Visiting the Oceanario de Lisboa

The Oceanário de Lisboa is one of Europe’s best aquariums, and one of Lisbon’s most popular attractions for families. Built for Expo 98, it’s centred on a huge open-ocean tank seen from all sides. Here’s everything you need to know before you visit.

Quick answer: the Oceanário is in Parque das Nações, by Oriente metro station. Tickets are from about €25.50 for adults (more for combined exhibitions), with discounts for children and families. Allow 2 to 3 hours, and go early or late to avoid school groups. See Oceanário tickets.

What you’ll see

• The central tank: a giant open-ocean tank with sharks, rays, shoals of fish and sunfish, visible from both floors.
• Four ocean habitats around it: the North Atlantic, Antarctic, Pacific and Indian oceans.
• Sea otters playing in the Pacific habitat, the stars of the show.
• Penguins in the Antarctic habitat.
• Temporary exhibitions in the second building.

Tips

• Timing: weekday afternoons are usually quieter; weekends and rainy days are busiest.
• Tickets: buy online to skip the queue.
• Accessibility: step-free with lifts. See accessible travel.
• Rainy day: perfect. See Lisbon on a rainy day.

Around Parque das Nações

• The cable car along the river.
• The Pavilion of Knowledge science museum, also good for kids.
• The riverside promenade and the Vasco da Gama Bridge.

See Parque das Nações.

Getting there

Take the red metro line to Oriente (it’s also close to the airport), then walk about 10 minutes through the park. Trains to Porto and the Algarve also stop at Oriente.

More: Lisbon with kids and things to do in Lisbon.

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