Leisure Pursuits In Alicante (Spain)

1. SAFARI PARK AITANA:

In the famous poems of Chukovsky, children who came to Africa were very happy to meet animals: “We saddled a rhinoceros, rode a bit, played leapfrog with elephants on the move.” But there is similar entertainment in Costa Blanca. In the mountains of the province of Alicante is the Safari Park Aitana, where wild animals live in the wild, and people can watch them from a close distance.

The park has collected animals from all continents of the globe. Here you can see a lynx and a llama, a goose and a marabou stork, a common sow and a capybara, a deer and an exotic watusi bull, a giraffe and an elephant. For all the animals, a habitat close to their native one has been created, so the animals feel completely free. On the territory of 1.5 million square meters there are forests, rocks, savannah areas, water bodies – and life is in full swing everywhere. The park’s fairly large territory is divided into two parts. One of them can only be reached by car – this will be a route of about 7 km, during which you will visit large animals.

Children are delighted to watch a hippopotamus swimming in a lake, a tiger basking in the sun after lunch, antelopes, zebras and camels grazing together. If you use the services of a safari park guide in Alicante, you can be present at the feeding of animals, and if you are lucky, you can personally treat an elephant with a carrot. Note that especially dangerous animals are still behind a fence. But you do not need to hide from all animals. Part of the park is reserved for walking, during which you can meet small curious animals – squirrels, raccoons, chinchillas, parrots. There are also larger animals with a friendly disposition: goats, donkeys, ponies. You can take pictures with them, and the bravest ones can choose to take a photo with a snake instead of a pony or a parrot.

After a walk in the fresh air, you usually work up a ravenous appetite. You can have lunch in a restaurant on the park grounds or take food with you and have a picnic. A landscaped area in the shade of trees has been created for picnics. A unique offer is to become an employee of the Safari Aitana safari park for one day. This is an opportunity to learn how animals are cared for, how food is prepared for them, and how the safety of animals and people in the park is ensured. Children under 18 can only participate in the program with their parents. You must book participation no later than 3 days before arrival. The service is provided for an additional fee. Since part of the park can only be visited by car, you must go there in your own car or book an excursion to the Aitana safari park.

2. TERRA MITICA AMUSEMENT PARK:

Spain is a hospitable southern country with ample opportunities for family recreation. All resort regions are good in their own way, but today we want to focus on the province of Alicante and specifically the city of Benidorm, where there is a good choice of entertainment for children and adults. So, here you can visit the large and interesting Terra Mitica Amusement Park with your child and find yourself in a world of exciting adventures. This park is rightfully one of the calling cards not only of Benidorm, but of the entire Costa Blanca coast.

The world of boundless joy, adrenaline and fun is located on an area of ​​100 hectares, and the name of the Terra Mitica amusement park literally translates as “Land of Myths”. Therefore, if you are thirsty for adventures in the spirit of the past, then welcome! Opened in 2000, the amusement park contains several entertainment zones on its territory at once, which are allocated in accordance with the geography of myths and are located around an artificial lake symbolizing the Mediterranean Sea. To be precise, there are 5 of them:

• Rome;
• Egypt;
• Greece;
• Iberia;
• Islands.

In the middle of the lake there is a zone of Islands, the attractions of which maximally convey the spirit of the times of the great traveler and hero Odysseus. The most interesting extreme rides that can be found in this park are: Flight of the Phoenix, Labyrinth of the Minotaur (a special train that goes through a tunnel, in which passengers have to fight monsters using laser weapons), the water ride Fury of Triton (a 500-meter-long water slide with two descents of 10 and 20 meters in height), the swinging boat Vertigum, the Lost Temple ride, Titanide (an inverted “American” coaster, where the seats rotate 360 ​​degrees, and the speed of the train reaches 100 km / h!).

There are also many entertainments in the park for young visitors: a children’s race track, a children’s Rotundus ride like a Ferris wheel with cabins in the shape of birds, a children’s version of the Flight of the Phoenix ride, carousel boats in the shape of swans and many other swings and slides. Walking with your child in each of the theme zones, you will take a mini-trip to the past, as each theme zone is decorated in the style of old streets of ancient countries. Believe me, it is very interesting! It is important to note that each theme zone of Terra Mitica Benidorm regularly hosts shows that convey the specifics of each of the historical segments of the park. You can find out the schedule of shows from a special brochure that is handed to each visitor at the entrance. Each zone is interesting in its own way: they are equipped with attractions for children of all ages (some have a height restriction – from 140 cm), a cafe where you can have a snack, well-equipped recreation areas.

We recommend paying special attention to the shows that are held daily in Terra Mitica in Benidorm. The repertoire of shows is impressive: guests are offered about 35 different shows, and all of them are as if selected – cheerful, bright and very interesting. Some shows are simply entertaining, while others make children and adults think and learn a lot of new things from the history of the theme zone in which they are held. Would you be interested in watching Roman gladiator fights or seeing how people lived many centuries ago in coastal villages? Then be sure to visit one of the park’s performances!

3. AQUALANDIA WATER PARK:

The Costa Blanca coast can easily be called the quintessence of summer: there are beautiful beaches, warm sun, gentle sea and many options for water activities. In order not to rummage through the list of children’s hotels on the Costa Blanca that have their own water park, choose Benidorm as your place of residence – this resort town is home to the largest water park in the province of Alicante, Aqualandia. The first Spanish water park, Aqualandia Benidorm, was built in 1985 on the territory of the Sierra Helada Natural Park.

Today, it occupies an area of ​​about 150 thousand square meters and has slides and pools for children and adults. It is nice that little visitors are not deprived of entertainment. For children, two large shallow pools with slides, fountains and water pistols have been created – Adventureland and Laguna. The toddlers are especially enchanted by the statues of elephants, who seem to have wandered into the pool to cool off on a hot day.

Children under 6 years old must be supervised by an adult. Children over 1.25 m tall can swim among the rocks in the Niagara pool, splash around in the Geyser pool or relax under the massage shower in the Grand Jacuzzi relaxation area with their parents. A great way to explore the entire Aqualandia area is to let the slow flow of the Amazon River flow. Another favorite attraction, the wave pool, is also at this water park. Aqualandia Benidorm has 8 water slides. Little daredevils can try the Mini-Zig-Zag slide and the Splash team slide. And for teenagers and adults, there are steep or long slides.

An almost vertical slide on the Big-Bang slide, a flight in the darkness of the Black Hole, crazy speed Rapid, a smooth descent Smooth slide, sharp turns Zig-Zag and two stunningly steep descents Verti-Go – sometimes your heart sinks into your heels just at the sight of these attractions. On the territory of the Aqualandia water park in Benidorm there are several cafes (mostly serving fast food), kiosks with ice cream and soft drinks. There is also a picnic area in the park area. Next to the water park is the Mundomar Natural Park. You can visit both attractions cheaper by purchasing a combined ticket.

4. DOLL HOUSE MUSEUM ANTONIO MARCO:

When planning a family holiday in Costa Blanca, parents study the excursion opportunities of large cities – Benidorm, Alicante, Torrevieja. But just 20 km from the coast is the tiny mountain village of Guadalest, almost entirely consisting of attractions. In this village, under the sign Museo Belen y de casitas de muñecas, there is a toy museum that is dear to every child’s heart. This is not an ordinary museum: all the exhibits in it were made by one person.

For 15 years, Antonio Marco – that is the name of the owner of the museum – created miniature houses, populated them with human figures, filled them with various objects. To work on the miniatures, the author used only natural, environmentally friendly materials. In addition, a small exhibition is dedicated to old toys. A significant part of it is cars, but girls also have something to admire: Antonio Marco has collected a collection of miniature baby carriages, made with a jewelry-like elegance. What can you see in the Dollhouse Museum in Guadalest? Tiny living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms with amazing detail: on the lady’s dressing table there will definitely be bottles of perfume and jewelry, on the walls – photos of loved ones, and in the small fireplace there will be a dancing fire.

No high-tech, only the luxury of antiquity. And the inconveniences of antiquity too: in one of the bedrooms there is a chamber pot by the bed. The master also created many miniatures on the theme of different professions. You can look in on the baker, pharmacist, greengrocer, visit a lawyer and dentist, inquire about fashion trends in a studio, shoe store or hairdresser. Each such scene would fit on a small desk.

The Antonio Marco Museum in Guadalest also has its own mini-town – houses no taller than a human are nestled among the rocks. But this town has its own railway connection, and a tiny train whistles like a real one. A nativity scene has been created in one of the houses. But many more dioramas on biblical themes are collected in another Antonio Marco Museum, in the town of Polop. Once in Guadalest, you can also visit the San Jose Castle, built in the 11th century, standing on a rock, visit the museum of historical cars, the museums of microminiatures and microgiants, and wander along mountain paths.

5. MUNDOMAR PARK:

A holiday with a child in the Costa Blanca usually falls in the summer months. At this time, you want to walk more, so parents look for children’s entertainment that takes place in the fresh air. The Mundomar Natural Park in Benidorm invites you to have a great time with the whole family, where you can meet exotic animals. The park opened to visitors in 1985. Now it occupies an area of ​​​​about 60,000 square meters, and 80 species of animals and birds live on its territory. The name Mundomar means “Sea World”.

An impressive show of dolphins and sea lions takes place here. The park’s dolphinarium accommodates 1,000 people, and the show is clearly visible from anywhere. But it is better to sit closer if you want to be not only spectators, but also participants in the show. For an additional fee, you can take pictures with the dolphins and swim. The marine park is one of two dolphin therapy centers in Spain. There are also other colorful shows in the park, including parrot shows. These birds demonstrate their bright plumage and numerous talents. The show changes every year, so you can include Mundomar in your list of children’s entertainment in Benidorm again and again.

Another feature of this natural park is that visitors have the opportunity to feed the local animals. Moreover, you can even treat penguins or sea lions with a treat. Taking pictures with the animals is a separate children’s pastime. Heavyweights like walruses take their place for a photo among specially prepared decorations. And lemurs do not stand on ceremony, sitting right on a child’s shoulder. You can wander around the park for a long time, admiring nature.

Here, cliffs rise, streams babble, tropical birds call to each other in the treetops, fish splash in ponds, turtles rest on the shore … In the bosom of nature, there are picnic areas (you can also eat in the park’s cafes and restaurants). But if this atmosphere seems too calm for you, head to the playground with the kids, where you can run around and make noise to your heart’s content. Near Mundomar in Benidorm is the Aqualandia water park. To save money on visits to both parks, you can buy a combined ticket.