The Lisbon Aquarium, located in Lisbon, Portugal - the largest indoor aquarium in Europe, holds more than 8,000 fish, birds, mammals and invertebrates. It is considered a popular tourist attraction of the country. Great place for a family vacation. Children like to watch the life of the ocean, from many species of fish to the oceanic flora.
Lisbon Aquarium (Lisbon) - A large museum-aquarium. He seeks to warn about the need to protect the beautiful and important natural heritage - the World Ocean (flora and fauna in more than 7000 m 3 of salt water are represented here). Located on the north side of Lisbon, in the territory of the Park of Nations.
History
In fact, this large pavilion was built during the great world-wide exhibition Expo-98, dedicated to the opening of the Vasco da Gama Europe-India route. The oceanarium project was signed by North American Peter Chermaveff. This building is the second largest aquarium in the world, consisting of several aquariums.
Fauna of the aquarium
The oceanarium represents four habitats (the Antarctic Ocean, the Indian Ocean with a wonderful coral reef, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans), which converge in the center of the building into a large central reservoir. The oceanarium is nothing more than a huge aquarium and a research institute for marine biology and oceanography.
In addition to entertainment functions, its purpose is more ambitious. The main marine research of Portugal is being developed there. In addition to being the second largest ocean center in the world, it also contains an extensive collection of unique marine species (birds, mammals, fish) that you will never see elsewhere.
Services
The Lisbon Oceanarium provides conference rooms and events that are ideal for corporations, as well as a restaurant, cafeteria and shop with exclusive items, pedagogical services, a maritime center located in the Valley of the Nations Park. It hosts sea, sports and tourism events.
You can use the locker on the ground floor to store luggage, if necessary, you can request a wheelchair.
They recommend visiting the oceanarium with children; it will be very interesting for them to study nature reserves and oceanic habitats around the world. You can enjoy the underwater adventure in one of the largest and most diverse aquariums in the world on the picturesque promenade of Lisbon.
Where to start the visit
There are two levels to study: surface level and underwater level. It is better to start from the bottom and move up. Here you will find wolf eels, purple-striped jellyfish and a giant Pacific octopus (Pacific Ocean zone). You can admire sea dragons and other creatures that live near the bottom of the ocean on the Antarctic display.
See fluorescent corals, mangroves and bioluminescent fish in the recreation of the tropical Indian Ocean. In the North Atlantic exhibit there are places where sharks and rays hide. The surface level shows the sunnier side of ocean life. Here you can see birds and mammals, as well as fish that swims close to the surface. The Global Ocean exhibition presents all the oceans and impresses with a depth of 23 feet (7 meters).
Lisbon Oceanarium - how to get there
You can get to the Lisbon Oceanarium (the scheme is below) by several types of transport (taxis, motor boats, metro, buses, trains). A 10-minute walk from Oriente Metro Station. There is a good traffic intersection in this area. Oriente Station is the center of all transport networks serving the underground and bus networks, as well as the Sintra line (Amadora and Campolid) and the northern line (trains). Also, a taxi is located near the station. Better a detailed description of the Lisbon Oceanarium and the address to look in advance, so that later it is easy to navigate the terrain.
Buses that pass the aquarium: 794, 782,759,5, 25, 44, 708, 750, 28. Trains (interregional and regional) follow the Lisbon - Azambuja line. You need to go by car along the road EN-10 Roads, Vasco da Gama bridge, 2nd circular road.
Talisman of the Lisbon Oceanarium
Another attraction that entertains children is Boneco Vasco, the mascot of the aquarium. He loves to entertain, make fun of people. The name refers to the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, who played an important role in the history of Portugal. They say who passes by the aquarium, falls in love with marine life. It is better to prepare a camera with a large memory card, you will need it when visiting this incredible tourist destination in Portugal and Europe.
Opening hours and admission fees
The oceanarium is open from 10am to 7pm. Prices: 15 € - for the age group 13-64 years; 10 € - children's entrance ticket for 4-12 years old; 10 € - over 65 and free - up to 3 years.
Where to eat
In the aquarium there are two places where you can have lunch or just a snack. The Tejo Restaurant has good food and modern décor. It offers a wide variety of Mediterranean dishes. In summer it works from 10:00 to 19:00 and in winter from 10:00 to 18:00. Coffee & Tea is a place where you can enjoy your vacation and just relax and unwind. Located on the terrace in the building of the aquarium. In summer, she works from 9:00 to 20:00 and in winter - from 9:00 to 19:00.
Tip
To save on buying tours and tickets, it is better to purchase them on the Internet. In addition to being cheaper, it also saves a lot of time in lines at the checkout.
Limitations
- In the Lisbon Aquarium, it is forbidden to take pictures with a flash or any other artificial light. No smoking.
- Do not eat or bring any food.
- Do not touch or move animals and plants.