Valencia, Spain – L’Oceanogràfic

We arrived at the Oceanogràfic at 10 right when it opened, big mistake! There were people everywhere, waiting to buy tickets, waiting to enter.

Oceanogràfic Valencia is the largest oceanographic aquarium in Europe. Built in the shape of a waterlily, the complex is located at the end of the City of Arts and Sciences. Home to over 500 different species, the aquarium encompasses habitats including wetlands, the Mediterranean, temperate and tropical seas, the Arctic, the Antarctic, islands and the Red Sea.

Below are some highlights from our visit:

Japanese Sea Nettle

Barrel Jellyfish

Fried Egg Jellyfish

Scorpionfish

Seals

The only family of Beluga whales in Europe

Mother and son

Under the longest underwater tunnel in Europe

The Aviary – Scarlet ibis

Eurasia Spoonbill

Aldabra giant tortoise

Western crowned pigron

This extraordinary animal stands out by its blue feather and powerful red eye. but what catches the most eye is the feather that adorns its head. Threatened by poaching to profit from its flesh and feathers, the Western crowned pigeon is rated by the IUCN as a vulnerable species on its red list.

Crocodiles

Useful tips:

• It is NOT permited to bring food into the Oceanografic. There are several restaurants and diners in the complex, ranging from hotdog stands to the fancy Submarino restaurant where the tables are encircled by fish tanks. We ate at a canteen near the Dolphin Stadium. I had the pig’s trotter while my friend had seafood on a skewer. At the price of €10, the food was descent and tasty.
• Avoid the opening time if the crowd isn’t your thing. When we exit the complex at 2 in the afternoon, there were only a handful of visitors at the entrance.
• Best time to visit the popular and often crowded habitats such as the Arctic and the Shark Tank is when everybody else is at the Dolphin show.

Coming up next: Hiking the Atlantic Way, Portugal