The oceans and seas of our amazing planet harbor countless species of fish and mammals, some of which we known and others yet undiscovered. Their impressive beauty has captivated people all over the world since ancient times. However, although the wonders of the ocean fascinate us from the very first moment, it can be difficult to see them in their natural environment. So fortunately, aquariums offer us the opportunity to relax and to see the beauty of these creatures that live at great depths in a simple and safe way.
The majestic creatures that live in the depths can reach impressive dimensions, so it’s no wonder that the aquariums that shelter them are massive. Here are the 5 most beautiful aquariums in Europe and what kind of marine creatures they host.
L’ Oceanografic, Valencia. The Oceanographic in Valencia is the largest maritime park on the European Continent. Located within the fascinating architectural complex of the City of Arts and Sciences, this park consists of several buildings, including a 36-meter deep dolphinarium, tunnels and aquariums of various sizes, recreating the world’s major marine ecosystems, such as Antarctica, the Arctic Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and many more. The data of the Oceanographic is impressive: 40 million liters of water, 500 species, 45,000 animals and an area of 110,000 square meters. Sharks, beluga whales, dolphins, penguins and seals are just some of the amazing animals that can be seen here.
Sea Life, London . Located just minutes from the London Eye, the Sea Life Aquarium will take you into a magical world of the depths of the Atlantic Ocean and beyond. The complex is divided into several sections, one dedicated to sharksthe other dedicated to sea cats, Seahorse Kingdom (where you will admire several small marine life forms such as seahorses), Thames Underwater World, etc. The total volume of water in Sea Life aquariums is 2,006,268 liters. Visitors can not only admire the splendid animals, but also participate in feeding them or even diving among sharks!
Oceanário, Lisbon. Located in Parque das Nações, Oceanário is one of the largest aquariums in the world. As the name suggests, it is dedicated to the oceans. It is located in a large, two-story building, containing aquariums with over 15,000 marine and oceanic species, seabirds, marine mammals and aquatic plants belonging to 450 different species. The habitats of the North Atlantic, the Antarctic, the temperate Pacific and tropical India are the four main environments recreated in detail. The cylindrical aquarium in the middle of the building is the highlight of this tourist objective, having a depth of 23 meters, a volume of 5 million liters of salt water and a lot of specimens of sharks, barracuda, sea cats, eels and tuna.
Turkuazoo, Istanbul. Opened in 2009, Turkuazoo was Turkey’s first gigantic aquarium, hosting about 25,000 marine creatures. It is located inside the Forum Istanbul Shopping Mall and is also the marine research and conservation center in the area. The main attraction of the aquarium is Marinescape SeaTube, a 90-meter-long underwater tunnel where you can admire tiger sharks, octopuses, piranha fish, sea cats and Grouper fish. If you are a very brave person and eager for unique adventures, here you have the opportunity to sink and swim side by side with sharks.
Acquario di Genova. Located in the Old Port of Genoa, this spectacular aquarium is the largest in Italy. The building, designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, stretches over an area of 300,000 square meters. The aquarium represents a vast biodiversity of the marine waters with the 70 created ecosystems, with over 12,000 animals and 200 species of plants. Visitors are immediately fascinated by a fun marine inhabitant: the sea cow, that swims quietly in its generous aquarium. Other marine species that you can admire here include sharks, penguins, dolphins and sea cats.
Be the first to comment