Oceanário de Lisboa

It's a very unique and relaxing experience. The animals here are so loved and protected. It's amazing to see them interact with food and people. some are really pretty and curious. I saw corals, penguins, otters, and multiple fishes. There are huge starfishes, sharks and eels and tiny worms and jelly fishes. I found creatures which I haven't seen before.All the animals here are trained to only eat frozen food on cue. They know their names and respond well to the keepers. It's a wonderful sight to see sharks being friends with tuna fish and sting ray. There are huge manta rays and a giant sun fish. Overall the place is so pretty and calming. I loved it so much. Wish to return here soon.

Nice big aquarium with a great amount of wildlife. The aquarium was filled with young students, which we found absolutely stunning cause all those kids had a lot of fun learning about their ocean and at the same time the aquarium gives a lot of opportunities to learn about environment and recycling. A lot of educational videos on the way through the aquarium show around the backgrounds of this fantastic place. Also the fishes and other animals in the aquarium had a lot of space and the otters looked absolutely cute 🦦

I love this place, I go there every year when I come to Lisbon, nice to visit with kids and if you want a little quiet and nice time DO NOT GO ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, it’s normal that kids are there with families and with groups. But overall it is so good with a nice little Cafe. It’s hard to get lost because there is a lot of directions and you can see the types of animals very easily. I highly recommend if you love marine animals or want to have a nice time :) I’m a shark lover and theses days were a blessing !

Very lovely aquarium. The first part is a fresh water aquarium, which I found one of the pretties of them all. The main building also had some amazing fishes and marine animals to show. Including an amazing tiger shark. I definitely think this place is worth it's price! I highly recommend it.

Great place for families, couples or solo wanderers. Inside, the easy navigation through the aquarium is straightforward. The halls are spacious with plenty of benches for a quick respite. The views of the tanks are plentiful and display cabinets for specific creatures were well kept and beautifully arranged (terrariums, aquarium or mixed media). One caveat though is that the halls aren't well lit, especially when traversing from one room to another via the dark-walled corridors, so please be advised to use a flashlight and thread slowly and carefully

Very large, great aquarium that you definitely have to see. There are many different aquariums to see. The possibility of sitting in front of the different windows gives you the feeling of being part of the underwater world. I could have watched the impressive world for several more hours. Beautiful large fish like sharks, manta rays and rays. The special thing is the diversity of the underwater world. I can recommend a stay in the very clean and well-maintained huge aquarium to everyone. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

Absolutely recommend to go to this aquarium with your kids- young or old they will definitely have a memorable experience. My one year old baby was fascinated with everything he saw. The aquarium displays a variety of fish, sharks and sting rays and you keep seeing it again and again and never get bored. I loved that we got to see the penguins more than once. Which is different than how another aquariums around the world do it- one area one species. You get more than one exposure as you walk along and that makes it more memorable. There are many exhibits for sea creatures too once you pass all the ocean areas. You can see snakes reptiles and frogs. Very informative and interesting. There is a movie to watch and there is an interactive session for young ones to get educated. Actually the entire oceanario can take hours just exploring and watching the fish go by in the aquarium. My last advice is better to buy your ticket online as there is a long queue for buying the tickets. It is accessible with priority for strollers and plenty of space for strollers.

Great aquarium. It’s designed around a large aquarium in the center with two levels of exhibits around it. You pass along a path that takes you on a journey through the aquarium and you’ll pass by all of the exhibits including the puffins, penguins and sea otters. At the end is a gift shop and cafeteria.

Lisbon aquarium Always wanted to come here so I did! Lovely aquarium and a great reason to escape the downpour that is Lisbon in the winter. It was a weekend and I arrived at opening time. Kids everywhere cause it is the weekend ( silly me ) Was advised to start at upper level and work my way down. Beautiful, moments of peace and quiet. The music goes well with the experience on the upper level / forests under water, it was a walk down memory lane to see some of the fish I had as a kid again! ( gouramis) Lots of seating available throughout the property. My faves were: Jellyfish, sea otters ( big size boys) penguins, vibrant sea anemones & pineapple fish ! * Wish they had baby carriage check in- you trip and bump into so many of them in the dark.

Great interaction between the aquatic displays and the different rooms that allow you to experience the climate changes for the pinguins, otters and artic birds. We bought the combo pass which allowed us round trip on the air tram ride at the park abd the visit to the aquarium at €30 per person.

Highlights: amazing central tank, with at least 10 different window in which to watch the sea life. Totally worth a visit!

This place was a great place to see while in Lisbon. Especially if you have kids. They had different kinds of snails and seahorses (leafy seadragon!) I had never seen before. The sea otters and penguins were so cute and people love the big shark tank! Pineapple fish, snowflake moray, zebra Moray, ringed pipefish, and some weird razorfish were all unique to this aquarium I feel like. These I don't believe I have seen in the aquarium's in the states. If you are in Lisbon this is a must see!

Great oceanarium. The main ocean tank has 360' views. They have mola mola; three of them. I have never seen this before at any oceanarium. They also have a variety of sharks in the tank, as well. Some of my other interests were leafy sea dragons, otters, amphibians. I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

We decided at the last minute to visit the aquarium and were glad we did. The area it is in is very nice, along the waterfront with huge courtyards, gardens, and fountains. We did the combo ticket which gets you entrance into the aquarium with unlimited rides on the cable car, 28 euro per person which seems about reasonable for aquarium admission. The aquarium is fairly good sized- a bit smaller than some others I've been to but still plenty to keep you occupied. I believe it's partially under sea level and is an engineering wonder. There's a central tank that the building revolves around, along with some side areas and tanks. It was ultra cool getting different views of the big tank. Some of my favorites were the cute otters and puffins, though I do kinda wish there was a way to view them swimming underwater too. The sea dragons were spectacular and so neat to look at. There was also an octopus. There are plenty of photo ops scattered throughout, and interactive areas for kiddos. This aquarium appeals to adults and kids alike. Thes staff was so nice and helpful. There was a restaurant and gift shop, which we walked through (all looked nice) but didn't buy from. Overall not a bad place to spend some time in Lisbon. For sure pop in if you're in the area!

I really enjoyed Lisboa's oceanarium. The animals were well taken care of, their mission was conservation, and I felt like I learned a lot! There were large crowds and lots of schoolchildren, but it was not difficult to navigate. I also appreciate that everything is included in the cost of admission, something you don't see often in the US!

Located a short drive outside Lisbon proper, Oceanário is arguably the city's premier destination. Opened in 1998, the Oceanário was the centerpiece of a World Fair and remains committed to conservation above all. Less "cute" than many modern aquariums, the focus on education over cartoons admirable, much of the space wraps around an enormous central tank featuring countless fish both common and novel. From Sun Fish to Sharks the space then expands to artistic aquascaping and theaters that outpace most.

It was beautiful inside and out. But a few things: I went mid morning on a weekday, it was beyond packed. I couldn't see much at all. There were a lot of cool animals and they seemed to be well taken care of. The main part of the aquarium is awesome you can follow it downwards. Smaller than I'd hope and not too much information on the animals just basics. Would have loved to know a bit more!

Right on the harbor - A Fun aquarium to visit, smaller than some the winding path through the facility made it seem much larger. We went at feeding time and it was very active. Great for the family or just for fun. We had a snack at the gift shop withe some wine - it was nice. We also took the cable car out and back - we had it to our selves as the sun was going down - very romantic! Nice walk afterwards along the restaurant strip.

I enjoy visiting aquariums. The oceanarium in Lisbon is one of the best aquariums that I've visited so far. It consists of a large central tank, surrounded by four smaller tanks that house different habitats. They have sharks, manta rays, sunfish, otters, penguins, jellyfish, and various other marine life. The tanks extend from floor to ceiling, so you can view it from the top floor or the bottom floor. The flow of the oceanarium takes you through all of the exhibits and all of the floors. It's extremely well-planned. When I visited, there were tons of school children, so it wasn't as good of an experience. Also, buying entrance tickets was slow. You can purchase tickets online. However, I've heard about issues with online ticket purchases if you don't purchase 24 hours ahead of time.

It's beautiful. The animals are well cared for and the exhibits are great. My six year old noted it's quite small and I agreed. Having gone to the Monterey bay aquarium a number of times, it's just a much smaller facility. There is a HUGE gift store and cafe. We really enjoyed it but it was over quick. Buy tickets online and avoid waiting in lines. It's worth checking out, especially if you like marine life or have kids. It is stroller friendly.

Very well done aquarium in the built up area of Lisbon along the water. There are two areas: the temporary and permanent exhibitions. Roughly 16€ to get in, you can purchase your tix ahead of time online. For some reason, they would only accept Paypal at the time, go figure. Different displays of various oceans, the penguin exhibit was definitely a highlight. You can get very close to them, which surprised me. The place has a definite flow to it with arrows leading you throughout. Unlike the Academy of Sciences in SF and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the crowds were minimal. Maybe it's because I was here on a weekday? The cafeteria-style cafe was reasonably priced. A small salad combo was only 5€. Not very well signed if you're taking public transport. Two ways to get here: the metro stop Oriente and walk about ten minutes or take bus 278 from Santa Apolonia station. If you're in the area for a music festival or want to check out the casino, then it's worth a visit. Good for kids, but if you have limited time in Lisbon you should spend your time in Alfama instead.

Great place to spend day with kids. So nice and perfect for a day out. So much to see and learn. Absolutely loved it!

I should start out by stating that all aquariums have a critical flaw, in my opinion. And that is this: you have huge crowds in a necessarily enclosed space all trying to look through the equivalent of a window. It is almost certain to result in pushing, crowding, and a miserable experience (for me at least). The Lisbon aquarium is no different. Rather than focusing on how stuffy, overcrowded, and potentially germ-ridden (hello tons of grabby children) the place was, I'll try to keep this positive and focus on the good things. First off, the aquarium is very well curated. The central, very large exhibit is wonderful. I'd never seen a sunfish and I'd never seen a tank large enough to result in fish schooling. It was magical. I felt like I was watching a scene from "Finding Nemo." I loved that part. The directional flow of guests is also very cleverly done. I like starting at the top of the facility and being directed circularly down to the lower level while moving through different "environments." So, on those fronts, this aquarium is certainly above average. The temporary exhibit while I was visiting was the "Submerged Forest." I found it very nice. I like how, at first, it looked like there was no life, but upon closer inspection, the vegetation was alive with small fish. The addition of seating and music created a lovely experience. Overall, if you're prepared to be sweaty, touched by a lot of children, and forced to squeeze next to strangers to oogle at the windows, I would recommend it.

Came to spend a morning in the Oceanario and it was very large. We bought tickets online which helped slip part of the entrance line and went into the aquarium. There are 2 parts to the aquarium and the main part has lots of animals, birds and fish. The other part has the cafeteria and a small exhibit. The main building has 4 exhibits but is made to look like 1 huge exhibit. It's pretty cool to check out and you can spend as much or as little time as you like walking around. Sharks are definitely a big draw but the oceanarium shows such biodiversity that you are amazed by the world we love in and how much we don't know about the water and creatures that make up most of our planet. The only thing that would make it 5 stars would be to make the 2nd area better (it seemed like an afterthought to me). Free Wifi is always a plus when visiting outside of your country!

Wow!! This place is incredible! First off, the floor to ceiling tanks are huge and impressive. Second, the whole flow of this place really works. It emphasizes the connectedness of all the ecosystems in the world and it truly was impactful. The ticket price is cheap compared to other aquariums/oceanariums around the world!

Such a fun place to go during the day. We saw so many water animals. I saw my first shark, seahorse, sea dragon, and a plethora of other creatures that I did not know existed. I was wowed the entire time. We even went to the special exhibit which was Florestas Sumbersas (forests underwater) by Takashi Amano which was incredible. So many metallic and rainbow colored fish! My fave parts were the sea otters and penguins because they were so cute and cuddly looking!

Sometimes it gets busy with school children, but it's never overwhelming. Lots to see and view, the main tank is something you can stare at for hours, even better if the staff are in there with the fish. Don't forget that the surrounding area contains many good places to eat and drink. It's hard to imagine how it was (around 20 years ago) when the entire area was an oil refinery.

I've been to aquariums all over the world (it's my thing). This was one of my favorites. This aquarium is well organized and has an easy flow and layout. There is a wide variety of mammals, reptiles and aquatic life on view. My favorite exhibit was the otters, who we happened to catch during feeding time. I also enjoyed the puffins and penguins, huge tanks of fish, colorful frogs.....and I spent perhaps an abnormal amount of time in front of the tiny eel worms (they disappear into the sand and then make "pop up" appearances).

We came here on a weekend and the place was very crowded. Very cool looking designed Oceanário with many displays. I am always attracted to Sea anemones which has so many different colors. Great place to visit when you are in Lisbon.

It was a rainy Sunday in Lisbon and we took the recommendation to see the Oceanário. So glad that we did. We have seen other aquariums, but this one did a wonderful job and took our breath away a number of times. My favorite is probably the temporary exhibit on the rain forest because it was so relaxing. Security nd had to be a tie between the otters and penguins because of their playfulness.

I have been to some pretty awesome aquariums in my life, Monterey Bay Aquarium being the finest, so I was excited about visiting Oceanário de Lisboa. Hubby and I had a couple of extra hours during our time in Lisbon to spend on an unplanned activity and the aquarium was the perfect option. It was on the path of the hop-on,-hop off Yellowbus, of which we had a three day pass, plus we visited right after lunch and needed the exercise:) The aquarium is in the modern area of Lisbon in Parque das Nações, which is close to a nice shopping mall, full on grocery market, bus routes galore, the subway and a bunch of restaurants. Hubby is a tech geek and found it cool to discover a Microsoft office and Vodafone HQ in the area. We visited during the off-season in October and paid about 16 euros each for entry. You can buy tickets at the office ticket office or the kiosk around the corner. The aquarium is beautiful! The best part is the giant fish tank that is located in the center of the space. it provides a panoramic view of the fish on all floors so you get a chance to see the animals from various angles. They have several species of rays, shark and bony fish. My favorite was the giant sunfish. It is an awesome display. There is a really crazy bird exhibit that is coupled with the penguin area that allows the birds to fly around freely. We were surprised by this - especially since we did not have to sign a waiver before entering :) I don't really like birds flying overhead so I didn't spend much time in this space. It took us about one hour to get through the entire aquarium. If you like to linger and read every exhibit description then you may need 2 hours max. It's a small space and if you are a fan of aquariums you have probably seen most of the animals already. I'm giving this aquarium 3 stars because it's no match for Monterey Bay Aquarium or The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, but it's worth a visit.

Fun aquarium! Great activity rain or shine, and for all ages haha. I like how they organized the flow. Easy to understand which was to go, and to see the whole aquarium. It's similar to the kyoto aquarium where it is a big tank in the middle, and then each floor spirals the center. Here however, they created many nooks/corners where theres a seating bench to just hang back and stare into the water - SO COOL and relaxing! There is also a cafeteria here. Would recommend as a nice place to sit and take a break. We just got a coffee, soda, and a egg tart. We saw other families buy sandwiches and other hot foods. The interior is beautiful - all white, and lots of natural light.

This facility is pretty amazing with many interesting displays. The temp exhibit of the under water forests was particularly impressive. I'm not going to go into great detail about the exhibits but it's worth going. That being said, do some planning and investigate when the slow periods are because it was packed. We went about 11am on a Tuesday thinking that kids are in school, people will be working, etc. Nope, packed to the gills! The amphibian exhibit was particularly difficult to navigate and was very warm. I wanted to stomp on some strollers since it seemed parents couldn't be bothered to fold them up even though the kid wasn't in it the whole visit. Then there is the guy that did a five minute recording of fish going by and decides to just stand right there in front of the tank and watch the damn thing while people are trying to so the live show. Don't forget the girl that thinks she's in a photo shoot so sits in front of each view of the tank to get her picture taken. In short, get rid of the people and it would really be amazing. Oh, watch the video in the theater, they do a lot to help conserve the oceans and all that live in it.

I've never really seen the appeal of aquariums to be honest, maybe because I'd never been to one. My sis and my pop go to every aquarium when thy travel so they encouraged me to pay a visit here. As I was alone in Lisbon for work, I thought I'd give it a bash. Once in the door, I immediately got it. Aquariums are beautiful because they are quiet. This place was so peaceful, I could have stayed here for hours and just relaxed looking at all the beautiful fish. It's divided up into oceans and the text is presented in Portuguese and English. When you come out, relax and have a coffee in the bars below looking out on to Ponte Vasco de Gama.

Great acquarium! The layout is so well-done and the entire experience emphasizes conservation and wonderment about the oceans. We went there for the sea otters and were pleasantly surprised by the extremely well-laid out floor plan, clean design in the cafe/gift shop area, and the overall feel of it all. The sea otters did not disappoint - there's a top level viewing area where you can see them as they are bobbing on the surface and later on there is a downstairs portion where you can watch their shenanigans in the water. Awesome way to spend a couple of hours if you love acquariums.

Perfect place if you love ocean echosystems. The concept is now a bit old but still Nice And attractive. 2 hours of visit max.

You don't have to be a kid a heart to enjoy this aquarium!! Hubby and I spent about two hours checking out all the exhibits and the oh so fascinating big tank. The current temporary exhibit: Forests Underwater by Takashi Amano is not to be missed. Make sure you watch the video at the end of the exhibit on how it was built. The aquarium's huge center tank is the big attraction and you make your way down a gentle spiral stopping along the way to watch the sea life at different levels. They also have a great tropical rain forest/ sea tank that almost melts into the large tank so you also can enjoy colorful fish at many levels as well. This aquarium is located in the Parque das Nacoes which was a bit quiet when we were there (weekday in October), but I can see that during the summer it would be full of families.

This is about the only aquarium I've seen that boasted these gigantic two-story floor-to-cieling viewing windows, and there were several of them. Similar in style to the Boston Aquarium, the whole exhibit revolved in a spiral around this gigantic central tank, with side exhibits at the periphery. Traffic flow was all one-way. This was innovative.

This aquarium is amazing and is a must go to if you go to Lisbon! It literally feels like you are underwater as the major fish tank is so huge. The aquarium is all about educating people about our planets fragile oceans and working towards conserving it. There is no Sea World bullshit here like "let's make the utter jump for our entertainment before it can get fed". This feels like a genuine place where they care about the animals wellbeing. Make sure that you buy your entrance tickets in advance (online) so that you can skip the massive queues. This place gets extra busy at lunch so make sure that you get here early.

My boyfriend and I visited here on a weekday to just get out of the heat and see some sea animals. We ordered our tickets online previous to going and it was definitely a big benefit! We skipped about 30 minutes of waiting in line and got to go right in. We bought tickets to the temporary exhibit as well, but I don't think this was worth the 3€ extra so might be best to check out what the exhibit is before buying that portion. Highlight: otters

Great place to spend the day. Been here 3 times now with family and kids and it's just beautiful! The central tank is amazing.

Upside: This is so fantastic. If you are sea animal and ocean lover, go there. There is one big tank and 4 side tanks, which simulate different oceans. This aquarium lives the dream about one united ocean (like the "all blue" in One Peace). Downside: 18 euros for adults

The most beautiful aquarium in The Europe. I love visit this place because you fell they treat very well The species and The animais and The enviroment is very clean with good vibes.

I enjoyed this fairly large aquarium located in the more modern side of the city. The exhibits were well kept and they had a great variety of marine and ocean life. It's also a nice opportunity to escape some of the tourist crowds since admission is a bit steep. Admission is €17 but it is a very well done aquarium and worth the price. Just note, it's a bit of a hike by bus outside central Lisbon but worth the trek.

This is a MUST in Lisbon, not only for kids but also for adults. There are penguins, sea otters, corals and small aquariums with all different kinds of fish. BUT: in the middle, there is a huge (and huge might just be a minimalistic word) aquarium with rays, sharks, mantas and others... impressing. Also, the aquarium addresses ecological issues in a good way, suitable for children. Go There!

Excellent!!! From Monterey, where we very proud of our aquarium. This blows ours away!!! So. Freaking. Cool!!

When this is your first visit to a sea aquarium, you will be impressed. I myself visit every sea aquarium in the world, where ever I am and I wasn't impressed one bit. Sorry. First of all it's way too dark inside, I felt blind and stumbled around. Second the surround sound (sea sounds) was way too loud. The first will probably help to slow down kids but the second will enrage them. It annoyed me - as audio sensitive person - very much. Then, the huge centre tank is big and impressive, but I couldn't help seeing way too many (schools of) fish swimming circles like caged tigers. Sting rays, sharks, great collection of ocean life, but like I said: the display can't be examplory for reality. Also I've seen much better aquariums with jelly fish then here and so on. For €17 I was in and out within the hour and glad to be outside again. Sorry. I do love Lisbon :)

Fun way to spend an afternoon, with or without kids! The aquarium is unique in that all of its large tanks are attached, giving you constant and unique views of their sea life. I never felt like I missed an opportunity to see something because there was too much of a crowd! The entire thing took us about 2 hours! It was less than 20 euros per person, however there is a student discount....so ask for one if you are a student!

If your thinking I'm in Lisbon, why am I going to an aquarium, there is a simple answer, this is a fantastic aquarium!I think it ranks with Baltimore and Chicago and I consider that high praise.Also the area itself is pretty interesting to walk around .Lots of restaurants and views of the river including lots of jellyfish in the river.There is also a monorail here that runs along the river.It proves to be a nice break from history and art.

Superimpressive! One of the best attractions in Lisbon, from my point of view. The aquarium is really big, you see lots of fish you havent't seen before and its just amazing to keep sitting and watch them pass by. For just about 10 Euros it's also very good value. You'll certainly pay more in any other comparable ocenarium. If you never went diving before, come here to get a glance at the fantastic world thats waiting to be discovered

This is one of the best looking buildings in Lisboa and closeby is another wonderful one (Portugal Pavilion). This architectonic jewel was built for the Expo 98 World Exhibition. This is a very very big aquarium that is dedicated to the wild seas, you won't find any of little fish you may encounter in several other aquariums. The big attraction of this Oceanarium is the hug middle tank, filled with sharks and a very very large Moon Fish. The layout of the building was thought as the 5 Oceans, so you will have the chance to see what their marine life is like, above and underwater. The Oceanarium also boasts a big collection of plants and birds that live on the building. If you book before hand, there are activities for the little ones, including the spending an night with the fishes activity. I wish I could do that This is a very very good place to visit and the surroundings are very relaxing and pretty. If you are tired of walking in the city center and want a valid alternative just head onto the East part of town to the Parque das Nações. You will certainly find many more gems around the place.

What a place! Any visit to Lisbon surely has to take in the Parque das Naceos, and particularly the Oceanario. At 12E it's not cheap but the fish and other creatures are astounding. The massive central tank has sharks, rays, tuna, the hugest and ugliest fish I've ever seen and hundreds of beautiful smaller fish all living together with tourists gawping at them from all angles. There are also countless smaller tanks with English and Portugese explanations. There's a clearly marked route around the Oceanario so you don't miss anything. It's also worth spending 20 minutes watching the film on how the Oceanario is managed. This isn't just a place for kids - ignore the noisy school children and you'll have a great time.

TERRIBLE experience. I hope the manager can see this review on time and help us. We purchased online tickets to avoid the line on site. We were told by the staff at the aquarium that we would receive our tickets in 10 minutes. Now it's been over an hour. We have been charged by our bank. We have not received the tickets but we're told they cannot help because the website to purchase the ticket, which is advertised at the door of the aquarium itself is not associated with them!!!! We need help and the aquarium refuses to help us. This is unacceptable and we hope they will help us get in the aquarium. All the people we have spoken with have been rude and unwilling to help. Very frustrating.

Excellent exhibition but since they are so environmentally sensitive, why they have smoking areas at all is beyond my comprehension. It is well known that toxins from cigarette butts leach into ocean water and destroy ocean life.

I guess I am biased with this review because I live in an area where there is ocean all around me, and we also have a pretty good aquarium and sea park as well. This oceanarium was average. I loved the penguin and sea otter display but the rest was kind of mediocre. I've seen better oceanariums in Korea and elsewhere in the USA. It's kid friendly but kind of expensive. We got there via the subway and it was fairly easy to find, although a little walk from the subway station. Take a walk around the oceanarium and take a ride on those sky trams to get a good view of the area. There are also many restaurants and a mall nearby.

A must see during your visit to Lisbon. Great for kids, romantic for adults. My fiancee and I loved it. It's huger than you would expect. So many hidden treasures. Plus it's located on the harbour, so yoy can take a romantic walk after! Greetings from NYC.

I'm not a massive sightseer normally but made an exception for this and it was worth it. I've never seen so many big sharks in one place together before, various other massive ugly fish, and loads of penguin type birds (the arctic equivalent of penguins). My favourite was the sea otters, they were so cool I wish I could have taken them home. Gill especially enjoyed the massive crab that lives at the bottom of the sea (not really, she was totally scared of it and had to hide in the corner). I had no problem paying to come in here given the fact that the money goes towards marine conservation. There was a giant turtle exhibition on when we went and its quite shocking to realise the giant turtles will be extinct very soon unless we do something about it.

Fascinating place. One of best aquariums I have been to and a steal at just 11 euros. Huge indoor tank that you get to see from many angles as you walk through. Also an artic section for penguin spotting. Look out for the SunFish which is huge and very ugly. You can't help wishing it had a friend. The down stairs rooms showing seahorses and smaller fish was pretty crowded when we went one Sunday in August but I guess it was peak holiday time. The area around is pretty nice and it's easy to spend the best part of the day here. Don't miss the architecture of the Oriente station or the ride on the cable cars. Walk at least part of the waterfront to get an idea of the restaurants on offer.