Everyone knows that happy kids mean happy parents and on your family holidays the best way to put a smile on your children’s faces is a day out at the local water park. With Europe geared towards the package holiday market, there is such a plethora of parks to choose from. Here’s our pick of the best:

Adaland Aquapark,Turkey

Adaland is divided into three distinct areas and each of them is guaranteed to cause your family hours of fun whilst on their package holiday. The spiralling slides and windy rides all take place in the Aquapark area and the park is best known for the slithering Yellow Python, a brightly coloured spinning tube which drops you out into a giant splash pool. The remaining areas of the park are the dolphin section, giving you and your family the opportunity to watch daily dolphin shows and afterwards swim with the stars, and the Seapark, which allows you to hand-feed magnificent manta-rays and snorkel amongst Turkey’s marine life, whilst on your package holiday.

Water World, Ayia Napa

Water World claims to be Europe’s biggest water-park, but it is the park’s Ancient Greek styling and not the sheer size of the destination that has coveted it many travel industry awards. There are 18 rides in total from the spinning Aeolos Whirlpool to the rather more sedate Aphrodite’s Pool, a huge relaxing Jacuzzi aimed at the park’s adult visitors. Many of the rides feature height restrictions, but younger children will have hours of fun in the Trojan Adventure, a gentler play structure featuring water pistols and smaller slides.

Aqualand, Tenerife

Aqualand is actually a chain of seven water parks situated in Europe. However the best of the bunch is located on the island of Tenerife. Like all the best water parks, the site features a dolphinarium and the dolphin shows here are the best in Europe. The park is home to a vast array of water based rides and customers that have visited other Aqualand parks, whilst on their family holidays, will be pleased to note that it has all the old favourites from the spiralling Anaconda to the five-slide spectacular, which is the Super Slalom.

Aquasur, Gran Canaria

Aquasur is the Canary Island’s biggest water park and also one of their most popular tourist attractions. The sun holiday daytrip destination is another Aqualand park, and whilst it doesn’t have the friendly dolphins of Tenerife, it instead features a population of sea lions that your children will love swimming with after their spectacular show. All the family favourites feature in this park, including the spiralling Anaconda and the adrenaline packed, Kamikaze and Adrenalina rides.

Fasouri Watermania, Cyprus

Fasouri Watermania won the much coveted award for the best water park at the 2007 World Travel Awards and it isn’t hard to see why. The park remains the biggest in Cyprus and is definitely a must visit for those on a family holiday. There is enough to entertain both adults and children alike and competitive families can organise a race down the six-lane Mat Chaser, to see who’ll be taking on the washing-up duties for the remainder of the package holiday.

The bizarre Crossover game is a lot harder than it looks and involves crossing an activity pool on giant floating orange slices. Smaller children will enjoy playing in the slightly more sedate kiddie pool, and the football pitch and playground give your family the perfect opportunity to dry out before heading home.