park’s photo services to make personalized souvenirs.
Для поклонников пляжа есть шезлонги и души, работает медицинский центр. Как в любом парке аттракционов, здесь есть фотосервис, так чтобы никто не ушел без сувенира со своим портретом. В июле и августе в парке часто проходят концерты и шоу Aquasound, а также ночные мероприятия.
The entrance fee for adults is 28 euros, for children 17 euros, and for children under 0.90m, the entrance is free. Very often, the park organizes promotional campaigns, during which a group or a family consisting of more than three persons can purchase entrance passes with a significant discount. In July and August, the park often holds Aquasound concerts and shows as well as overnight events. The easiest way to reach the park is to take Plaza Catalunya, Arc del Triomf, El Clot, or Barcelona Sants Estacio to Premia de Mar station. From Premia de Mar, take a bus offered free of charge by the park to your final destination. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the park.
- Address: Finca Mas Brasso, s/n, 08339 Vilassar de Dalt, Barcelona.
- Working hours: понедельник – воскресенье, с 10.00 до 19.00.
- Website: www.illafantasia.com
PortAventura
Everyone who lives near Barcelona at least has heard about PortAventura aquapark located not far from Barcelona. It is a huge park that consists of several theme zones. Here, you will have the chance to travel to China, the Wild West, Polynesia, other Mediterranean countries, Mexico, and Sesame Street. In addition to aquatic attractions, this park boasts standard attractions as well, although the word “standard” hardly can be applied to PortAventura. Tourists from all over the world know about the legendary attraction Dragon Khan, a gigantic wheel that rotates at extremely high speed around its own axis and that has acquired tremendous popularity from the photos of people who dare to ride it. Everywhere you will see the same facial expression when the most extreme attraction in Europe starts rotating. Even those waiting in line for their turn have an over-the-top adrenaline level. There are many other places in the park that boost the adrenaline, including the 15-meter high “El Tifon” slides, a journey with unexpected obstacles along a 1500-meter long, artificial river called “El Rio Loco,” a wave pool known as “El Triangulo de las Bermudas,” and an exact replica of the island, “Bahama Beach.”
Young visitors to the aqua park are welcome to enjoy a closed swimming pool and a water castle called “Junior Body Slides.” Also, the children will surely love “La Laguna de Woody,” an open swimming pool featuring the legendary Disney woodpecker, which is also a symbol for the park. Every zone of PortAventura boasts restaurants that correspond with the respective themes. Thus, a focaccia restaurant, a “Reggae Café,” a hamburger joint, and ice cream shops are among the amenities of the park. In the aquatic section, visitors also can find a shop for beach and cruise clothing.
The entrance fee to the one of the best aquatic parks of Barcelona is 29 euros for adults and 25 euros for children from 4 to 10 years and for visitors from 60 years of age and up. The purchase of a ticket enables you to spend the whole day in the park. If you wish to spend several days to experience all the attractions, there is an option to buy a ticket for 2 or 3 days. It is possible to get to PortAventura by way of a train that departs from Estacio Sants. Recently, AVE high-speed trains to the park have been launched as well. By high-speed train, you will need to choose an AVE train that travels in the direction of Tarragona.
- Address: Av. Pere Molas, km 2, 43840 Vila-seca, Tarragona.
- Working hours: Monday-Sunday, from 10:00 until 0:00
- Website: www.portaventuraworld.com
Aquopolis
This park is home to the famous attraction, “Boomerang,” a vertical drop over the water from a height of 10 meters that resembles a V-shaped skaters’ slope. Just recently, the “Gran Kahuna” was opened for surfers; this area is totally trauma-free due to the unique fabric of the walls. Plus, surfers can enjoy all the advantages of buggy surfing here. Children will love “Funny Jungles” mini-park and play zone, along with a small slide featuring a giant turtle on top. The park’s amenities also include a golf bar, burger bar, cafes, and a Hawaiian restaurant. Visitors may bring their own food to the park, although glass containers and cans are prohibited. Aquopolis is also one of the very few aquaparks of Barcelona with a dolphinarium. Young visitors will love the performances featuring dolphins and seals, especially since children are allowed to pet these animals and play a little bit with them.
Tickets are much cheaper if purchased in advance. Advance tickets will cost you 14.90 euros. Buying the ticket one day before visiting the park will cost 27.95 euros for adults and 19.95 for kids. You can reach the aquapark by way of the bus to La Pineda, or by way of the train that circulates to Salou, followed by buses 4, 47, or 3.
- Address: Passeig de Pau Casals, 65, 43480 Platja de la Pineda.
- Working hours: individual schedule, consult the website
- Website:www.costa-dorada.aquopolis.es
To avoid wasting time during your vacation and instead concentrate completely on enjoying yourself and your family, you can contact the professionals to take charge of all questions and issues related to the organization of your leisure time. INEEDSpain is always ready to help you choose the best way to spend your vacations, order tickets, or develop a customized itinerary. For a consultation, please contact us by the phone number or e-mail indicated on the main page of our website.