Guide to visiting the Palma de Mallorca Aquarium

Have you ever visited the aquarium in Palma de Mallorca? Zafiro Hotel would like to suggest an unforgettable adventure that you can enjoy as a family: spending a day at the Palma Aquarium, one of the largest and most spectacular aquariums in Europe, located just 30 minutes from our hotels in Palmanova.

Index

1. Palma Aquarium: the aquarium of Palma de Mallorca


2. Main tour of the aquarium


3. Activities for the whole family


4. Palma Aquarium pricing


5. Palma Aquarium opening hours


6. Where to eat


7. How to get to Palma Aquarium

Palma Aquarium: the aquarium of Palma de Mallorca

Palma Aquarium is a must if you are visiting Mallorca with children. You will find the large building near the beginning of the tourist stretch known as Playa de Palma. The aquarium itself is made up of two floors and offers a route filled with activities and other experiences: the Mediterranean, the Tropical Seas, the Medusarium, and the Big Blue, one of the most remarkable areas of this aquarium.

Main tour of the aquarium

The main tour of Palma Aquarium starts from a small square you will find as soon as you enter. This square is designed to let you organise your route in peace and quiet before jumping into the deep to experience the various tanks and gardens in the aquarium area.

• The Mediterranean

Naturally, the first part of the tour starts where it should: in the Mediterranean. Young and old can learn more about the most common species found in the sea that surrounds Mallorca: octopuses, anemones, seahorses... Next to each tank is an information screen or panel with the names of all the curiosities you can see inside. There are also interactive ponds here with starfish or small fish for children to approach and gently touch.

You can always find experts near the tanks who provide information and help you with any questions you might have about the various inhabitants. Also, if your visit coincides with mealtimes, you’ll get an opportunity to watch as they feed the fish.

• Tropical Seas

This second part of the tour focuses on marine corals and Palma Aquarium actually houses the largest exhibition of corals in Europe. This area lets you immerse yourself in the marine ecosystems of the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific. It’s certainly one of the most eye-catching sections where you can find more than 70 different coral species and millions of colourful fish.

• Mediterranean Gardens

Designed to let you take a break along the route, the garden area is located right in the middle of the aquarium. Here you can stroll through outdoor gardens, typically Mallorcan in character, with ponds where you can encounter turtles, rays, and even freshwater fish. There are also practical things here, such as bathrooms, a recreational area with a playground for children, an ice-cream shop, and a pizzeria for an outdoor meal.

• The Jungle

Keep enjoying the outdoors, as the route through Palma Aquarium leads you further into the heart of the Amazon jungle just by climbing to the roof of the building. This is a recreation of an authentic Amazon jungle with typical vegetation as well as a seven-metre-high waterfall.

• The Big Blue

Both young and old are amazed by the Big Blue. This immense tank holds 3,5 million litres of seawater and is home to a multitude of marine species, from tiny fish to tiger sharks. Its design allows visitors to pass through as if they were walking on the bottom of the sea.

• Medusarium

This is one of the most relaxing and beautiful parts of Palma Aquarium. It’s made up of a multitude of jellyfish floating around in a tank under the most perfect, dimmed light to highlight their colours and make them look like magical creatures.

Activities for the whole family

Over the years, since its inauguration, Palma Aquarium has developed new and fun attractions for you to enjoy as a family.

• Aquadome: One of the most popular ones is the 3D experience with whales, projected in the Aquadome to simulate a 360° immersion in the sea together with these impressive marine mammals.


• Snorkelling with rays: This activity is one of the most amazing ones the aquarium has to offer if you go there with young children. On offer is the possibility to go for a snorkelling session with rays, at all times watched and guided by the aquarium's experts, of course.


• Backstage tour: This activity is ideal for children as it offers a walk through the park interiors, seeing what others can’t: how the animals are cared for and other daily tasks are explained by the aquarium's experts themselves.


• Shark Vision Boat: If you want to experience a real family adventure, you can get on a boat at the aquarium in Palma with a transparent bottom so you can float on top of the Big Blue tank and see the enormous sharks that live there up close.


• Diving with sharks: Would you dare to swim in the shark tank? This is certainly one of the most exciting adventures that Palma aquarium has to offer: diving at a depth of 8.5 metres in the huge tank, surrounded by fish and... a dozen sharks! This is only for the truly brave visitors!

Palma Aquarium pricing

The entrance fees vary according to age and can be found on the aquarium website. Special activities have an additional cost and must also be booked in advance.

You can buy your tickets very easily from our flight+hotel section: choose your travel dates and your hotel, and in the add activities section, choose a visit to Palma Aquarium. We’ll take care of everything!

Palma Aquarium opening hours

The aquarium in Palma de Mallorca is open every day from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm, but please note that the entrance closes at 4.30 pm. At the moment, the number of people indoor has to be limited and because of this you also have to book your access time in advance. You do this when you buy your tickets.

Where to eat

If you're spending the day at Palma Aquarium there are various options within the building itself when you get hungry. Inside, near the Mediterranean and the Tropical Seas, there's the main restaurant Neptune, open from 11.00 am to 4.30 pm. If you prefer to eat outside, there's the Mediterra buffet restaurant from 11.30 am to 3.30 pm, and the Mediterra self-service café from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm. There is also an ice-cream shop and pizzeria in the Mediterranean Gardens.

How to get here

Palma Aquarium is located very near Palma airport, half an hour by car from our hotels in Palmanova: Zafiro Palace Palmanova and Zafiro Palmanova, and about 45 minutes from Zafiro Palace Andratx. To get there, all you have to do is take the main motorway from Palma to Llucmajor and get off at exit 10. The outdoor area at the aquarium includes a large outdoor car park, just in front of the beach and the promenade in Playa de Palma.