BonBon-Land

BonBon-Land is a wonderfully offbeat Danish amusement park in Holme-Olstrup in the south of Zealand, roughly 100 kilometres from Copenhagen. Its origins are as quirky as its atmosphere: the park grew out of the sweet factory of Danish confectioner Michael Spangsberg, whose candies carried names children found hilarious, from 'mågeklatter' (Seagull Droppings) to 'hundeprutter' (Dog Farts). When fans wanted to tour the factory but hygiene rules made that impossible, Spangsberg opened BonBon-Land instead. It welcomed its first visitors in 1992 with a mini candy factory, a cinema, a shop and a few duck-shaped boats on a pond, and has expanded steadily ever since, reaching its present 34-acre size when the Vildsvinet roller coaster was added in 2003. The park's cheeky, unmistakably Danish humour runs through everything, with comic characters and playful themes at every turn. There are dozens of rides ranging from gentle family attractions to bigger thrills, so it suits all ages, and younger children are well catered for. BonBon-Land was bought by the Spanish leisure company Parques Reunidos in 2007. Tickets start from around 249 DKK online and cost more at the gate, so it pays to book ahead and skip the entrance queue. Plan for the best part of a day here; weekdays tend to be quieter than weekends, and summer sees every attraction running. It is about an hour by car from Copenhagen, with free parking on site. For families after a fun, slightly cheeky day out, BonBon-Land is one of Zealand's most distinctive parks.