Gardaland

Gardaland, opened on July 19, 1975, is the first and largest amusement park in Italy, located in Castelnuovo del Garda, near Lake Garda. Its creation is the result of the vision of the Veronese entrepreneur Livio Furini, inspired by a visit to Disneyland in California and the Edenlandia park in Naples. Initially, the park covered 90,000 square meters and offered a series of attractions based on fairy tales and natural scenery, a formula that has expanded and become more sophisticated over time. In the 1980s, Gardaland experienced a period of exponential growth, embodying the desire for escape and fun of Italian society, tired of the political and social instability of the previous years. New attractions and evocative themes, such as the Tudor Village and Rio Bravo, helped establish the park as a leisure destination for families and young people. These areas, with their detailed scenery, transformed the park into a place of magic and adventure, capable of attracting millions of visitors every year. One of the first significant attractions was the African Safari, a canoe route through a dense jungle of exciting encounters, which despite initial technical difficulties, became a success among visitors. The dolphin show, introduced in the 1970s, was also an innovative and fascinating attraction, rare in Italy at the time, and significantly contributed to the park’s popularity. The park continued to evolve, introducing new attractions and themed areas that respond to changes in the tastes and expectations of the public. In 2001, the opening of Fantasy Kingdom, an area designed by Claudio Mazzoli, introduced theming inspired by cartoons and comics, adding a fantasy element that further enriched the park’s offerings. In 2004, Gardaland opened its first hotel, marking the transformation of the park into a true resort, the first of its kind in Italy. Over the years, Gardaland has introduced internationally relevant attractions such as Fuga da Atlantide, a water attraction opened in 2003, and Raptor, the world’s first Wing Coaster, opened in 2011. Other iconic attractions include Oblivion: The Black Hole, Italy’s first dive coaster, opened in 2015, and Jumanji: The Adventure, an innovative dark ride opened in 2022.