Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza

Zaragoza, Spain

“Rather outdated park, but good atmosphere”

When coaster enthusiasts are talking about Spain, they’re probably talking about PortAventura or one of the big amusement parks near Madrid. These parks have the B&Ms, the theming and the great water rides most theme park fans dream about. However, the country has more coaster fun on offer. The city of Zaragoza, for example, has its own amusement park. It was appropriately named Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza and it features a ton of attractions for the whole family. You can find the park at Pinares de Venecia, a giant pine forest south of the city centre. By the way: although the city’s very near, it wouldn’t hurt to come here by car, public transport or taxi. Parque de Atracciones is located on top of a hill, so it requires quite some effort if you decide to arrive on foot.

ROLLER COASTERS

Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza offers a total of three roller coasters. As the park is mostly focused on families with young children, the lineup doesn’t include any thrilling inversion coasters. However, enthusiasts should definitely put the park on their wish lists because of Moncayo. This is one of the few remaining Zyklon-models in Europe and it runs surprisingly smoothly. The ride was built by an unknown Spanish manufacturer called Robles Bouso Atracciones and this makes it even more unique. The ride doesn’t have any theming and the cars look like they’ve (barely) survived several wars, but Moncayo stole my heart. Note that the ride doesn’t operate in rainy conditions, so avoid those wet days if you want to get this credit.

Another legendary ride is Ramses, some kind of old-school Half Pipe. It’s listed as a coaster, but it actually feels more like a swinging ship. Don’t expect anything out of the ordinary, but I was pleasantly surprised by Ramses’ impressive Egyptian decoration. Credit hunters should beware, though. The ride consists of two separate tracks and they obviously both count as a credit. But it doesn’t seem as if these both tracks are often used at the same time. The park’s final credit is Mina, a small-sized coaster manufactured by Zamperla. It’s one of those classic kiddie coasters and theming is virtually nonexistent.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza opened in 1974 and honestly… most rides look like they’ve opened in 1974. The park is full of outdated kiddie rides, mediocre family attractions and a swimming pool which needs a thorough cleaning. Luckily, there are a few exceptions. Both water rides, for example, look pretty good. The log flume has a simple, yet elaborate theme and the rapid river is larger than you’d expect in this park. Another not-to-be-missed attraction is Cueva del Horror, an old-fashioned dark ride. This is the only real dark ride at Parque de Atracciones and it contains all the predictable elements you need to create a classic ghost train.

WORTH A VISIT?

Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend flying to Zaragoza, just to visit this park. Parque de Atracciones is a lot less attractive than its namesake in Madrid and it doesn’t feature the great decoration you find at PortAventura or Parque Warner. However, if you’re passing by, it wouldn’t hurt to spend a few hours here. The admission price is low and you can pay per ride, so this makes it fairly cheap to obtain a few coaster credits. And riding an old-fashioned Zyklon… that’s cool, isn’t it?

PHOTO GALLERY

Did you get the chance to visit Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza yet? Is this park on your bucket list? May Ramses be the most odd-looking ride at the park? Share your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of this page.