Photo by Jordiferrer. Barcelona is a perfect destination for those travelling with children. Among the most recommended activities for families is a visit to theAquàrium de Barcelona, the city's wonderful aquarium.
Here are all our tips on how best to organise a visit to the Barcelona Aquarium.
Opening hours and prices
The Barcelona Aquarium is open every day from 10:00 a.m., while the closing time varies depending on the month, generally between 7:00 p.m. in low season and 9:00 p.m. in summer, with possible special openings until 9:30 p.m. Admission costs €21.00.
Hours: open from 10:00 a.m. November to March until 19:00, April May and October until 20:00, June to September until 21:00, with special openings until 21:30;
Best time to avoid queues: at opening time or early afternoon;
Ticket price: €21.00 - book online;
Reductions: children 5-10 years €16.00, children 3-4 years €9.00;
Free admission: children up to 2 years of age.
The entrance ticket allows access to all areas of the aquarium, but you can also enjoy two incredible experiences: the Sumérgete entre tiburones, a swim among sharks (open to all, from 8 years of age), and theInmersión con tiburones, or diving with sharks (an activity in which only people with a diving licence can participate). Let's look at the costs in detail, to be added to those of the entrance ticket:
Priority entrance ticket: if you have little time to visit the city and, above all, if you are travelling with children, save time and avoid queues at the ticket offices by purchasing a priority entrance ticket for the aquarium.
Online tickets and guided tours
What to see and how to visit the Aquarium of Barcelona
Photo by Paul Hermans. The Aquarium of Barcelona, L'Aquàrium de Barcelona in Spanish, is one of the city's main attractions, especially popular with families with children. It is located in the Port Vell, or Old Port, right between Barceloneta beach and the Barri Gòtic, the city's picturesque Gothic quarter.
To visit it, budget at least 2 hours: the aquarium has no less than 35 tanks, inside which live more than 11,000 marine animals of no less than 450 species. Of course, the most famous attraction of the aquarium is the large underwater tunnel, where you can walk around admiring sharks, rays and numerous fish. The aquarium is then divided into different thematic areas. In detail we find:
El Oceanario: the main area of the aquarium, with a tank 36 m in diameter and 3.7 million litres of water. Various breeds of sharks are housed here, as well as manta rays, moray eels and numerous fish. The 80 m long tunnel is also located here;
Acuarios Mediterraneos: dedicated to the Mediterranean, it includes 14 different tanks to discover the species that populate our sea. The environments of two protected areas of Spain, the Ebro delta and the Mèdes islands, have also been recreated here;
Acuario tematicos: a section dedicated to specific species that are difficult to spot in the larger tanks. Here, for example, you can see different corals or seahorses up close. Each tank is accompanied by an information panel;
Acuarios tropicales: dedicated to tropical seas. Different environments from around the world have been recreated here, such as the coral reefs of the Red Sea and the Caribbean Sea or Australia's Great Barrier Reef;
Planeta Aqua: a section dedicated to marine areas with the most extreme conditions, such as the cold oceans where penguins are found, the ocean depths where jellyfish swim, or tropical waters full of piranhas;
Joyas de la mar: an entire section dedicated to molluscs and invertebrates. In the tanks you can admire clams, oysters, squid, snails and octopus up close, as well as wonderful shells;
Explora: an area entirely dedicated to children. Here, children can enjoy interactive exhibitions dedicated to the seabed, with a focus on the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
For more information on accommodation options in the city, check out Catalonia Catedral, a top-rated hotel in the heart of Barcelona.
Where it is located and how to get there
On foot: in Port Vell, Moll d'Espanya. Easy walking distance from the Columbus Monument (850 m, 11 min) and Barceloneta Beach (1.4 km, 18 min) - Get directions;
By bus: reference stop Port Vell (line v17), located in front of the entrance to the aquarium. From Barri Gòtic, line v17 to the aquarium (10 min);
By metro: Barceloneta reference stations, served by line L4 (800 m, 9 min walk from the aquarium), and Drassanes, served by line L3 (1 km, 13 min walk from the aquarium).
Useful tips for visiting the attraction
Visit in the morning: ideally reach the entrance by 10:00 am, to visit in the morning. At lunchtime stop at the Old Port and in the afternoon enjoy the sun and sea at Barceloneta beach;
Priority Ticket: Buy a priority entrance ticket to avoid the endless queues.
Tourist bus: The Eastern route of the tourist bus stops at the Port Vell, the Old Port, near the aquarium. Enjoy a panoramic tour of Barcelona and easily reach your destination.
Aquarium activities: for shark activities, book your place as soon as possible. Please note that swimming with sharks is allowed from 8 years of age, diving only for those with a certificate and basic licence;
Watch out for restrictions: it is forbidden to disturb the animals in the aquariums, to feed them or to bang on the glass. Children must always be accompanied by an adult. Flash photography is prohibited where expressly indicated;
Minimum time: we recommend a minimum of 2 hours for the visit. Ideally, the whole morning should be available.
History and curiosities: what to know in brief
Photo by Jordiferrer. Inaugurated in 1995, the Barcelona Aquarium is one of the most important in Spain due to its size. It is, in fact, an aquarium with big numbers: in addition to housing more than 11,000 marine species of about 450 different species, it contains no less than 5 million litres of water, more than half used for theOceanarium section alone, and the animals consume about 2 tonnes of food per week.
Today, it is an interactive place designed even for children, with an area completely dedicated to them, where they can get closer to the underwater world. Numerous events are also organised for families, such as workshops and laboratories, meetings with the staff and themed trails (info on the official website).