7 holiday destinations for toy aficionados
Are you fascinated by toys and still looking for a holiday destination where you can indulge your passion? Then look no further! Here, I'm going to introduce you to seven destinations that any toy fan must have seen at least once in their life.
You're lying on a golden sandy beach, a cocktail in hand, the sun's rays caressing your skin and the fruit basket from the all-inclusive buffet is next to your sun lounger. If this description doesn't fit your image of a holiday at all, you'd rather be on the move than taking it easy, and you're fascinated by the world of toys to boot, then these seven destinations are sure to spark inspiration.
Miniatur Wunderland, Hamburg
Even if you're not keen on model cars, at Miniatur Wunderland, you won't go back. And with good reason: their model makers have spent almost 800,000 hours creating a whole host of strikingly realistic worlds in detail, where day gives way to night every 15 minutes: at that moment, no fewer than 400,000 built-in LEDs light up, giving the whole thing an incredible atmosphere. Covering an area of 1500 m2 are:
- 1040 trains,
- 9250 vehicles,
- 263,000 figurines,
- 42 aircraft,
- 15.5 kilometres of rail.
If you have to visit Hamburg soon, be sure to drop by Miniatur Wunderland, a place well worth a visit!
Lieu: Hamburg, Germany
Website: miniatur-wunderland.de
Hamleys, London
Founded in 1760 and based at the same address since 1881, Hamleys is the biggest and oldest toy shop in the world: it has 50,000 items spread over seven floors. That's a lot of toys, especially considering that as an online shop we only have double that (120,000 toys) in our assortment.
Don't hesitate to drop in, even if you don't want to buy anything! There's a special atmosphere here that's easy to lull yourself into for hours on end. With more than five million visitors a year, Hamleys is a shop that's never empty. So it's best to visit during the week and outside peak times. At midday and at weekends, these places are black with people and you can no longer see the toys.
Lieu: Londres, Angleterre
Website: hamleys.com
Legoland, Billund
There are nine Legoland parks around the world, the most iconic of which is undoubtedly Billund in Denmark. It was the first to be built, back in 1968. And with good reason: Billund is the home of the famous plastic brick. Spread over an area of 14 hectares, the park features no fewer than fifty attractions based around Lego.
Lieu: Billund, Denmark
Website: legoland.dk
LEGO House, Billund
If you find yourself in Billund, also consider taking a tour of the recently built LEGO House! Inaugurated last September, this 12,000 m2 interactive LEGO building structured into 6 zones has a totally new adventure in store for you in the midst of more than 25 million bricks. You can roll up your sleeves to build or take on a number of challenges: creating a character, programming a robot or even shooting a stop motion animation.
Other highlights will also punctuate your visit to LEGO House, such as the Masterpiece Gallery at the heart of which rises a gigantic tree all made of Lego, the History Collection which traces the history of the brand, or the "MINI CHEF" restaurant where you eat right in the middle of little bricks.
Location: Billund, Danemark
Website: legohouse.com
Akihabara, Tokyo
Akihabara is a district of Tokyo, also known as "the electric town". As well as numerous electronics shops, there's also a whole world devoted to video games, comic books, manga and other derivative products. Visit Kotobukiya, for example, one of Akihabara's biggest shopping centres, where you can pick up licensed items from your favourite genres. Another geek mecca? Mandarake, spread over eight floors, offers only second-hand products as well as genuine treasures not found in Europe.
Location: Tokyo, Japon
Playmobil FunPark, Nuremberg
Playmobil FunPark has been located in Zirndorf, a suburb of Nuremberg, for 18 years. It offers countless attractions and playgrounds for young and old over an area of 90,000 m2. Here you can discover the brand's famous figurines and models, but in XXL versions. Pirate ship, fortress or Wild West? It doesn't matter, there's something for everyone, provided, of course, that you prefer Playmobil to LEGO, otherwise you'll have to push all the way to Billund.
Location: Nuremberg, Allemagne
Website: playmobil-funpark.de
Carrera World, Nuremberg
Located just 1.5 kilometres from Playmobil FunPark, Carrera World is a 2,200 m2 universe that has been delighting racing aficionados of all ages since 2016. On the programme? Nine circuits for you and your friends. The largest of the courses has six lanes and is 70 metres long. The hall here also allows you to admire historic cars, refresh yourself in the lounge or treat yourself in the shop.
Location: Nuremberg, Allemagne
Website: carrera-world.com
Have I forgotten a must-see destination? Let us know in the comments!
Riding my motorbike makes me feel free, fishing brings out my inner hunter, using my camera gets me creative. I make my money messing around with toys all day.