Efteling

About

Efteling is older than the original Disneyland and remains one of the most popular theme parks in the world. It opened its doors in 1952 as a set of 10 scenes from famous fairytales like The Frog Prince and Snow White in the style of the Dutch illustrator Anton Pieck. It has grown rapidly since then and now contains 30 attractions, with expansions to include roller coasters and carnival rides. Today, the park alone covers 72 hectares (180 acres), but the entire complex is much larger and includes a golf course, a theatre, two hotels, holiday villages, and even a nature reserve. Its use of green space differentiates it from most other theme parks and whisks guests back to the whimsical, if not somewhat dark, nature of classic European fairytales.