One More Ride: Europe’s Classic Amusement Parks
From Bakken and Tivoli to the Prater, Efteling and Europa-Park: Europe's most charming amusement parks, plus Puffin's tips for making the last ride of the day count.
There is a particular feeling that comes at the end of a day at an amusement park. The sky turns pink, the lights flicker on along the rides and someone, somewhere, says it is time to go home. Puffin is always the one who answers: „Nah… just one more.“ This guide from the One More Puff team visits some of Europe’s most charming amusement parks, from centuries-old pleasure grounds to fairytale worlds, and ends with tips for making that last ride the best of the day.
Opening seasons, hours and ride line-ups change from year to year, and many parks close in winter or open only for special events. Always check the official park website before you travel.
Bakken, near Copenhagen
Dyrehavsbakken, known simply as Bakken, sits in the forest at Klampenborg, north of Copenhagen. It traces its roots back to 1583, when people gathered around a natural spring in the area, and it is often described as the oldest operating amusement park in the world. Its atmosphere is wonderfully unpolished: old wooden rides, game stalls and a forest setting where deer roam the surrounding park.
Entry to the park grounds is free, and you pay for the rides you choose, which makes it easy to drop in for an evening. Bakken is seasonal, typically opening from spring to late summer, so check the dates before you go. It is easy to reach by local train from central Copenhagen.
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
Right in the centre of Copenhagen, next to the main railway station, Tivoli Gardens opened in 1843 and has enchanted visitors ever since. It is part amusement park, part garden, part concert venue, with lakes, flower beds and thousands of lights that come into their own after dark.
Tivoli is home to the Rutschebanen, a wooden roller coaster from 1914 that is still running and is one of the oldest operating wooden coasters in the world. It is one of the few left where a brakeman rides on board to control the speed. Ride it at night, when the gardens glow, and you will understand why Puffin keeps going back. Tivoli also opens for seasonal events such as Halloween and Christmas.
„The last ride is never really the last. It’s just the one you remember on the way home.“ – Puffin
Wiener Prater, Vienna
The Prater is a vast public park in Vienna, and at its edge lies the amusement area often called the Wurstelprater, a lively mix of rides old and new. Entry is free, and you pay per ride. Its star is the Wiener Riesenrad, the giant Ferris wheel that has turned over the city since 1897, with its red wooden cabins moving slowly enough to watch the whole of Vienna light up. Our guide to Vienna by night has more on the best time to ride.
Efteling, the Netherlands
Efteling, in Kaatsheuvel in the south of the Netherlands, opened in 1952 and began with its Fairytale Forest, where classic stories come to life among the trees. Over the decades it has grown into one of Europe’s largest theme parks, but it has kept its storybook spirit, with rides, gardens and buildings that feel as if they were drawn by an illustrator. It is a gentle, beautiful place, and it is particularly magical as the lights come on in the evening.
Europa-Park, Germany
Europa-Park, in Rust in south-western Germany, near the French and Swiss borders, opened in 1975. It is famous for its themed areas, each inspired by a European country, so you can wander from a Scandinavian village to Greek columns and Italian piazzas in a single afternoon. It has a wide range of rides, from family attractions to large modern roller coasters, and it is one of the most visited theme parks in Europe.
Gardaland and PortAventura, briefly
- Gardaland, on the eastern shore of Lake Garda in northern Italy, opened in 1975 and is Italy’s best-known theme park. Combining it with a few days by the lake makes for a lovely, slow holiday.
- PortAventura, near Salou on Spain’s Costa Daurada, opened in 1995 and is themed around different world regions. Its warm evenings by the sea are a highlight.
Puffin’s tips for the last ride
The final ride of the day is a small ritual, and it deserves a little planning:
- Know the closing time. Many parks close queues before the official closing time. Check the park’s app or the signs at each ride.
- Save a favourite for dusk. A coaster or a wheel at sunset feels completely different from the same ride at noon.
- Head to the back of the park. In the last hour, rides furthest from the exit often have the shortest queues, as everyone drifts towards the gates.
- Ask for the front row. On some coasters you can wait a little longer for the front seat. At the end of the day, it is worth it. Puffin’s story Front Row on the Last Ride explains why.
- Stay for the lights. Parks like Tivoli and Efteling are at their most beautiful after dark, so do not leave the moment the sun sets.
- Leave a little energy for the way home. And maybe set an alarm on the train. Puffin has fallen asleep with a blissful smile more than once after a long day of rides.
A note on old rides
Part of the charm of Europe’s classic parks is that some rides are genuinely old. Wooden coasters creak, vintage carousels hum, and the experience feels a little like stepping into a postcard. These rides are carefully maintained, but they may have height requirements and closures for maintenance, so check what is running before your visit.
Wherever you go, the principle is the same: the best part of the day is often the very end, when the light softens and the queues shrink. Do one more lap of the park, take one more look at the lights and stay a little longer.
