English
Port Aventura is the ideal escape from the big city, where you can spend a great day with your children, whether you´re staying in Barcelona for a few days or whether you want to make the most of the Catalan capital, an extension to Spain´s first theme park will allow you to enjoy the novelties of Port Aventura for this season and, while you´re there, cool down with its water rides and even its water park.
This theme park has six areas already: Mediterranean, Far West, China, Mexico, Polynesia and Sesame Aventura – however, the biggest news at Port Aventura this summer of 2012 es the new roller-coaster inaugurated this year: Shambala, Expedition to the Himalaya. Shambala is much more than just a roller-coaster and it has broken four records in one go in the world of theme parks. Firstly, it´s the highest roller-coaster in the whole of Europe at 250ft, more or less 25 floors in a building. In second place, it´s the one with the longest drop: you fall from 255ft and, thirdly, if this wasn´t enough already, it´s the fastest one, reaching a maximum speed in its first drop of 83 mph. Not for the faint hearted! Lastly, inside the so-called ´hypercoasters´, it´s the longest roller-coaster with one mile of adrenaline that run for three minutes, including the going up, of course.
However, comb your hair before you go on because Shambala includes the video and photo options on the ride so you can take a souvenir back home to show that you dared to go on the expedition to the Himalaya. When you´re more relaxed, as well as this attraction, another of the novelties of this season is the Shaolin of Shambala show, an acrobatic show that shows what these great warriors are capable of.
How to get there?
From Barcelona, the easiest and most comfortable option is to drive there. Port Aventura is located on Junction 35 of the AP7 motorway, aka Autopista del Mediterráneo – it´s a motorway with a toll. From the city, any signs that go to the AP7 will make life easier for you. From the south of Barcelona or the town of El Vendrell, you can take the C-32 which links directly with the motorway. The complete journey, depending on the starting point inside Barcelona, is about 100 miles and takes just over an hour.
When you get there, remember that you have a parking space that belong to the park. Rates are available here: www.portaventura.es
You can also leave the car in the garage and take the train. With RENFE, you can take the AVE to Camp de Tarragona and then they´ll take you to the park in just over half an hour. You can also take the Alvia, Avant and Euromed trains, which take a bit longer but are also cheaper. However, you can also take regional trains on the R16 line of Rodalies de Catalunya, which stops at Port Aventura. It leaves Barcelona – Estació de França and ends in Tortosa-Ulldecona, going through Tarragona. The journey lasts for around 90 minutes but you have to check the train you´re going on because not all the trains of the R16 line stop at Port Aventura.
Find accommodation in Barcelona and spend a few great days in Port Aventura, where you can go up the highest roller-coaster in Europe.
