Gardaland opened on July 19, 1975, in Castelnuovo del Garda near Lake Garda in northern Italy, becoming the country’s first major themed amusement park. Founded by entrepreneur Livio Furini and inspired by parks like Disneyland, it grew from a modest opening into Italy’s most visited theme park, drawing roughly 60,000 guests in its first month alone.
Now owned by Merlin Entertainments since 2006, Gardaland spans about 200,000 square meters of rides and attractions within a larger 520,000 square meter resort complex that includes three themed hotels and, since 2021, Europe’s first Legoland Waterpark. With around 3 million visitors annually, it consistently ranks among the seven or eight most-visited theme parks in Europe and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Castelnuovo del Garda, Verona, Italy
- Opened: July 19, 1975
- Owner: Merlin Entertainments (since 2006)
- Park Area: About 200,000 m² (520,000 m² total resort)
- Annual Visitors: About 2.95–3 million
- Attractions: 37 rides and attractions, including 7 roller coasters
- Signature Coaster: Oblivion: The Black Hole, a B&M dive coaster
The Ride Experience
Gardaland’s coaster lineup is anchored by two Bolliger & Mabillard machines. Oblivion: The Black Hole, opened in March 2015, was Italy’s first vertical-drop dive coaster, standing about 42.5 meters tall with an 87-degree first drop reaching around 100 km/h across a 566-meter track. Raptor, Italy’s first wing coaster, opened in 2011 and stands about 33 meters tall with three inversions and floorless, wing-mounted seating that reaches speeds near 90 km/h.
Beyond the coasters, the park mixes dark rides like the Jumanji-themed attractions and Animal Treasure Island with water rides such as Jungle Rapids and Fuga da Atlantide, giving Gardaland a broader family-park identity rather than a pure thrill-coaster reputation.
A Resort Built Over 50 Years
What began as a single park has expanded into a full resort destination. Merlin Entertainments’ ownership since 2006 brought steady investment, including the 2021 debut of Legoland Waterpark Gardaland, Europe’s first Legoland-branded water park. Three themed hotels — Gardaland Hotel, Adventure Hotel, and Magic Hotel — now support overnight guests.
Gardaland marked its 50th anniversary in 2025, having welcomed an estimated 100 million visitors since 1975, cementing its status as the flagship of Italian theme parks and a major stop for European coaster enthusiasts.
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Gardaland FAQs
When did Gardaland open?
Gardaland opened on July 19, 1975, in Castelnuovo del Garda, Italy, becoming the country’s first major themed amusement park.
Who owns Gardaland?
Gardaland has been owned by Merlin Entertainments since October 2006.
What is Gardaland’s biggest roller coaster?
Oblivion: The Black Hole, a B&M dive coaster that opened in March 2015, is Gardaland’s tallest coaster at about 42.5 meters, with an 87-degree drop and speeds near 100 km/h. It was Italy’s first vertical-drop dive coaster, though it is not the longest dive coaster in Europe — that distinction belongs to Valkyria at Liseberg in Sweden.
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Photo: Unknown / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.