If you think about an amusement park and Barcelona, you will probably think of the Tibidabo, a beautiful little park located in the mountain of the same name, where you can go have fun with all the family and give your children a special day among all the sightseeing of your vacation. But did you know that there is another amusement park that is much, much bigger and that could make the trip truly unforgettable for your children too? We're talking about Port Aventura, a huge entertainment resort located just a short trip from Barcelona, in the province of Tarragona.
Port Aventura counts with over 3 million visitors a year, and for a good reason. It is one of the main attractions of the Costa Daurada (Golden Coast), the beautiful yellow shore of southern Catalonia. Port Aventura has had quite the history since it was inaugurated in 1995, more than 20 years ago. In 1997, it was acquired by Universal, although it was resold again in 2004, and would be resold a few times after that. But, whoever owns it, Port Aventura is still thriving and growing, and still welcomes thousands of children every week.
If you've never heard about this giant theme park, keep reading these lines, especially if you're thinking about visiting Barcelona. It's just an hour away, and it may change your plans a little bit. Port Aventura is well worth dedicating a day ¬?and your kids will probably agree with that!
We all know now that Port Aventura is an amusement park, but did you know that it is also a theme park? It was conceived as a cluster of worlds based on real civilisations around the world, current or old. Those six worlds are built in detail so they reproduce recognisable characteristics of those worlds, thus guaranteeing a total immersion of the visitors. The attractions and spectacles are, of course, framed inside the world where they are located or take place. Let's take a tour!
When you enter the park, you will be welcomed by the Mediterrània, an area designed after a typical Catalan seaside town, with beautiful ports and a station from which you can take a boat tour or a train tour of the park respectively. It's not big in attractions, but it has many shops. The main attraction is the accelerator coaster Furious Baco, which opened in 2007.
From Mediterrània, you can take your map and walk anywhere in the park. You can go to Mexico, which is based on the Mayan civilisation and has many shows and spectacles, including the attraction-show Templo del Fuego (Temple of Fire), which will make you feel like Indiana Jones. There is also the Far West, that will bring you back to the western films you've seen so much on TV, and the Polynesia, which is quite small and big in water attractions. And let's not forget about the biggest and most majestic world, China, which is styled after Imperial China and the Great Wall.
In 2011, a new world was inaugurated in Port Aventura: SesamoAventura, dedicated for the youngest ones in the family and populated with the characters of Sesame Street. Are you ready to meet Elmo?
A theme park as big as Port Aventura sure has all sorts of attractions, both in target and kind. There are water attractions, roller-coasters, fair-like attractions, 3D, 4D and interactive attractions... The fun is guaranteed to everyone, whatever their preferences. Of course, there are attractions also for different ages, some dedicated to the little ones and some others for teenagers and adults, usually with a minimum of height required. There are also promenade-like attractions, that are dedicated to move around the park or to get to enjoy the beautiful and detailed surroundings. Those who aren't too keen on yelling their lungs out on the rollercoasters and the loops can also enjoy their time in Port Aventura!
Let's take a look at the most popular attractions of the park:
Port Aventura Park gets all the fame, but, in fact, Port Aventura World has other entertainment options besides this great theme park. We're going to talk extensively about Port Aventura Park, so how about we tell you a little bit more about the other two? Yes ?two!
The first secondary park is Port Aventura Caribe Aquatic Park, a water park where you can have exciting fun with water slides and pools, a wonderful option for all the family! But this is no ordinary water park ?you can't imagine the number of different slides, bump slides and tube slides it has! There are some dedicated to the littlest ones in the family, like Woody's Lagoon, the Junior Body Slides or the Pirate Galleon, and others that will provide a thrilling experience to teenagers and adults, such as the King Khajuna or the Mambo Limbo, among others. Of course, there are beaches that go along the theme of the park, the Caribbean, such as the Bahama Beach, the Paradise Beach or the Sesame Beach, perfect to chill with the whole family. And let's not forget about the special Bermuda Triangle, where you will be able to jump to uncanny waves. The Caribe Aquatic Park is perfect for the summer, but remember that the summer is always longer in the coast of Catalonia, and that it's also open during more seasons of the year. Don't forget to check out the schedule before buying your Port Aventura online tickets!
The last park of the three is quite the news, since it has recently been inaugurated! So if you're into amusement parks this might be the best moment to plan a long trip to Barcelona and its surroundings. Your children will surely agree to do so! This new park is called Port Aventura Ferrari Land, a new amusement park where Ferrari cars will be the main protagonists. There is still much to discover about it, but we already know that it will have the highest and fastest rollercoaster in the world, with an acceleration of 0 to 180 km per hour in only 5 seconds. Port Aventura World is going to break records again, as it did with the Dragon Khan more than 20 years ago. If you like to play with adrenaline, go visit Port Aventura Ferrari Land!
If you decide to dedicate one day to this paradise of fun, you can now plan everything with GowithOh! We offer Port Aventura online tickets for the park, for the train, and, of course, combined Port Aventura online tickets for all!
There is a Regional Express train that goes straight to Port Aventura and that will leave you there in a little bit more than an hour. You can buy the Port Aventura online tickets with us, and we recommend to take a look at the schedules so you don't miss the last train to go back to Barcelona!
Of course, you can also buy your Port Aventura online tickets to enter all two parks that are working right now, and also for Ferrari Land in the future. There are different ticket combinations, including combined tickets for both parks, or tickets for two or three days. Some times of the year, it is also possible to buy night Port Aventura online tickets ?and you can do so with GowithOh as well. There are discounts for children and the elderly, and also for people with special needs.
In all the parks of Port Aventura World you will find all the services you need to have the best possible day with your family. Besides the attractions, you will find plenty of themed restaurants and cafés, photography services and, of course, plenty of shops where you can buy souvenirs for your loved ones and a little memento for the kids. There is also a part in Port Aventura where you will find plenty of arcade-like games where you can also be lucky enough to get a souvenir. Besides, you can also buy special Port Aventura online tickets to avoid the queues, which can be very long in the holidays.
And now that we mention the holidays, did you know that Port Aventura has special season events? The park is always decorated for the occasion during Christmas or Halloween, one of the times where it receives the most visits. So if you're travelling to Barcelona in autumn, Port Aventura should be an option to consider! Of course, the park plans special spectacles and parades for those times as well.
Are you ready to travel to Port Aventura, or to any other of the amazing options of the surroundings of Barcelona? Then count on us to help you organise your trip, as our motto is to help you make the most out of your travels!