Theme parks in Italy

What do you think of when you think of a family holiday in Italy? Perhaps strolling around the city sights in Rome, sampling pizza in Sorrento or wandering the art galleries in Florence come to mind. These are great activities but children can sometimes want a little more excitement on their vacation and so you’ll be pleased to read that Italy has some of the greatest theme parks in Europe, with rides, activities and games to suit a wide range of ages, including adults!

Here is our ultimate guide to the theme parks in Italy that make for a great day out on a family vacation.

Rome

Rainbow MagicLand is just 20 minutes from Rome in Valmontone and has a range of rides to enjoy, including gentle rides for young children, such as the Carousel and Pixie River, and thrilling rollercoasters for teenagers, including Shock and the Horror House. There are also water-based rides, such as river rapids.

There are four themed restaurants on-site (The Castle, The Belvedere, Domus Aurea and Boccondivino), which create a magical eating experience that children will enjoy as well as tasty food, such as pizza, burgers, pasta and healthy salads. There are also several bars and kiosks selling snacks.

Venice

Aqualandia on Lido di Jesolo, which is a well-known beach resort near Venice, is an award-wining waterpark with a mind-boggling array of rides, including a huge water slide and Europe’s highest bungee-jumping tower. It opens for the summer months and so is the perfect destination if you are planning to enjoy a family vacation in Venice during the school holidays.

The park has a Caribbean theme and is separated into different sections, which include a sports area, where the children can play beach volleyball, and a lagoon. There are also themed restaurants and kiosks, such as the Cast-Away shack, where you can buy tasty food and snacks.

Lake Garda

Gardaland is one of Italy’s most popular amusement parks, with rides and activities to suit all ages, as well as several restaurants and snack bars. It is also home to the Sea Life Aquarium, where you can see sharks close up in an underwater tunnel! There is also an on-site hotel that you can stay in and the park runs enjoyable events, such as princess ceremonies and adventure packages.

The park is separated into adrenaline, fantasy and adventure regions, with rides for young children, such as Prezzemolo Land, and rollercoasters for thrill-seekers, such as the Raptor and Blue Tornado. It certainly won't disappoint and makes a fantastic day out for families and groups.

Various ticket options are available and, typically, an adult day ticket costs €11.50, while a child day ticket is €8.

Bologna

Maribilandia is in Ravenna, which is not far from the city of Bologna. It has an on-site hotel and children under the age of 10 can enjoy the park for free. One of the park’s biggest attractions is Divertical, which is the world’s highest watercoaster in the world! There are plenty of other rollercoasters that will delight thrill seekers, including iSpeed, which goes as fast as an F1 car, and Katun, which is the number 1 inverted rollercoaster in Europe. There are also water-based rides, adventure parks, racing cars and virtual reality experiences.

The park has a selection of restaurants from à la carte menus to take-aways, including classic Italian dishes, pizza, regional delicacies, salads and fast-food bars selling burgers.

Tickets allow access to all attractions and shows, except Phobia and Mirabeach, which require special passes, and each ticket is valid for 2 consecutive days. You can save money by purchasing tickets online in advance.

Tuscany

Cavallino Matto is the largest amusement park in Tuscany and has rides suitable for young children, teenagers and adults, and thrill seekers. There is also face painting available and educational classes and activities, such as science displays and road safety classes, making it a good destination as part of a school trip.

The nice thing about Cavallino Matto is the focus on family activities and some of the attractions at the park are designed specifically for families, such as the Safari Adventure and the Movie Stars Theatre. However, if you have teenagers who would rather explore the park on their own, there are plenty of “adrenaline” rides to entertain them, such as the Wild Mine, Shocking Tower and Freestyle.

The park also has a wide variety of food available, including pizza, pasta, ice-cream and sandwiches, and there are snack areas where you can enjoy your food outside in the shade.

Sicily

Parco Avventura Etna near Milo is something a little bit different as it is an outdoor adventure park, rather than an amusement park, set in a beautiful pine forest. It has tree-to-tree games and challenges, two climbing walls and canopy tours, and all events and activities are supervised by a team of instructors. It is a good choice for a school trip as many of the games focus on problem solving and team building.

Rimini

Rimini sits on the Adriatic Coast and is sometimes referred to as the Miami of Italy due to its expanse of beach and its vibrant atmosphere. It is a wonderful destination for groups of young travelers, who will surely enjoy a day trip to Atlantica near Cesenatico. Atlantica is a large waterpark, covering an area of about 100,000 m², with areas of lush greenery to relax on in the sun and heated water pools. We recommend heading to the waterpark on a weekday as the entry prices are much cheaper during the week and the park is also quieter.

There is also Italia in Miniatura and Fiabilandia near Rimini, which are popular attractions for families with younger children. Italia in Miniatura is a fascinating leisure park that displays 273 miniatures of famous Italian and European with real plants and miniature trees. Among the many attractions, there is a replica of the Grand Canal in Venice, a log flume, a parrot park Pappamondo and a science park with displays designed to capture the imagination of children. Meanwhile, Fiabilandia is a classic seaside theme park aimed at younger children with gentle rides and water games, and there is also a seafood buffet restaurant to enjoy, serving fresh fish at a reasonable price.

Please note that many of these theme parks open seasonally and it is best to check in advance of planning your family holiday that they are open when you intend to travel. If you would like us to put together a personalised family holiday in Italy for you, including day trips to theme parks or other activities, please contact a member of our team on 0844 993 4139 or click here to send an online enquiry.