Lisbon is a city of many attractions, memorable monuments and even experiences for the whole family. And there are two places in the city, and also in the country, that are unique! In Lisbon’s aquariums you can dive to the depths of the oceans.
If you’re a nature lover like us, the capital is home to two marine life sanctuaries, the older Vasco da Gama Aquarium and the modern Lisbon Oceanarium.
In both you’ll be able to get to know marine fauna from all over the world in depth, but also the best-known species in Portugal.
You can take part in guided tours, exhibitions and educational activities, making them two of our favorite entertainment options in the city for families with children.
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Vasco da Gama Aquarium
The first place you can go to learn more about the ocean floor is the Vasco da Gama Aquarium, located in Dafundo, near Algés. Opened in 1898, it is considered one of the oldest aquariums in the world.
Smaller than the tank located in Parque das Nações, this is one of the aquariums in Lisbon that offers a fun educational experience, focusing more on Portuguese marine fauna, in a place where you can find more than 250 live animals and a museum with hundreds of specimens.
Why you should go: the Vasco da Gama Aquarium has a giant squid that has always been a major attraction.
Address: Rua Direita do Dafundo (Cruz Quebrada)
Opening hours: every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tickets: adults for €5; children aged 4 to 12 and seniors +65 for €2.5, on sale at Fever
Lisbon Oceanarium
If you remember, the main theme of Expo 98 was “The oceans: a heritage for the future”, which gained even more prominence with the construction of a huge aquarium, which today goes by the name of Oceanário de Lisboa. It is located in Parque das Nações.
In addition to the many reasons to visit this incredible space that we’ve already given you, we’d like to highlight the fact that this huge tank is one of the largest in Europe and is home to more than 8,000 marine animals of 500 species from the four corners of the world, including sharks, rays, penguins, otters, tropical fish and many others.
Why you should go: it was considered the best in the world by Trip Advisor’s Travelers Choice 2018 for the third time.
Address: Esplanada D. Carlos I (Parque das Nações)
Opening hours: every day
Tickets: on the website
Lisbon’s aquariums are an unmissable tourist attraction for all families and visitors to the city. They offer a unique experience of discovering marine fauna, as well as being places of great museological value and knowledge.
Parques temáticos para te divertires em família: onde ficam e quanto custam