The Valencia Aquarium, a true marine sanctuary, is a must-see when visiting Valencia in Spain. Not only is it Europe’s largest aquarium, it’s also a marineeducation and conservation center, offering an immersive experience into the mysteries of the oceans.
Are you wondering how to optimize your time to visit the maximum number of spaces? What are the best areas to visit? How do I get there? Where to buy your tickets? We had the same questions, because this aquarium is huge. You can visit both indoors and outdoors, with countless basins and aquariums filled with marine life.
We give you all our advice and our opinion to fully enjoy your visit.
Aquarium must-sees
The site comprises 7 areas, so allow around 3-4 hours for a tour of the pools. If you’d like to spend a little less time on this tour, we think these are the must-sees.
- Tropical waters, where schools of colorful exotic fish such as butterflyfish and angelfish swim among vibrant coral.
- Temperate waters to observe species such as sea bass and bream. The highlight of this section is the reconstitution of a freshwater ecosystem, where freshwater fish and amphibians cohabit.
- Space with hammerhead and whale sh arks, truly fascinating creatures.
- Jellyfish, with their ethereal grace, offer a fascinating visual spectacle, while seahorses and their delicate movements captivate the eye.
One final feature we loved was the many large interior tunnels, in which we were surrounded by fish. It’s impressive to see them flying overhead, and to be able to observe them up close.
The Aquarium organizes regularly changing temporary exhibitions, bringing new perspectives on marine life and environmental issues. The permanent exhibitions are designed to educate and question. For example, the exhibition on coral reefs highlights their ecological importance and the dangers they face.
The Shark Zone
This area is dedicated to one of the sea’s most fascinating predators. Here, visitors can observe sharks of different species, learn about their biology, behavior and conservation efforts. Information panels and multimedia animations enhance the experience.
The Mediterranean in the spotlight
The space dedicated to the Mediterranean at the Aquarium de Valence is a tribute to the sea that has made Valencia what it is today. Here, visitors can admire a wide variety of Mediterranean species, such as the grouper, known for its imposing size and curious behavior, or the moray eel, nimbly threading its way between the rocks.
It’s also an opportunity to discover lesser-known but equally fascinating species, such as sunfish, rays and a multitude of invertebrates like anemones and sea urchins. Informative panels accompany each habitat, offering details on the ecology of the Mediterranean, its environmental challenges and ongoing conservation efforts.
Shows and Entertainment
These presentations are designed to entertain, but even if children love them, if you’ve been reading us for any length of time you’ll know that we’re not a fan. We preferred to take advantage of this time to visit the other areas of the aquarium while all the visitors watched the show.
These shows feature dolphins and sea lions. Several shows are scheduled throughout the day.
Interactive Experiences
The Aquarium offers interactive experiences to enhance your visit. Educational workshops are also available, allowing visitors to learn about fish behavior, conservation methods, and even animal care techniques. These interactions are supervised by experts, ensuring a safe and instructive experience.
Practical tips for your visit
For an optimal visit, we recommend you allow at least half a day. The Aquarium is vast, and a well-planned itinerary means you won’t miss any of the major exhibits. When it comes to dining, the Aquarium offers a range of options, from cafés to restaurants, to suit all tastes and budgets. It’s also a good idea to check show and entertainment times in advance, so you can fit them into your schedule. The entrance to the aquarium is via the building in the shape of a giant water lily.
How do I get to the Valence aquarium?
The aquarium is located in Valence’s City of Arts and Sciences.
- By car: a large parking lot is located just in front 2.30€/ hour
- By metro: line 10 to Oceanogràfic stop
- By bike: about 5km from the historic center of Valence
Schedule
- From September to June, the aquarium is open daily from 10am to 6pm, and until 8pm on Saturday evenings.
- In July and August, the aquarium is open daily from 10am to 8pm, and until 9pm on Saturday evenings.
- In March, May and June, some weeks the aquarium is open until 8 p.m.
The aquarium is open all year round, so it’s a great activity option when it’s raining or to do in winter in Valencia to keep dry and warm!
Remember to check this information on your ticket before you arrive.
Prices: where to buy your tickets?
This is Valencia’s most visited museum, so we recommend that you buy your ticket directly from the online site, choosing the day of your visit to avoid the long queues at the booking kiosks.
Price: Full price €38.50 – Reduced price for children aged 4 to 12 and seniors €28.50 – free for children aged 0 to 3.
Sustainable development and ecology
We’re well aware that this type of venue isn’t necessarily the first thing you think of when you want to talk about ecology and sustainable development.
The Valencia Aquarium is not just a spectacular showcase for marine life; it also plays a crucial role in conservation and environmental awareness. The facility is actively involved in a number of research and conservation programs, focusing on the sustainability of marine ecosystems.
You can follow their various actions on their social networks, it’s always interesting to see what’s going on beyond your visit and to find out where the money goes.
Search and rescue programs
The Aquarium works with scientific institutions and conservation organizations to study and protect endangered species. These programs cover a wide range of topics, from captive breeding of rare species to the restoration of damaged marine habitats.
After years of environmental destruction, it has unfortunately become necessary for places like this to carry out this work of preserving species.
Education and Awareness
The facility offers educational workshops and interactive programs to raise public awareness of the importance of ocean preservation. These sessions address issues such as overfishing, plastic pollution and climate change, highlighting the role that everyone can play in protecting the marine environment.
Local schoolchildren are also regularly invited to raise their awareness of the importance of preserving the marine environment.
Eco-responsible initiatives
The Aquarium de Valence implements sustainable practices in its day-to-day management. This includes the use of efficient energy systems, responsible water management and waste reduction. Visitors are encouraged to adopt environmentally-friendly behaviors, such as using reusable bottles and taking part in beach clean-up activities organized by the Aquarium.
This is generally not enough, but we wanted to note the progress made and hope that it continues in this direction.
Our opinion of the Valence aquarium
The aquarium is distinguished by its vast facilities that reproduce different marine habitats. We really appreciated the wide variety of species represented. Our daughter was impressed by all the colors, and by some of the fish and marine mammals she hadn’t yet seen in their natural habitat.
As mentioned above, we didn’t attend the water show, as we don’t want our daughter to get used to this type of performance. We preferred to take advantage of this time to visit the other areas of the aquarium while all the visitors watched the show.
Feel free to leave us a note below to let us know if you are planning this trip, ask any questions or share on social networks(our Instagram) we will answer you with great pleasure!
