When the summer heat arrives in Madrid, one of the best ways to cool off is to spend the day at a water park. The most famous in the Madrid region is undoubtedly Aquopolis Villanueva de la Cañada.
It’s important to know that the park is a seasonal attraction, only operating during the summer months, usually from mid-June to early September. The opening hours are typically from 12 PM to 8 PM, but it's always best to check the official website before your visit.
With dozens of attractions for all ages, planning your visit can make all the difference. That’s why we’ve gathered the most important information here to help turn a good outing into a perfect day.
Where is Aquopolis and how to get there?
The park is located at Avenida de la Dehesa, s/n, in Villanueva de la Cañada, a town about 30 kilometres west of Madrid's city centre. Getting there is relatively simple, with good options for those travelling by car or public transport.
By Car
The journey from the centre of Madrid takes between 30 and 40 minutes, depending on traffic. Access is well-signposted, and the main approach roads are the M-501 and M-600.
The park has a car park, and here’s an important tip as there are two options. There is a paved, supervised car park right in front of the entrance which costs €5. For those who prefer to save money, there is also a free, unsupervised dirt car park located just to the left of the main entrance. Signs at the main entrance will point you towards each one.
By Public Transport
Getting to Aquopolis by bus from Madrid is quite easy. The best options are:
- Line 627 (The best option): Departs from the Moncloa transport hub, runs frequently (every 10 minutes or so) and stops exactly at the park gate.
- Line 581: Departs from Príncipe Pío, but it's less frequent (every hour in summer) and the stop is a 5-minute walk from the entrance.
- BusForFun: This is a special service, not a regular bus line. You buy tickets online in advance, and you can combine the return transport (from Plaza Castilla and Príncipe Pío) with your park entry ticket. It's the ideal option for a hassle-free day.
How much are the tickets for Aquopolis?
The golden rule for visiting Aquopolis is never buy your ticket at the park's box office. The price difference between buying online in advance and on the day can be huge, sometimes costing more than double.
The pricing system works as follows:
- At the box office (the price to avoid): On the day of your visit, the price for a general admission ticket at the park is usually a fixed, higher rate, typically around €40.
- Online (the smart option): The official Aquopolis website uses dynamic pricing, much like airlines.
- Buying in advance is cheaper: The earlier you buy, the better the price you're likely to find.
- The day of the week also matters: Visiting from Monday to Friday is cheaper than at weekends or on public holidays.
By planning and buying online, it’s possible to find general admission tickets starting from €19.
Ticket Types and Extras
- Dated Ticket: This is the standard ticket. The price varies depending on the day and how far in advance you book.
- Reduced Ticket: The park offers a special price for children (between 100cm and 140cm tall), seniors (over 65s), and disabled guests. It's essential to know that the criterion for the child discount is height, not age. Children under 100cm tall enter for free.
- Open-Date Ticket: This costs a higher fixed price but offers complete flexibility to choose any day of the season to visit.
- Bono Parques (Annual Pass): The season pass for the Parques Reunidos group. It's worth looking into if you plan to visit Aquopolis and other group parks multiple times a year.
- VIP Areas: You can hire private spaces, like Balinese beds or exclusive tents, with access to quieter areas of the park.
- Extras: The website also allows you to pre-purchase other services, like locker hire or food menus, often with a small discount.
Is the Speedy Pass worth it?
The Speedy Pass is the 'queue-jump' pass for Aquopolis. There are two options:
- Speedy Pass Premium (€42.90): Offers unlimited fast-track access all day.
- Speedy Pass Basic (€25.90): Gives you 8 fast-track entries.
Both passes are valid for the following attractions: Zig Zag, Waikiki Jungle, Boomerang, Rápidos, Pistas Blandas, Splash, and Kangaroa.
Which one to choose? Our opinion
For us, the Speedy Pass Basic was more than enough, and we'd highly recommend it. The wait for the most popular rides (especially those with rafts) can easily exceed an hour. The eight passes were sufficient for us to repeat all the rides we liked best, which in truth were only 2 or 3 attractions as the park is relatively small.
The Speedy Pass Premium might be worthwhile for families with children or teenagers who want to ride their favourite attractions dozens of times.
One thing to have in mind is that some attractions have two queues: one to pick up your slide/mat/board, and another one to ride the slide itself, once you have it. The Speedy Pass allows you to skip the first one only.
Can you bring food to Aquopolis?
Yes, you can! Bringing your own food and drink is a very common practice at Aquopolis and a great way to save money. However, there are important rules about where you can consume and store your food.
What you can take into the pool areas
You are free to move around the attraction areas with drinks (always in plastic or tin containers, never glass!) and small snacks, like fruit. It's very common to see people with small cool boxes.
Where to store "proper food"
For larger meals, like sandwiches, the park has a designated picnic area. Next to this area, there are lockers of various sizes where you can hire a space to store your larger cool box with food for the day.
The common strategy is to hire a locker in the picnic zone for your food and carry a smaller cooler bag with just your drinks around the park.
What if you'd rather buy food there?
Of course, if you prefer convenience, the park also sells food. To our surprise, the prices are quite reasonable for a theme park. We paid €17.95 for a full menu which included two courses, bread, a drink, and dessert. There are also specific stalls inside selling burgers, hot dogs, and pizza.
The main attractions and rides at Aquopolis
Aquopolis Villanueva de la Cañada is not a giant water park. It has some rides considered to be more intense, but it's good to manage expectations; you won't find "kamikaze"-style slides with near-vertical drops where the floor opens up. The layout is well-distributed, with a main area for raft rides and other attractions scattered around the park, in addition to the pools and kids' areas.
One key point is that the most intense attractions have a weight limit, and the staff weigh everyone in the queue to ensure safety.
Our Favourites
Kangaroa
Our favourite, and great fun! It's a high-speed descent on a mat, with several dips. We went on it about three times.
Waikiki Jungle
A wide slide to go down as a group in a large circular raft. It's one of the most popular attractions, and the queue can easily be over an hour long.
Boomerang
A giant raft that launches you down a U-shaped ramp. Good fun and has a 90kg weight limit.
Splash
One of the more intense rides. You go down sitting on a special board on one of the steepest slides in the park. It also has a 90 kg weight limit.
Río Rápido
A raft ride that simulates a river current. The course has twists and stops along the way.
Classic slides (Zigzag e Black Hole)
These are classic body slides. Zigzag is an open course, while Black Hole is a descent in the dark. Both have a slow start (we had to push ourselves on the first few turns), but they are good fun.
Other popular attractions
Pistas Blandas: A multi-lane slide for racing friends. To be honest, it wasn't our favourite. The descent can be uncomfortable and gave us a headache. Our tip is to try going down seated, which might be more pleasant.
Río Lento: If you're looking to relax, this is the ride for you. It's a very small and super shallow lazy river, ideal for floating for a few minutes and taking a break from the bigger thrills.
Wave Pool: A water park classic. The waves happen at specific times; a loud horn sounds, and a sea of people runs towards the pool. The scene is comical and reminded us of a horde from The Walking Dead!
Kids' Areas: The park has several kids' areas, with miniature versions of the more intense attractions and classic aquatic playgrounds with colourful slides, waterfalls, and interactive features.
Tips for saving time and money at Aquopolis
In addition to the main information, there are a few tricks that can greatly optimise your visit. Here is the advice we wish we had received before going:
Arrive early: The park opens at 12 PM, but queues start forming at the entrance well before that. Arriving about 20 minutes before opening ensures you'll be among the first inside.
Head to the back of the park: Most people stop at the first rides they see. A great strategy is to walk to the back of the park when you arrive and enjoy popular attractions like Boomerang and Splash while the queues are still short.
A locker (consigna) is a necessary expense: To keep your belongings safe, hiring a locker for the day costs €8.
Protect your phone: The park sells waterproof phone pouches for €8 (plus €4 for the lanyard). The golden rule is to bring your own from home.
Footwear for the queues: The ground can get extremely hot under the Madrid sun. Bringing flip-flops or water shoes is essential to avoid burning your feet. You can simply leave them at the bottom of the slides.
Have lunch at an off-peak time: Most people have lunch between 2 PM and 3:30 PM, when the food queues get huge. However, this is when the ride queues tend to get a little shorter. A good tactic is to have an early lunch (around 1 PM) and take advantage of that window to go on a popular ride. Avoid leaving it too late to eat, as many food stalls start to close by 6 PM.
Fight the chlorine (sensitive skin): The pool water has a high chlorine content which dries skin out very quickly. The golden rule is to pack a good moisturiser and keep it in your locker. In between rides or during a break, towel off and re-apply it, especially on your face.
In summary, Aquopolis Villanueva de la Cañada is the perfect answer to the Madrid summer heat. With a bit of planning when buying tickets and a good strategy for the day, your experience will be much more fun and economical. It's a park that delivers a refreshing day out with just the right amount of thrill for the whole family.
Now that you have all the tips, you just need to choose your date and start planning!
