The Meet Hostel is conveniently located a few minutes walk from the station, where buses await to take people to the two theme parks: Movieland and Gardaland. Today was Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. I realise that Italy is a Catholic country, but I was still dreading the holiday weekend queues. My fears worsened when I saw the standing-room-only bus to Gardaland leave. The Movieland bus turned up. All fears disappeared.

I was literally the only person on this bus

Movieland!

The park makes a song and dance about opening its gates. No, literally.

One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just isn’t the same…

Right, firstly let’s get the elephant out the room. As any person who’s been to Movieland knows, it’s basically an Italian version of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, on a budget of three cents and run by the mafia (I’m told). For instance, the word “Fantasmik” on the sign in the above photo. Also, there’s the Tower of Terror

Looking a little more bare than I remember

This was my first Intamin 1st gen tower, and it didn’t disappoint. Lots of clanking and groaning as the car is carried back and up the tower. The Twilight Zone theme (definitely not Tower of Terror) plays over the slow shuffle forwards, before you plunge down the air-filled drop and flip onto your back in a very intense pull-out. It’s a strange experience, but I kinda love it. It was the only thing that got a reride.

Another fantastic ride is Magma which is a 4x4 off-roading adventure. Our driver was on steroids and the course has some crazy gradients and surprises (many involving water).

Aww yeah

Movieland has three rollercoasters, but I only counted two, since I draw the line at kiddie coasters with a twirly power cable. I made my way to the Flintst… ehm generic dinosaur themed area to do the Schwarzkopf Jet. Pretty forgettable.

Up to half an hour past park opening and still the park was dead. According to a couple of people I talked to, it’s more popular in the afternoons and later in the year when the waterpark is open.

This picture was literally taken after 10.30

Movieland is fond of its wet rides. Kitt from Knight Rider stood guard over the (empty) queue for the speedboat ride.

I don’t think this ride had anything to do with Knight Rider, but I’ve never actually watched it so I dunno

An enthusiastic speedboat driver and a mid-ride jaunt into a shed where you get “shot at” make for an awesome experience.

Wet ride number 2: Submarines!

So… am I playing the bad guys in this ride?

Such a strange ride, playing into the “Universal style disaster simulator” genre: sinking U Boat edition. It’s uncomfortable and cramped, and very wet, but I found it memorable.

Still one more cred to do. Diabolik, my first inverted boomerang. Can’t say I felt I was missing anything, though it was surpringly smooth.

And Vekomas always photograph well

I did two other rides, neither particularly good. First, a Robot invasion simulator that proved screens are much less interesting than an enthusiastic costumed guy leaping around a set.

The briefing room looks cool though

Lastly a Police chase simulator.

Much excitement!

Moviepark doesn’t care about leaving the video player frame up

This was near the entrance and I didn’t fancy it

I had most of the day left, so walked back to Peschiera del Garda along the lakefront. Make the most of the good weather before I left Italy

Serene

After a quick refresh at the hostel, I marched onwards to part two of the day: sightseeing in Verona, which is a fifteen minute train ride from Peschiera del Garda.

If you like your historic architecture or enjoy getting lost in mazes of backstreets with chapels, boutiques and cafes dotted around, Verona is a great place to soak up as much time as you want. I only visited the city centre, but there’s a load more great stuff dotted around.

Walk down the main boulevard from the station to get to the historic stuff.

Verona has city walls with a big-ass clock

Inside the walls is a huge square containing the Verona Arena, a very well preserved 1st Roman amphetheatre.

Every city needs a main shopping street, and Verona goes for the rustic narrow corridor. It feels vibrant, and even convinced me to empty my wallet for gelato.

It’s probably mostly chain brands, but it feels so intimate

Walk further to the Piazza della Erbe and all the important historical buildings turn up. There’s also Juliet’s balcony somewhere nearby but that was only installed in the 1930s because why not milk the Shakespeare coin.

Instead, there’s Lomberti’s Tower and more places to wander around. Apparently I spent so long wandering around various sidestreets that I completely missed the fact that there’s a river with good views.

My attempt at artsy. I like this photo

I’m pretty sure this is a meme at the moment

That was it for Verona. Great city, great atmosphere and somewhere I could go back to (if I’m around Garda again, I probably would). We’re still in Garda tomorrow, for the main event. Gardaland!