Andalucia’s diverse theme parks offer fun for all ages

By Rund Abdelfatah

ANDALUCIA is a treasure trove for family fun. 

With no shortage of things to do, make the most of this summer season by taking the kids out to some of the area’s top attractions, with fun guaranteed for all ages.

Here we’ll get you started with a list of some of Andalucia’s most thrilling parks:

1. Tivoli World in Malaga, the Costa del Sol’s largest amusement park, which has been established for 40 years, offers over two dozen exciting rides along with a ‘tiny tots’ section for younger children. Enjoy the thrill of the many rides, using the park’s own currency ‘tivolino’ or take advantage of the ‘supertivolino’ which gives you unlimited use of 37 rides.

2. If you are looking for a park with a more rustic vibe, check out Isla Magica in Sevilla. Designed in a 16th century Spanish colonial style, its top attractions include the Anaconda and El Jaguar rollercoasters, the latter reaching high speeds on 360 degree turns, a raft ride set in an Amazon jungle waterfall, and a cinema with tilting seats and a massive screen that takes you on a virtual tour of an explorer’s adventures.

3. For those with small children, take a trip to Parkilandia near Algeciras, a funfair designed with kids in mind. From trampolines and a mini race track, to an electric train and a bouncy castle, there is no shortage of things to do.

4. On a hot sweltering summer’s day you might prefer a more water-filled outing and the Mijas Water Park should fit the bill.  It features a wide range of activities, from a wave pool and kamikaze slide, to water chutes, winding raft slides and a mini water park for smaller kids.

5. For a different type of aquatic entertainment, visit the Selwo Marina Dolphinarium in Benalmadena. A highly interactive experience, explained in both English and Spanish, the whole family will enjoy the dolphin and sea lion shows, the penguin feeding session, and the animal exhibits containing seals, sea lions and exotic birds.

6. You can also have fun with animals at the award-winning Bioparc Fuengirola, a zoo that introduces you to creatures from around the world.  All the animals are kept in either open-air or glass-walled enclosures, so you will feel like you have been transported into the tropical forests of South America.  It also features a play area for children and two restaurants with African dance performances every evening during July and August.  Plus, you can easily walk through the entire zoo in under three hours, so it will not tire the kids out.

7. Another fun wildlife attraction is the Crocodile Park in Torremolinos, where you can view over 200 crocodiles of all shapes and sizes and even get to hold a baby croc.

8. At the Butterfly Park in Benalmadena, you will have a feast for the eyes with more than 1,500 butterflies flying around its stunning conservatory, built in the style of a traditional Thailand temple.

9. For a more out of the ordinary trip, visit the Science Park in Granada where education meets enjoyment.  It features countless hands-on exhibits and a children’s room where they can explore basic scientific principles.

10. Alternatively, travel to Mini Hollywood or Fort Bravo in the Tabernas desert near Almeria for an exciting day of mock bar fights, gun slinging contests, a faux bank hold-up and a full on shoot-out.  In its prime, over 100 Westerns were shot here including classics like A Fistful of Dollars.