Oceanografic, Cuidad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias Valencia

The Oceanográfico of the City of Arts and Sciences is the largest aquarium in Europe and contains representatives of the world’s main marine ecosystems. Each building is identified with the following aquatic environments: the Mediterranean, Wetlands, Temperate and Tropical Seas, Oceans, the Antarctic, the Arctic, Islands, and the Red Sea, as well as the Dolphinarium with 24 million litres of water and a depth of 10.5 metres.

The Underwater Restaurant and the Access Building which welcomes visitors stand out because of their spectacular roofs designed by Félix Candela.

L’Oceanografic is made up of nine thematic buildings, each one representing a different marine ecosystem.

The Red Sea Auditorium is a magnificent hall paying tribute to the secrets of the marine treasures of the Red Sea.

The Dolphinarium comprises of five pools for the study of bottlenose dolphins. A dolphin exhibition takes place several times a day.

The Ocean aquarium links two towers and displays sharks, elegant rays, large oceanic fish and schools of hundreds of sparkling silver fish.

The Islands level houses sea-lions.

The Arctic area is a giant igloo designed to exhibit the natural living conditions of beluga whales and walruses.

The Antarctic area houses the penguins.

The Wetlands level contains two ecosystems that form a transition area between the sea and land.

Temperate Seas and Tropical Seas – two large aqauriums show ecosystems that represent the temperate latitudes of kelp forests of the Californian coast and the sea bed of the Izu Peninsula in Japan.

There is also a 70 metre long underwater tunnel for a close up of the species.

There are two panoramic aquariums representing the coral reefs of the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific.