Opened in 1975 by the former circus-wagon-making Mack family to showcase their rollercoaster rides, Europa-Park is Germany's biggest theme park, spread over 85 hectares in Rust, a town near Freiburg in the Germany-France-Switzerland border triangle
As well as scaring yourself silly on the rides, every autumn you can join the month-long Halloween horror celebration, where a giant pumpkin (with a rollercoaster ride inside it) takes centre stage and the park is decked out with cobwebs, fake bats and scary street performers
It's the second biggest theme park in Europe after Disneyland Paris (more than four million visitors last year), but is relatively unknown in the UK despite a profile-raising visit from the England football team's wives and girlfriends during the 2006 World Cup
The Halloween festivities include the Terenzi Horror Nights, a mix of interactive theatre and temporary horror-themed attractions produced by ex-boyband singer Marc Terenzi (Heat Between the Sheets anyone? It reached number 40 in the German charts)
In the Carnival of Fear, there are "demonic harlequins" ...
... killer clowns ...
... generally weird looking characters ...
Obviously, it doesn't shy away from standard amusement-park kitsch ...
... but it's the rides that you really come for - and there are 100, with nine white-knuckle rollercoasters including Silver Star, Europe's biggest at 236ft high, with a top speed of 80mph and centrifugal forces of up to 4g
Nearby Freiburg claims to be the most eco-friendly city in Europe, and the green credentials extend into the park itself – it has a solar power plant, braking energy from some rides helps power the mains supply, and the park uses electric vehicles and energy-saving lamps
Train fares to Rust from London start at under £100, seat61.com. Accommodation is available at Europa-Park resort, or in Rust (Pension Sigg, doubles from £45 a night). Adult park day pass: €31.50 (£25); child (aged 4-11): €28 (£22).
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