AWAY WITH the fairies
Dutch park is magic for all the family
One great thing about Efteling is that it doesn’t do “kiddie” rides. There are the scary thrill rides and there are family rides, on which toddlers sit alongside teenagers, parents and grandparents – all of them grinning or staring wide-eyed at the spectacle in front of them.
Many of Efteling’s rides are gentle journeys through different worlds, a series of jaw-droppingly detailed scenes brought to life by amazingly lifelike robotic figures.
You can take a boat ride through an Arabian Nights fantasy land with belly dancers and market traders, or ride the Dream Flight through forest scenes where fairies and trolls frolic. The latest ride, Symbolica, is a room-by-room trip through a fantasy palace which ends up with your car gliding around the dance floor of a ballroom among the guests at a royal feast. It is stunning. A walk through the fairytale forest is a must. Each scene is brought to life so vividly with moving figures – a dancing Rumpelstiltskin, a Hansel and Gretel house that smells sweet and a storytelling tree so lifelike you are compelled to sit and listen, even though his tale is in Dutch.
Oasis
smoothies to kebabs, Chinese and an excellent pizza restaurant. The one thing you must sample is the traditional Dutch pancakes – they do big ones (sweet and savoury) and platefuls of bite-sized ones, dusted in icing sugar and served with a knob of butter.
Getting there is as easy too. There are excellent road and public transport links from the airports and ports. We took advantage of a cabin on a Stena Line night crossing from Harwich to the Hook of Holland.
After a good night’s sleep and a mighty breakfast, we were on the road to Efteling with enough time to get there before it opened.
Holland may not be your first thought as a destination but it is so close and has so much more to offer than just Amsterdam. Go on, go Dutch! And start with Efteling.
Ed and Ellie were dead on their feet for the journey home but still wanted to know when we can go back. That tells you all you need to know. FACTFILE: Stena Line offers twice-daily return crossings between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. Return fares start from £148 for two adults and a car. Return fares for a family of four start from £178. Under-fours travel free. Cabins start from £17 per person each way. Visit stenaline.co.uk/ ferry-to-holland.
A two-night stay in a six-person holiday house in Efteling Village Loonsche Land is priced from £367 with early booking to £432 with standard booking. For more information and to book, visit efteling.com.