Lisbon is a bustling & exciting city that boasts a wide choice of fascinating tourist attractions & enthralling activities. The city appeals to a diverse selection of ages and tourists for its welcoming and liberal atmosphere. The Portuguese capital can form an amazing cultural trip, a family holiday, a nightlife extravaganza, a relaxed city-break and most importantly a base for a beach holiday. But what makes this place extraordinary is its Lisbon Oceanarium. Furthermore, this enthralling attraction will definitely leave you spellbound with its many delights.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Lisbon aquarium;
Located in the Parque das Nações district of Lisbon, Oceanário de Lisboa is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe. It is a salt water Oceanarium that floats in the ocean & is accessed only by crossing a footbridge.
To indulge in the irresistible charm of Lisbon Oceanarium & relish the maritime activities it offers, apply for Portugal visa now!
History of the Lisbon Oceanarium has its roots with Expo ‘98’, a world exposition that celebrated the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama’s voyage. The Lisbon Oceanarium was built as part of this incredible event Expo ‘98’. Although the construction of this began in 1995, it was inaugurated on May 22 1998. The beautiful structure was designed by Peter Chermayeff.
Undoubtedly, this oceanarium is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe which covers an area of 8000 square meters. It features four main marine habitats including North Atlantic rocky coast, Pacific kelp forest, Antarctic coastal line, and the Indian ocean coral reef.
The conceptual design & architecture of Lisbon Oceanarium is said to resemble an aircraft carrier. In addition to this, it is built on a pier in an artificial lagoon & comprises two floors. The ground floor features deep-sea creatures & the top floor is home to water-dwelling animals that live closest to the water surface.
This giant Lisbon Oceanarium harbors approximately 16,000 exotic aquatic animals from over 450 species. Some of the special species of this place include penguins, rays, seahorses, seagulls, sharks, starfish, corals, octopuses, sea urchins, jellyfish, sea snails, bony fish etc. As a result this is finest home to the largest collection of vibrant marine creatures, this vibrant world makes kids squeal in delight.
Oceanário de Lisboa is divided into four large tanks representing four major oceanic ecosystems. These include:
The most enchanting part of Lisbon Oceanarium is its largest central tank which is known as an indoor aquarium. Moreover this central tank is separated from the other vibrant four ecological tanks by a glass barrier. The tank measures 1,000 square meters & has a capacity to hold 5 million liters of water. The four wide acrylic windows on its sides give opportunity to the visitors to see the beautiful shades of life underwater.
In summary, the Lisbon aquarium is one of the few aquariums in the world to house delicate creatures like sunfish that require unique & demanding care. Other aquatic creatures that it contains include sharks, the manta rays, and hundreds more colorful fishes.
Good news for all the adventurers is that Lisbon Oceanarium is open every day of the year. The timing in summers is 10: 00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M in winter. Visitors are allowed to enter an hour before the closing time except on festive days like Christmas day, New Year’s day.
The oceanarium is situated alongside the beautiful Tagus river, five miles northeast of Parque das Nações.
Public transport: Easiest way to get to this oceanarium is via Oriente station. The red line of the metro also runs here with single ticket costing upto two euros. You can also get city buses at Oriente and it’s just a 15 minute walk away to the oceanarium.
Taxis: If you wish to take a taxi, then your expenses will be between 10-15 euros, a little less than Uber or other rides.
While it is not mandatory to purchase the tickets in advance but during weekends and tourist season, you must be aware about the tickets and timings. Being a popular destination, tourists are always eager to visit this place and catch a glimpse of the underwater ecosystem. There are a number of ticket vending machines which can help you get the tickets quicker than waiting in line.
If you think that you might not get the tickets or be late, then you can purchase the tickets via the website ahead of time. There is availability of combination tickets online which are valid up to four months after purchase.
For adults the ticket to the permanent exhibition costs 16€ and for children it is 11€. Besides this you must know that children below three years old will be given free entry. You can get a family ticket also costing 42€.
The place also offers guided tours and prices may vary depending on your tour. For touring permanent exhibitions, you can purchase a standard ticket for each person, plus pay 80€.
The Lisbon Oceanarium is fully devoted to sustainable practices and dedicated towards promoting marine ecosystems.
This aquarium uses renewable energy like operating power with solar panels. It also has water saving measures and a standard waste management program including recycling and reducing single use plastics. Most importantly, the oceanarium has taken a great initiative by appointing an IUCN Marine RED LIST Officer since 2018 to assess the extinction risk of marine life species.
Moreover, Lisbon Oceanarium is also a part of great European conservation programmes for different species. Inspiring, right?
In conclusion, famous for its vibrant architecture and impressive collection of marine life, Lisbon Oceanarium feels like a different world. A home to exotic species including puffins, terns, butterflyfish and many more, this place not only holds ecological importance but also contributes to marine conservation.
If you are an adventurer and your tour has this place in the list, then don’t miss this out! Therefore to avoid any stressful situations, get your Portugal visa from UK timely.
PORTUGAL VISAS have a visa expert team working all the time to accomplish your travel plans. So, feel free to reach our site and see the well curated visa application procedure which helps you in getting the visa within two weeks.
Q. How can I Go to Lisbon Oceanarium?
A. You can reach the aquarium using public transport as well as taxi. If you are visiting by car, there is a parking facility too.
Q. Is the Lisbon oceanarium open at night ?
A. Yes. The place organizes a unique activity called “sleeping with sharks” which is perfect for adventure travelers who want to explore this place at night. Through this you can spend nights surrounded by marine life.
Q. Why is the Lisbon Oceanarium so famous?
A. The place is famous for its architecture and collection of exotic species. It is well known for its commitment towards eco-friendly practices along with vibrant marine life.
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