Oceanogràfic

The Oceanogràfic is the largest aquarium in Europe and, arguably, the most visited attraction in the city. It forms part of the City of Arts and Sciences and covers some 110,000 m² at the southern end of the former Turia riverbed. Beneath its curved shells live more than 45,000 animals of roughly 500 species, arranged in large habitats that recreate the planet's seas and ecosystems: Mediterranean, Temperate, Tropics, Arctic, Antarctic, Red Sea, Islands and a Mediterranean wetland.

An aquarium that is also architecture

Opened in 2003, the complex was conceived by Santiago Calatrava. Its two most striking roofs, the entrance building and the underwater restaurant with its wafer-thin concrete water-lily shape, are the work of architect Félix Candela, who designed them at the age of 87. Those curving shells floating over the water have become one of the most recognisable images of València.

What to see

• The underwater tunnel, one of the longest in Europe, with sharks swimming overhead.
• The dolphinarium, one of the biggest on the continent.
• The Arctic beluga whales, hard to see in other European aquariums, and the Antarctic penguins.
• The wetland with flamingos and the tropical bird dome.

Practical tips

Book tickets online to skip the queue, especially in summer, on long weekends and at weekends. Arrive early (it opens at 10:00) or mid-afternoon, when the tour groups thin out. You can get there by metro (line 10, Oceanogràfic stop), by bus, or by bike along the Turia Gardens, a short walk from the entrance. Allow a good half-day; pairing it with the Hemisfèric or the Science Museum makes a full day.

Insider tip: there's an underwater restaurant ringed by a huge aquarium where you dine among the fish; book ahead, it fills up fast. And if you're travelling with kids, the Oceanogràfic tops any family plan in València; to slot it into your trip, check the guide on what to do in València or the nearby beaches to round off the day.