Oceanografic Valencia

The Oceanografic Valencia is part of a complex on the City of Arts and Sciences Valencia. On the complex once can also find the Palau de las Artes, L´Hemisferic, Museo de los Ciencias. The Palau de Las Artes is the Valencia Opera House. The L’Hemisferic is a Laserium, Planetarium and IMAX Cinema. The Museo de los Ciencias Principe Felipe is a science museum perfect for children aged 7-12 who are allowed to touch everything and take part in experiments

A visit to the Oceanografic Valencia or the Oceanographic Valencia can best be described as an underwater trip to the biggest aquarium in Europe. The Hemisferic Oceanografic City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia is located off the Autopista del Saler in Valencia and the telephone number is 902 100 032.

The Oceanografic Valencia is open seven days of the week. It opens its doors at 10 in the morning and closes at 18:00 Sunday to Friday and at 20:00 on Saturday in the low season. During the mid season the Oceanografic closes at 20:00 and during the height of the tourist season at midnight. The low season is from the 1^st of January until the 17^th of June and from the 13^th of October until the 31^st of September. The mid season starts on the 18^th of June until 14^th of July and from the 1^st of September until the 13^th of October. The high season starts on the 15^th of July until the 31^st of August.

Prices for adults start at €18.50 and go up to €24 and €11.20 for children. A season pass for adults starts at €45 and can go up to €60. One can park a car for €2 an hour.

Each building houses a different aquarium hosting different marine life from all over the globe’s eco systems. One can expect to see marine life from the Mediterranean, Wetlands, Temperate and Tropical Seas, Oceans, the Arctic, Antarctic, Islands, the Red Sea and a Dolphinarium.

During the tour of the different buildings visitors are able to see over 45 000 inhabitants from five hundred different species including dolphins, belugas, walruses, sea lions, seals, penguins, turtles, sharks, rays, sawfish, jellyfish, starfish, sea urchins and crustaceans. There are also some wetland birds on display which inhabit the local Albufera de Valencia and tropical mangrove swamps.

There are also some interactive activities visitors can participate in such as diving with sharks, and the show flying with dolphins, and a new birds of prey exhibition, one can see the baby penguins hatching, and newly opened to the public are the veterinary services and quarantine zones. Turtle recovery and care for marine life is also part of the educational programme and mini courses can be taken in training marine mammals such as Belugas, Walruses, Seals, Dolphins and Sea Lions. Not to be missed is the spectacular dolphin show!

The Oceanographic Valencia makes for a great day out for the whole family for some entertainment as well as education. The Oceanographic Valencia is one of the excursions that Spanish primary school children undertake that live on the Costa Blanca and Costa Azahar.