A test of courage in the Port Aventura park - "Shambhala" (attraction). Port Aventura Park – Shambhala rides and other Shambhala roller coasters

Everyone has heard about Disneyland or Legoland many times, but recently the Port Aventura amusement park in Spain has eclipsed all of its relatives. Don’t look for “Porto Ventura Park” on the Internet (although even here smart search engines will send you to the right site) - the full name of the amusement park: Port Aventura World.

The official website states that it is one of the best parks in the world recently. Opened in 1995, since then there have been many tourists here every year, all of them crowding the vast territory of the park of 2000 hectares. In addition to entertainment, there is a European resort, which is famous throughout Spain.

The management is doing everything to make this place the best in the world. For example, entertainment is updated here every year. At the moment, the complex includes an amusement park, a water park, hotels, a golf course and other themed areas. There are many figures here from cartoons and films of Universal Studio, since the company owns part of the complex, at one time the name was even changed to Universal PortAventura.

The development of Port Aventura has reached the point that Cirque du Soleil performed here several times with an amazing program. And three years ago, an important event happened, thanks to which the park became even more popular - the tallest slide on the planet opened! All this attracts a huge number of tourists who, when planning a trip, have a lot of questions - how to get to Salou, how much do tickets cost, is the amusement park open in January?

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Description of the attractions in Port Aventura Park

In Barcelona, ​​according to the architects' idea, the park is divided into several zones. Walking along them, you find yourself in some part of the world.

So, here you can find:

• Mediterranean;
• Imperial China;
• Aztec Mexico;
• Exotic Polynesia;
• Wild West;
• “Sesame Aventura” is for little visitors.

Note: in the Port Aventura park there are excellent attractions everywhere from the neighboring zone, the theme and style are strictly observed. Any tourist here personally finds his favorite attraction and area.

Mediterranean

This is the very first place visitors find upon entering.

Performances are often held here, the most popular being:

The most popular attractions here are:

Wild West

For many, this is one of the most atmospheric zones. There are canyons, cowboys, and themed houses.

Popular performances here:

The attractions are very varied, but all very interesting:

What is the West without bulls? Attractions that imitate bulls and wild mustangs are also popular here.

It is worth noting: all the scenery in Port Aventura Park is so expressive and convincing that it seems as if this is all a real journey through the worlds.

Mexico

This part is famous for its restaurants, because you can’t ignore Mexican cuisine. You can find regular fast food outlets, or you can try real exotic food in restaurants such as La Cantina and La Hacienda El Charro.

The most famous attraction for 2018 in this territory is the Hurakan Condor, which is a tower 115 meters high, from which cabins drop sharply.

The result is a feeling of free fall. Height restrictions from 1.40 to 1.90 meters.

Everyone also likes the slides in the Mexico area, El Diablo-Tren de la Mina is popular; they don’t have sharp turns, so they are suitable for everyone.

Parades and festivals are also held here on various holidays, such as Christmas. There are also special performances here - Mayan rituals, a magical forest.

Imperial China

The attractions in this eastern part have been repeatedly recognized as one of the best in the world.

All the most famous roller coasters are worth a ride:

Polynesia

The most exotic part of the park. The most beautiful landscapes, decorations and plants are collected here.

The most popular attractions are: Polynesia is famous for its colorful performances and parades.

Special ones include the Aloha Tahiti event, Birds of Paradise, Jungle of Fear and Christmas in Bora Bora.

Port Aventura - operating hours

It is better to come here in the warm season, although it is also warm in Spain in winter, but the park is closed. In summer and spring it is open from 10 to 20. This schedule is valid until November 5, although this date changes every year.

Port Aventura is also open on Christmas Day, but after the holidays it is closed again until the beginning of April. Take note:

It is always better to check the schedule on the official website, as it changes frequently. For example, in November and December, PortAventura Park may still be open on weekends.

You should arrive early for the opening, as tourists flock to PortAventura Park.

Sometimes Aventura Park changes its opening hours - it opens earlier or later. And the Ferrari Land zone is open from April to November, but until 17-18 hours.

Ticket prices to Port Aventura

It is better to purchase tickets online - this way you will save money and can spend it, for example, on a trip to a cafe. Entrance tickets can be purchased for either 1 or 2 days.

Do you know that: the cost of a ticket to Port Aventura park for an adult guest, valid for 24 hours, is 47 €, for a minor it is slightly cheaper - 40 €.

A ticket for two days can cost 75 € at the box office, and 56 € on the website. Separately, tickets to the water park are purchased for 29 € for adults and 25 € for children, and to Ferrari Land for 60 € and 52 €, respectively.

There are also combined tickets, which include a train ticket + entrance to a park or park + water park for several days. You need to check this price on the website or at the box office. Approximately a ticket for the park and water park together will cost 80 euros. You can buy a ticket for a maximum of seven days for 115 euros. It will open entrance to two parks at once throughout the week.

There is also a secret in Port Aventura for those who don’t like queues - you can buy an express ticket for 27 euros, which will give you the opportunity to skip the queue several times.

Port Aventura - official website

All detailed official information should be studied on the website of the Port Aventura entertainment complex. It is in Russian with a convenient menu - https://www.portaventuraworld.com/ru.

Here you can see the poster and operating schedule of Aventura Park at any time, find out the cost of entry, read about the attractions and even watch videos that were filmed while riding on roller coasters or other attractions.

The website also has a detailed map of the area with all the restaurants and shops. Here you can also buy a ticket and see what parades and festivals are planned.

How to get there

You can get to the park from Barcelona directly from the airport by bus, which will take you there, but this method is good if Port Aventura is the only purpose of the trip.

And this is how you can get from the center of Barcelona:

The Port Aventura amusement park is located 100 km from Barcelona in Spain. If you have the means, then order a taxi or rent a car.

It is worth noting: Taxi is the most expensive way to get from Barcelona in Spain to Port Aventura.

The park itself also has an individual transfer, which can be ordered on the website; the cost of such a trip is 350 euros.

Amusement park Port Aventura in Spain - photo

In terms of beauty and scenery, the park is in no way inferior to other entertainment complexes. You can see the different zones in the photographs, and photos of the attractions will give you an idea of ​​whether you want to ride them. Some people begin to be afraid of high slides even when looking at pictures.

Spain is an alluring country, everyone comes here to enjoy the cultural attractions, but some have a completely different goal - to spend a day or two on amazing attractions that can surprise anyone.

If Disneyland and other parks are more suitable for children, then adults consciously come to Port Aventura to ride the largest slide in Europe, watch local parades and festivals, and stroll through various areas in the park.

After all, only here you can visit both China and Polynesia in just one day. In the meantime, there is time to study the official website in Russian to make an entertainment plan before traveling to Spain.

During our holiday in Spain, the town of Salou, Costa Daurado, we could not miss the chance to visit the famous amusement park Port Aventura. Reviews about this park on the Internet are very contradictory, some praise, some scold. In addition, the idea of ​​​​riding the highest roller coaster in Europe was beckoning with its recklessness. In general, read our review of what came out of the trip to Port Aventura Park.

We planned a visit to PortAventura Park even before we arrived in Salou. Firstly, the park is located just 20 minutes from the town, and secondly, the park is very popular among Russians, and most of their friends never ceased to admire it. We decided to spend the afternoon of Monday in the park, a day when museums are closed and most establishments in Spain have a day off.

Hill Shambhala

Hill Shambhala

After a leisurely lunch at the hotel, we went to the stop in Salou, where the bus to Port Aventura departed. The bus was overcrowded: numerous Russian tourists literally stormed the bus. Already at the entrance we could not even imagine how many visitors there would be inside the park.

Port Aventura occupies a fairly large area, far from the coastal towns (but not far from the Taragona oil refinery). There is an amusement park, a water park and several hotels here - for those who come here specifically from distant parts of Spain for two days.

Port Aventura Park is located in Spain, the Costa Daurado region, near the village of Salou (15 minutes by bus), 83 km from Barcelona, ​​an hour's drive from Barcelona, ​​10 minutes from the airport in Reus.

Opening hours:The park is open all year round, but during the off-season the park is open from Friday to Sunday. In general, it is better to look at the schedule on the official website of the park. An undeniable plus during the season is that the park is open on Mondays, when all the main museums and entertainment venues in Spain are closed.

How to get from Barcelona to Port Aventura: The best way to get from Barcelona to the park is by electric train in the Taragona-Tortossa direction, Port Aventura stop. Next, walk about 10 minutes. The slides will be clearly visible, so you won’t be able to get lost. The second way is to take a bus to Salou or Taragona, and from there take a bus or train to Salou. It is better to look at the detailed train schedule on the websites www.renfe.com and www.rodaliesdecatalunya.cat.

Getting to Port Aventura by car is easy. The park has its own exit number 35 from the AP-7 Autobahn, or the Mediterranean Motorway (E-15 on the European Autobahn)

How to get from Salou to Port Aventura: Buses from the Bus Plana company depart from Salou, as well as an electric train that goes straight to the park. Travel time is about 20 minutes. Train stops are usually marked with special road signs. We took a bus from the stop next to the Pachita club.

Where to buy tickets to the Park

In Salou, tickets are sold in every hotel and every self-respecting tour operator, no matter the local one or the one with whom you came to Spain. There are several types of tickets: one day and two days. There are also “express” ticket types, which are a little more expensive but allow you to skip the line to the attractions. Such tickets are sold only in the park itself. Personally, we bought our tickets for the day at the reception of our hotel in Salou. You can also buy tickets online on the official website of Port Aventura.

The cost depends on the number of days you plan to spend in the park: from 45 euros per adult for one day (56 euros adult ticket for 2 days), to 115 euros per adult for 7 days. See the full list here

A ticket to the Water Park costs 28 euros per adult for one day.

Download the map of Port Aventura Can Port Aventura Map. (source: official website of the park).

Merry duckling - Port Aventura

Our tickets were purchased directly at the hotel. This made us incredibly happy, since the queue for tickets in the park itself snaked like a snake’s tail. We were not able to get through the turnstiles the first time using an electronic ticket printed on a printer. Since a regular ticket had to be inserted into a special hole at the checkpoint. But the policeman at the entrance understood our problem and let us through.

At the entrance to the park you can take a map, however, as you understand, there were no maps in Russian. And in English too. I had to be content with a map in German, since it was clear from the pictures where the attractions were.

To explore the territory of the park, we decided to do the following: first, take a ride on a train that goes along the perimeter of the park, and then choose the attractions on which we will ride.

Finding the train station was not difficult. We sat down, along with numerous parents with children.

Steam Engine Port Aventura

When we approached the China zone, we couldn’t stand it and still got off the train. Two huge slides towered over the park: the red one, Dragon Khan, and the blue one, the Shambhala slide. Wild screams of horror echoed this part of the park; I admit, even watching this free fall was scary. However, the queue for these slides was such that we decided to leave them for later. This is understandable, because these are the most popular attractions of the park.

Coaster Port Aventura

In general, PortAventura Park is divided into 6 thematic zones:

-Mediterranean

The area is decorated in the style of a fishing village, with a pier and a boat. This is the first area of ​​the park that welcomes new arrivals. In summer it looks wonderful, all in flowers.

Flower beds of the Mediterranean zone

Port Aventura occupies a fairly large area, far from the coastal towns (but not far from the Taragona oil refinery). There is an amusement park, a water park and several hotels here - for those who come here specifically from distant parts of Spain for two days.

-Polynesia

The Polynesian zone is a green, impenetrable jungle with tall broad-leaved palm trees. The most striking attractions here are Tutuki Splash and Sea Odyssey.

Statues from Easter Island

-Mexico

In the Mexico area you can see ruins, Mayan pyramids, and a variety of strange plants.

Mexico zone

-Wild West

The atmosphere of early Western cinema, numerous saloons and Indians greet visitors here.

Roller coaster in the Wild West zone

-China

It is in the China zone that the coolest attractions are located: Dragon Khan and the Shambhala slide - the highest slide in Europe. The site is designed in the spirit of colonial China with organic pagodas and dragon fountains.

China zone

-Sesamo Aventura

A children's country built in the style of the famous Sesame Street program in 2011, with the participation of the same cartoon characters.

Sesame land

Where to eat in the Park

In each of the entertainment areas there are various cafes and restaurants. We limited ourselves to ice cream, since we arrived after having already had a hearty lunch.

We went around all 6 zones, except for the children's area, rode on slides and a boat. To be honest, I didn’t have the courage to ride the steepest ones, Dragon Khan (red slide) and Shambhala (blue slide).

Boat trip

Each zone hosts colorful shows every day. You can see the schedule on the official website and in the program. However, we were unlucky and did not see a single show.

Overall it’s beautiful, but in my opinion the park is very inferior to Disneyland Paris. There are not many attractions for adults, but the queues during the season are simply huge.

Some required standing for about an hour. It's a dubious pleasure to stand in the heat for a momentary surge of adrenaline. The public in the park is multinational: many Russians, many Europeans. However, most of all were 15-year-old Spanish teenagers, of whom there were countless crowds at each attraction. It must be admitted that they did not behave very civilly.

Queues for rides

Here's another nice line. True, in some places there are boards where you can estimate the length of the queue for each of the attractions.

Queue for the attraction

The park did not seem very green to me; trees were seen only in the Polynesian zone. In general, if you are going to the park, you should go there either early in the morning or after three, when the heat subsides.

In general, the opinion is subjective, but of course there is nothing to do there for two days, if you are without children.

Finally, a little video of the coolest slides in Europe.

Salou Hotels

La Pineda Hotels

Cambrils Hotels

Barcelona Hotels

Hotels in Port Aventura

Even before traveling to Spain, I heard a lot about Park PortAventura and I thought that someday I would visit him, but it happened much faster than I expected. Now I’m already on the bus, which is rushing me to the big island of adventure...

View of the attraction Shambhala and Dragon Khan

Previously, back in childhood, my friend Lena and I really loved going on rides. We tried out all the attractions in our city. And we always wanted more! More adrenaline and vivid impressions that make your heart beat faster and faster.

PortAventura Park

And here I am! The first thing you notice is the huge crowds of tourists, Port Aventura park it seemed to be the most party place in Europe. Children, parents, tourist groups, large groups, boys and girls from different countries! French, Spanish, Greek, German, Italian, English and of course Russian! Everyone has happy faces! People are looking forward to one of the brightest days of their lives! And here I am, it's amazing!

I am in the park

We received a colorful map from our guide Port Aventura park, with detailed information: What can you see? What attractions to visit? Where to have a snack in case of a severe “attack” of hunger (in the park it’s really a pity to waste precious time on food). My friend Natalia and I studied the map and went on our adrenaline-filled excursion.

My friend Natalya

At the entrance to PortAventura Park big fountain. At the entrance directly to the Park itself, bags are checked, after which a ticket is issued for visiting attractions and shows.

Large fountain at the entrance to the park

If you accidentally grabbed your pet from home (meaning a cat or dog!) there is a great place near the entrance where you can leave it. There is also a toilet and storage room at the entrance. If you have a large or heavy bag, I advise you to leave it in the luggage room (costs about 2-5 dollars), because on some attractions you have to take the bag with you, and this is not very convenient, and it also interferes with photography.

Also at the entrance, there are the following services, if necessary:

• Visitor Service Center;
• Lost & Found;
• Currency exchange;
• Lost Children;
• Rent of baby strollers;
• Wheelchair rental (here visitors with disabilities will be provided with all the necessary information for maximum comfort and enjoyment of their stay in Park PortAventura).

We had a pre-paid tour at the hotel (we booked it through our tour operator), and some people bought tickets here at the park ticket office. The queues at the box office are very long! But no longer than the rides themselves (but more on that later).

We bought a tour Port Aventura for 55 euros, here the same excursion is 36 euros. The only difference is that our price included a transfer (round trip).

We arrived at PortAventura Park by 11 o'clock and stayed there until 18. But we managed to visit only 5 attractions and 1 show, this is very little, considering the fact that I counted 35 attractions and 13 shows there.

Attraction Hurricane Condor 100 meters high

First we decided to walk around the park to see what was there. We looked at and photographed the following zones: Mediterranean, Polynesia, China, Mexico, Wild West, SesamoAventura.

Attractions for the little ones in SesamoAventura

Each zone houses attractions and hosts themed shows and performances. There is also a Water Park, but you need to buy a ticket there separately.

When we entered the China zone, I immediately saw something that I definitely had to try - the Shambhala attraction.

The Shambhala attraction is an impressive design!

The queue for this attraction was endless, we did not want to waste time and decided to return here later. Natasha immediately told me that she would not ride Shambhala so that I would ride alone. A “tempting” prospect! But I still believed that I would persuade her, especially since I still had a lot of time. And we moved on.

Natalia. Photos in Polynesia

The first attraction in Park PortAventura the one we rode on was El Diablo. Natalya is not a fan of extreme sports, but this attraction, a mine train, looked harmless. True, she didn’t know the legend! A group of miners who were extracting silver in these mines went missing. And the old train cars from the mine that transported silver are still running here and running at full speed. They say that the devil himself controls the train! We've been waiting in the wings! And how did she agree to this?

The sign says Penitence, which means "repentance"

I really liked this attraction, we screamed a lot! A sea of ​​positive emotions and impressions! It was scary!

In the Wild West I liked the Grand Canyon attraction, it was very refreshing, especially enjoyable on a hot summer day. Here, depending on your luck, some come out of the water completely dry, while others are wet! The feeling was super, we rode along the fast rapids of the Colorado River, coping with the flow of water. At the top of the canyon there are pistols where anyone can spray jets of water at people floating along the river. The cost of this pleasure is 1 euro.

Super attraction, a lot of impressions!

I really liked the Far West zone.

Wild West Zone

It has the atmosphere of the real Wild West, cowboys and horses, bars, Saloon, groovy Kan Kan, cacti and a handsome singing vulture.

Adventures, American style

Lunch is offered with huge hamburgers or grilled meat. Even the radio here is very, very thematic.

Where's the radio?

Then we returned to Polynesia again, visited the 4D attraction, took a trip in a bathyscaphe through the depths of the sea, and saw sharks!

Attraction Sea Odyssey 4D

In the same area we took a ride on the Kon-Tiki Wave attraction, this is a boat that swings back and forth, we got a unique feeling from this attraction, with our hands raised it is much more interesting!

Underwater bathyscaphe

The Tutuki Splash attraction in Polesia is also very funny, but we were scared by the long queue and the fact that people came out completely wet.

Full of surprises, the Tutuki Splash attraction

We decided to leave this attraction for later and ran to Shambhala.

Useful information for tourists

To avoid standing in lines for attractions, you can take an Express ticket; it costs from 25 to 50 euros, depending on the services.

Fenugreek- this is a new attraction in PortAventura park, opened in 2012. When you look at it from below, it seems that people on the train are rising straight into the sky, and from there they are flying down at breakneck speed. The design is stunning in its scope and size. This is the highest attraction in Europe.

Are you ready for bright impressions?

We got in line and began to wait, in anticipation of the flight, watching trains with tourists rise into the sky and fly down at an impressive speed, go into a loop, and overturn. My imagination painted different pictures of the “Expedition to the Himalayas”; it seemed to me something incredible...

I've been on many roller coasters before and I know that the scariest parts are at the very beginning and at the end of the train. By this time, I had already persuaded my friend to go for a ride and we decided to take a seat in the middle of the carriage, just in case, so that it would not be so scary.

The train has started... the show begins...

And now it’s our turn to make the legendary flight... and what do you think? We got the very last places))). Oh my God!

Everyone sat down in their places and the girl administrator began to “fasten the seat belts.” To my surprise, it turned out that there are no shoulder fastenings, but only a little fixation of the hips, wow! What about the dead loop? It became even scarier... The train started moving...

We slowly climbed up, I remember Natasha told me, “look around how beautiful it is” - it was amazing to see happy people and the entire Port Aventura park. We are at the top of Shambhala. The train has stopped...

A moment and we flew down at an insane speed, with only the rails ahead of us, then up again “on the road to the sky,” performing breathtaking pirouettes and experiencing an endless amount of emotions... Here it is Shambhala...

Take a look at the video

After riding on Shambhala, we felt great, it was scary, but not as much as my imagination initially pictured! We did it, we're great!

In the Mediterranean zone, there are many attractions, one of them is a flight on a catapult, which flies horizontally and picks up speed from 0 to 135 km/h in three seconds. What a drive! On the map its name will be indicated as follows: Furius Baco.

The Port of Drassan attraction takes you from the Mediterranean to China on board a ship.

Thematic zone China

Or take a breeze on a steam locomotive to the Wild West!

At the end of our stay in Port Aventura park We accidentally ended up at a dance show!

Show under palm branches

Groovy artists taught first the fair sex to dance, and then the stronger half of humanity! It was fun! Everyone laughed and clapped! It is always more interesting to take part in such performances than just watch!

Groovy music and hot dancing at the Polynesia show

Traditional cuisine from different countries

We visited the shops, but the prices seemed a little expensive and we didn’t buy anything. There was little time and we ran to our bus, satisfied and happy! The excursion was a success!

The famous Woody: toys, gifts, souvenirs...

If you ask me if I will go to again PortAventura Park, I will answer without hesitation - YES! After all, PortAventura Park is...

The day in the park was a great success!

Friends who were in Port Aventura park and those who are just going, share your impressions, what did you like or where else would you like to go?

Like most theme parks in the world, Port Aventura divided into thematic zones.
There are five main zones - the Mediterranean (Mediterrania), Polynesia, China, Mexico and the Wild West (Far West). They are so stylized that park guests feel as if they are traveling through different countries - each zone differs from the other in buildings, vegetation, cuisine, actors in national clothes, music and souvenirs.
Be sure to take it at the entrance Port Aventura map(unfortunately, a map of the park was not found in Russian at the time of visiting - we hope that someday it will appear).

Let us briefly describe each of the thematic zones.

Mediterranean

Mediterrania is the first zone upon entering the park. It is designed in the style of a coastal fishing town in Catalonia - there is a huge lake in the center, and there are many restaurants and shops around. Fireworks displays take place here during the summer FiestAventura, when the park is open until midnight.

The main attraction that attracts everyone's attention is the high-speed Furius Baco(a catapult that flies horizontally and picks up speed from 0 to 135 km/h in three seconds).

In the Mediterranean there is the North Station (Estació del Nord), where you can board little train, which crosses all zones. Starting from Gare du Nord, you will eventually reach the Wild West.

Polynesia

Polynesia is primarily about water attractions.
Tutuki Splash- a walk through lush Polynesian vegetation, and then a steep descent in a huge boat from the volcano! Even a waterproof raincoat with branded logos, which can be purchased in the park, will not save you from water here. But it doesn’t matter – not far from the exit from Tutuki Splash there are powerful dryers for the whole family (for a fee).

Other water activities are also located here - boating Canoe And Kon-Tiki Wave(huge swing boat).
In the Polynesian zone don't miss amphitheater where the shows are held. They are delightful! Even if there is no show at the moment, a tropical bird trainer with his “pupils” may be waiting for you here

There is also a 4D cinema in this area Sea Odyssey, where several short films are shown. A motion simulator built into the chairs, surround sound, water vapor effects - all this creates a complete picture of a walk through the depths of the sea. Don't miss the entrance to the 4D cinema - it is "disguised" as a cave with plants and palm branches.

China

This is the most attractive place in the park for thrill-seekers - it is here that the most delightful attraction in Europe is located - Shambhala. Attraction Shambhala– these are 5 ascents and falls (without “loops”), the total length is 1650 meters. 3 trains (each with 32 people) can operate simultaneously.
Let's quote the official website - Shambhala in Port Aventura is:
— The highest roller coaster in Europe (76 meters)

— Roller coaster with the longest drop (78 meters)

— The fastest European hypercoaster, it will reach 134 km/h already on the first descent.



And from my own personal impressions, I can add that Shambhala alone is worth visiting Port Aventura because of it. During the ride it takes your breath away, and afterwards you have a light and pleasant feeling, as if you were in zero gravity. Or in the Himalayas!

Near Shambhala there is a roller coaster with 8 loops Dragon Khan, even looking like a huge red and blue dragon. From the moment the park opened until Shambhala appeared here in 2012, it held the “palm” in terms of attendance. The speed developed by the train is up to 110 km per hour.
Attention. Even out of season, lines for this roller coaster can be very long.
Also in the Chinese zone there is a children's playground and a Tea Cups carousel/

Mexico

The main attraction of the Mexican part of the park (both in terms of popularity and “visibility”) is the attraction Hurricane Condor. This is a tall (100m) tower, surrounded by the ruins of ancient Aztec and Mayan buildings, covered with mysterious writings. Hurakan Condor itself symbolizes the ritual of sacrifice to the god Hurricane by “dropping” the chosen victim from a great height - people in special chairs rise slowly to the top of the pillar, and then they are quickly and sharply thrown down. We hope that before free fall you will have time to admire the magnificent views of the surrounding area!

Here nearby (at the junction with the Chinese zone) you can take a train ride through an abandoned mine (El Diablo - Tren de la Mina). Somewhere you will be flooded with water, somewhere a rut will collapse... Well, what did you want in the old Mexican mines?

For babies there are entertainments here, such as riding small Mexican horses (Los Potrillos) or the Armadillo carousel (Los Armadillos). For older children - a ritual ride to worship the Feathered Serpent (Serpiente Emplumada) or the Yucatán spinner with the head of a dragon.

Well, if you’re tired, don’t miss the self-service dining room with Mexican cuisine La Cantina, where in a huge hall designed like the square of a provincial town in Mexico you can have a snack and watch a show.

Wild West

The Wild West is the largest area of ​​the park. There are 9 great attractions here:
- water attractions Silver River Flume(travelling down the Silver River in a hollowed-out log, as if you were floating trees from a sawmill) and Grand Canyon Rapids(travelers in round boats race along the clayey banks of the canyon).

- roller coaster Stampida(this is a duel of two teams - at the entrance to the attraction the paths are separated. If you are on vacation with your family, then perhaps you should not divide into 2 teams - the queues are not the same length. And it may turn out that someone will have to skip their turn, waiting, until your “other half” gets to the start).
There are also slides here Tomahawk- he can be called the younger version of Stampida.

— Wild Buffaloes ( Wild Buffalos) and Buffalo Rodeo ( Buffalo Rodeo) - analogues of all the usual “cars”, but in the American style,
— Crazy Barrels and Volpaiute – rotating attractions,
— Carousel is a classic children's entertainment.

SesamoAventura

To the five thematic areas of the park, a new one was added in 2011 - a playground for children, which was called SesamoAventura. Its idea, as the name suggests, is based on the children's series Sesame Street.

There are so many bright carousels and fun rides here that you can spend the whole day with your baby:
Tami-Tami - children's roller coaster)
Elmo's Farm (La Granja de Elmo) – ride on colored tractors,
Blas's Jump (El Salto de Blas) is a children's analogue of the tall Huracan Condor from the Mexican zone. But you will have to raise yourself!
Pilot Coco (Cocopiloto) – colorful airplanes.
Jumping Butterflies (Mariposas Saltarinas) are a fun mix of helicopter and bicycle.
Magic Fish – water attraction
The Magic Tree (El Árbol Mágico) invites you to enter.
The Enchanted Vegetable Garden (El Huerto Encantado) is a children's playground.
Waikiki is a traditional “chain” rotating carousel for children.
Loco-Loco Tiki (Loco - Loco Tiki) - a flying house.
The SesamoAventura train station is also located here, which circulates around the entire park.

Here is a list of height restrictions for children riding accompanied by adults.

No restrictions: La Granja de Elmo, Loco-Loco Tiki, Tea Cups, Cobra Imperial, Crazy Barrels, Carrousel, Wild Buffalos, Los Potrillos.
1 meter limit: Tomahawk, Sea Odyssey, Tami-Tami, Cocopiloto, Silver River Flume, Templo del Fuego.
Limit 1.05 m: Mariposas Saltarinos
Limit 1.10 m: El Salto de Blas, El Diablo, Grand Canyon Rapids
Limit 1.20 m: Tutuki Splash, Magic Fish
Limit 1.30 m: Kon-Tiki Wave, Yucatan, Volpaiute

I would also like to say that all the most “sharp” attractions have video cameras that take pictures of screaming and screaming people. Having ridden the attraction, the tourist can see finished photographs at the exit and purchase them for 7-8 euros as a keepsake of sincere emotions.
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All photos are from the author of the site @

One of the most unique parks not only in Spain, but throughout the world is Port Aventura Park. It is located in the city of Salou, which is located near Barcelona.

The popularity of the park is evidenced by the numbers of visitors to this place: about 3 million people a year come here to relax with the whole family. Port Aventura is divided into five thematic zones:

• "Mediterranean";
• "Polynesia";
• "China";
• "Mexico"
• "Wild West".

The popularity of the park is associated with its most amazing, unique and breathtaking attractions, of which there are about 40. One of the best and unique attractions that Port Aventura can boast of is Shambhala. Its opening took place in 2012. Then the attraction immediately broke several European records.

Location in the park

Shambhala (Port Aventura) resembles a winding mountain range, symbolizing the Himalayas. It is located in the “China” themed area. The attraction is located next to the equally exciting Dragon Kan roller coaster, but it is about half the size.

Records

Shambhala is a type of roller coaster that has broken European records for height, drop length and speed. The height of these slides is 76 meters. The length of the fall is a whopping 78 meters! On the descent, the attraction reaches a speed of 134 km/h!
Thrill-seekers should definitely come here.

How does Shambhala work?

The giant slide has a run length of 1650 meters and includes five camelbacks, which literally means “camel hump” or “hill”.

Each of the hills has its own surprise. With every ascent or descent, a person seems to lose contact with the passenger seat.

The maximum descent slope here is 76 degrees. Three carriages with a capacity of up to 32 passengers fly along this route. Up to 1,000 park visitors can ride the slides per hour.

The first steepest descent leads to the tunnel. When entering, the passenger gets the impression that he will not fit into the aisle and there is a desire to bend over.

The second ascent-descent is a 180-degree turn with the effect of tilting the train to one side.

From the third small hill, the further path is a double spiral, enhancing the effect of gravity.

The fourth part of the adventure is a water effect with the feeling of being completely immersed under water.

The final fifth stage of the journey is the crossing of the paths of the slides and neighboring attractions, which gives incredible sensations and a sharp surge of adrenaline.

After this, the train turns 180 degrees, facing the station.

History of creation

The design and construction of the world's most exciting roller coaster was entrusted to the reputable Swiss company Bollinger & Mobillard, which had previously worked on the Dragon Khan project. Then this attraction, located next to Shambhala, broke two world records for the number of dead loops (8 pieces) and the largest loop (35 meters).

Luis Valencia, Director of the Port Aventura Park Development Department, was appointed responsible for the construction of Shambhala. According to the authors of the project, the calculations when creating the drawings were practically surgical. The drawings were created over the course of a year, but the construction of the giant slide took only four months.

The parts of the attraction that are at the highest heights were initially mounted on the ground and only then raised. The construction took about 1,600 tons of steel and 4 thousand cubic meters. meters of concrete for laying the foundation, the depth of which was 18 meters.

The total cost of the project cost 25 million euros.

First rise

The most difficult thing for the designers was to decide what the height of the first descent and ascent should be, while maintaining the stability of the building. It was decided that from a descent of 76 meters in height, the first hill would be 57.8 meters, and each subsequent hill would decrease in height. The need for this condition is due to the fact that the train moves on the roller coaster not due to the power supply, but due to the accumulated energy at the time of ups and downs. The accumulated potential energy is converted into kinetic energy with the help of height, allowing the train to accelerate properly and then get to the next hill.

Thus, jewelry work was carried out according to calculations. The slightest mistake could lead to the fact that the trailers simply would not have enough energy to complete the run, and the brilliant idea would not succeed.

Double helix

According to the director of the development department of Port Aventura, Luis Valencia: one of the most difficult moments in the design was the turn in the form of a double helix, which helped to increase the speed of the driving train. Its support point is multiple pillars, which are much more numerous than at any other point on the slide.

Lagoon: Water effect

On one of the descents it appears that the trailer is crossing a waterfall. This effect is maintained here thanks to water cannons, which, thanks to precise calculations, do not change the speed of the train.

Tunnel

The greatest difficulty for the builders was the excavation of the tunnel. The foundation for it was solid stone, which is why the builders needed to excavate on two levels.

Opening

When the attraction opened, the first to try the slides were, oddly enough, not the children, but the local authorities. The head of Catalonia, Artur Mas, took a place in the front row. Other no less honorable places were occupied by officials, as well as reporters and journalists. They were the ones who managed to become pioneers by riding one of the most unique attractions in Europe.

Now both adults and children can ride Shambhala. The only restriction is height, which should not be less than 1.4 meters.

Safety

Many people who want to visit the attraction are most likely concerned about the safety and stability of the structure. The management and designers of the park declare the reliability and safety of visiting the attraction. Shambhala undergoes a thorough technical check every day, just like the rest of the attractions located here.

Legend

It was not without reason that the creators of the tallest European roller coaster chose such an unusual name for the attraction - Shambhala. According to legend, in the Himalayas (which is what the design symbolizes) there is a city called the lost paradise. It is impossible to reach it, as it is surrounded by inaccessible mountains. Many travelers tried to get there in order to find eternal happiness. This place is called Shambhala.
The park's management liked this legend and named the attraction after her, which allows you to forget about everything in the world and experience a surge of positive emotions while traveling on it.

Other giant roller coasters in the world

Shambhala has been the absolute record holder in Europe since 2012. But there are other unique roller coasters in the world that will not leave any thrill-seeker indifferent.

• The highest slide in the world, Kingda Ka (139 meters), with the largest drop height (127 meters), is located in the USA.
• In Japan, the 97-meter-high Steel Dragon 2000 attraction was opened in 2000.
• Canada built Leviathan in 2011 with a height of 93 meters.

Riding such a rollercoaster is not for the faint of heart.

Conclusion

Port Aventura is worth visiting even just because of this amazing attraction with the mysterious name Shambhala.

Here you should also pay attention to the Dragon Khan roller coaster, built by the same Swiss company. Before the advent of Shambhala, these slides were considered the most visited. They are made in the shape of a dragon, whose body consists of multiple twists. Thanks to them, dizzying ups and downs are achieved, overcoming dead loops at a speed of 110 km/h.

In addition to these slides, other equally exciting entertainments are worthy of due attention.

The park itself is often called the Spanish Disneyland. The total area occupied by the entertainment venue is 117 hectares.

Having ridden to your heart's content and having fun, you can take a break and have a tasty snack with the whole family in one of the local cafes, of which there are a huge number.

A visit to Port Aventura and a short trip along the Shambhala highway cannot leave any visitor indifferent.