Is the Barcelona Aquarium Worth Visiting?
If you’re traveling with children or looking for a great activity on a rainy day, the answer is yes. In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know before buying your ticket, including what to see, how much time to allow for your visit, opening hours, ticket prices, and practical tips to make the most of your experience.
Located in Port Vell, the Barcelona Aquarium is one of the largest in Europe and the most important Mediterranean-themed aquarium in the world. Inaugurated in 1995, it is dedicated to the dissemination of the seabed, education, study, conservation and protection of marine fauna.
A perfect plan to spend the day with your family, partner, alone or with friends, with activities for children and adults.
What are you going to visit?
Mediterranean Aquariums. 14 spaces where we discover its most characteristic species and the recreation of two protected areas in Catalonia: the Ebro Delta and the Medes Islands, with communities of Posidonia and red coral.
Themed aquariums. With spaces for small species such as sea urchins, starfish, seahorses, catshark eggs, tropical coral reefs and sea dragons.
Tropical aquariums. Where in 7 spaces we find represented ecosystems of the Red Sea, the Australian Great Barrier Reef and the Caribbean Sea, and we also discover poisonous fish and sharks from tropical waters.
The Oceanarium is the largest space with the largest number of species in the Barcelona Aquarium. It is displayed through a transparent methacrylate tunnel over 80 meters long that allows you to enjoy a spectacular underwater walk surrounded by gilthead bream, moray eels, sunfish, rays and two types of sharks: the bull shark (Carcharias taurus) and the Milberto’s silky shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), as well as other unique species.
Planeta Aqua: Located on the second floor, it offers us several spaces:
In the center of the room, a shallow tank allows us to see common guitarfish and stripes.
- Life in the coldwhere, within their natural climatic conditions, we will observe the Humboldt penguins outside, while they dive and feed if it is their time to eat.
- The tropical universe. Recreation of a tropical river in its upper, middle and lower course, and its particular ecosystems: the mangroves. Being able to observe some species such as piranhas, tropical turtles, iguanas…
- The world of darkness. Inside a life-size reproduction of a sperm whale, we find aquariums with jellyfish and organisms that inhabit the bottom of aquatic ecosystems subjected to great pressure.
- In the circular loft, a series of aquariums allow us to see everything from living fossils to camouflage phenomena. And space,a pending search, brings us closer to the study of the oceans, their history, the instruments and means used in oceanography and how much remains to be discovered. Here we can learn how some oceanographic instruments work and see what the inside of a submarine is like.
One of the funniest spaces that we will find for the little ones is Explore! containing more than 50 interactive activities to touch, look, listen, investigate and discover nature.
Among the many activities in which you can participate (birthday parties, family activities…) there are some reserved for the bravest: diving among sharks (for adults only) or sleeping with sharks for the little ones, spending a night in the aquarium surrounded by sharks and more than 8,000 different fish. (the latter with COVID is cancelled).
And don’t miss lunchtime! Check out the schedule:
¿How to get there ?
¿How to get there ?
- Metro: L4 Barceloneta / L3 Drassanes
- Bus: V17, 47, 59, 120, D20, H14, V13, V15 y V19.
- Touristic Bus: Port Vell stop (red route)
- Barcelona City tours: Port Vell stop (Eastern route)
- Bycicle:Bicing station at the entrance of L’Aquàrium
- Train:Combined Renfe Ticket.
Prices
If you buy the tickets through their website you will have – €4 discount
- Adult: €30
- Child (5-10 years old): €23
- Infants (3-4 years old: €15
- Babies (0-2years old): Free
- Senior: €25
Activities
What to Do After Visiting the Barcelona Aquarium
- Port Vell
- Maremagnum
- Barceloneta
- Montjuïc Cable Car
- Seafront Promenade
- Columbus Monument
- Las Ramblas
- Gothic Quarter
After visiting the Barcelona Aquarium, many travelers continue exploring the Gothic Quarter, El Born, or Las Ramblas, all just a short walk away.
If you’d like to make the most of your time in Barcelona, I’d be happy to help you plan a private tour of the city’s historic center and discover hidden corners that most visitors never get to see.
Who Is the Barcelona Aquarium Best For?
✅ Families with young children
✅ Visitors looking for a great rainy-day activity
❌ If you’ve already visited some of Europe’s largest aquariums, it may not be one of Barcelona’s must-see attractions.
