Underrated theme park is 'one of the best in Europe' with small queues

Holiday season has well and truly arrived, as spring has sprung and daylight savings times has made its return.

As seeing the sun becomes less of a rarity, many will have began to jump online and start planning their summer getaways.

It could be anything from a tropical holiday to staycations, or just a simple weekend escape, but 'tis the season to travel and bask in the heat.

Located in Verona, Italy, is what looks to be a hidden gem for many Brits seeking the thrills and spills of a good theme park.

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Considered one of the best in Europe, it is held in a similar vein that Thorpe Park, Alton Towers and Legoland are held in here.

With numerous exciting rollercoasters, small queues compared to most, and having the stunning backdrop of the largest lake in Italy - Lake Garda - it's a shock that many haven't heard of it before.

Opened in 1975, the theme park is also owned by British company Merlin entertainments, who own the Legoland franchise and the biggest theme parks in the UK, adding more question as to why you may not have heard from it more.

Sat in the north east of Italy, the magical place is called Gardaland, named affectionately after the lake it faces.

Spires of the rollercoasters can be spotted from afar, as they make up the skyline of a park that is 64 acres large.

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Despite those in the UK being slightly oblivious to the park, it turns out that Gardaland welcomes around three million visitors a year, doubling the total of Thorpe Park.

There are rides here to suit everyone, whatever the age, and it even has the Tripadvisor seal of approval, ranking as one of Europe's top 10 theme parks on the site.

The theme park opened the first ever Jumanji-themed attraction in 2022, called 'Jumanji: The Adventure', costing around €20 million (£16 million) to construct.

Inspired by the movie franchise of the same name that features Hollywood stars like Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Jack Black, the ride allows groups to sit in six-person vehicles and explore the depths of the jungle in a Jumanji-style adventure.

This ride uses Augmented Reality to amplify the experience, with there even being a room of mirrors where guests see themselves as avatars, just like the film.

As well as this, Gardaland also opened Peppa Pig Land as one for the kids, adding to other attractions like the Kung Fu Panda Academy.

The theme park also boasts a hotel if you want to make your stay a longer one, and offers castle stylings and several themed rooms to excite the family.

Finally, Gardaland is also home to Legoland Water Park, taking another step up from the regular Legoland you may have seen in the UK, UAE, USA and more.

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It will cost you more than a regular ticket to get into that section, but with attractions like the Lego River Adventure, where guests can construct their own ride, and Beach party and Duplo splash, to take in the Italian sun and give guests creative tools to soak each other with, these are just the tip of the iceberg.

With tickets starting from £33.50 for a day, or just £40 for a two-day pass, the website gives extensive instructions on how to get there if it's your first time too.

So, why not take a trip to north east Italy this summer and work this in for a day or two?

Topics: Travel, Holiday, Theme Park

Joshua Nair

Joshua Nair is a journalist at LADbible. Born in Malaysia and raised in Dubai, he has always been interested in writing about a range of subjects, from sports to trending pop culture news. After graduating from Oxford Brookes University with a BA in Media, Journalism and Publishing, he got a job freelance writing for SPORTbible while working in marketing before landing a full-time role at LADbible. Unfortunately, he's unhealthily obsessed with Manchester United, which takes its toll on his mental and physical health. Daily.

@joshnair10