Spain
L’Oceanografic is the premier aquarium of the Iberian Peninsula and one of the best marine exhibits in Europe. Located in Valencia’s futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, L’Oceanografic is an architectural masterpiece, and one of the most beautiful aquarium facilities anywhere. Considerably larger than its rival in Genoa, it has a wider variety of environments, including a rare and popular Red Sea exhibit.
Valencia’s aquarium is Europe’s contribution to the golden age of aquarium construction that has been going on since the beginning of the millennium. It opened in 2003 as part of a massive plaaned project to turn Valencia into one of the great cultural destinations of Europe. It was designed by Felix Candela, a preeminent architect who is responsible for much of the City of Arts and Sciences. L’Oceanografic is the most popular wildlife destination in Spain.
L’Oceanografic is immense, with 11.0 million gallons of water in ten environmental areas. These are collectively home to 45,000 animals of 500 different species. Popular exhibits include habitats of the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Polar regions. A surprising number of large species are here, including Penguin, Sea Lion, Walrus, Dolphin, Beluga Whale and Shark.
L’Oceanografic is located on the east side of Valencia, close to the ocean, approximately two miles from the city center. It is open year round. Times vary widely on a seasonal basis. The cost of admission is E27.90. Web: www.cac.es/oceanographic (official website).
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