If you are looking for an outing that the whole family can enjoy or are simply interested in aquariums, in general, then one of the must-see attractions for those who have found a holiday rental in Mallorca has to be the Palma Aquarium. Located in Palma, Mallorca, the aquarium was opened back in 2007 and is a truly extraordinary attraction that boasts lots to see and lots to learn. Welcoming around 400,000 visitors per year and around 1,000 per day, you could, and should, be among those numbers on your next trip to Mallorca.
Palma Aquarium is owned by Coral World International and located just 500m from the Playa de Palma beach. It houses 55 different tanks containing over 5 million litres of salt water, 8,000 different specimens, and 700 different species, which come from the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. There are over 300 species of living coral alone and it is one of the few aquariums in Europe where all the coral decorating the tanks is real and alive. In addition, it is also one of the few aquariums to have its own coral reproduction program, which has birthed new coral colonies on site.
Palma Aquarium is owned by Coral World International and located just 500m from the Playa de Palma beach. It houses 55 different tanks containing over 5 million litres of salt water, 8,000 different specimens, and 700 different species, which come from the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. There are over 300 species of living coral alone and it is one of the few aquariums in Europe where all the coral decorating the tanks is real and alive. In addition, it is also one of the few aquariums to have its own coral reproduction program, which has birthed new coral colonies on site.
The Mediterranean Sea tanks are home to starfish, lobsters, shrimps, eels, rays, seahorses, octopuses, congers, anemones, sea squirts, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. The Tropical Seas tanks are home to gorgonians, mushroom corals, broadbarred firefish, surgeon fish, razor clams, pipefish, box fish, sponges, blacktip reef sharks, red devil cichlids, and piranhas.
There is also a jellyfish tank that contains about fifty jellyfish (mostly the Mediterranean’s most common species, the Aurelia aurita) and there is a famous area called the, “Big Blue”, an 8.5m deep tank which is the deepest shark tank in Europe and is home to guitarfish, sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, European seabass, greater amberjacks, mullet, eagle rays, common stingrays, and more. Those brave enough can actually get into the tank and swim with the sharks with an instructor, or you can go on a trip on the glass-bottomed Shark Vision Boat for a closer look closer without actually being inside the tank itself, or you can attend a Shark Sleepover, which allows kids between 6 and 16 to spend the night camping out in front of the Big Blue.
Another key area is the Mediterranean Gardens and the Jungle, a tropical rainforest, which makes up the largest rooftop garden in Spain and one of the largest in all of Europe, spanning over 12,000m2. Enter the magical little rainforest and enjoy the relaxing sounds of the 7-metre-high waterfall, walk amongst the lush surroundings of jungle vegetation, experience the Amazonian microclimate created by vaporisers, and view the hawksbill turtles, Koi fish, and piranhas.
There is also a jellyfish tank that contains about fifty jellyfish (mostly the Mediterranean’s most common species, the Aurelia aurita) and there is a famous area called the, “Big Blue”, an 8.5m deep tank which is the deepest shark tank in Europe and is home to guitarfish, sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, European seabass, greater amberjacks, mullet, eagle rays, common stingrays, and more. Those brave enough can actually get into the tank and swim with the sharks with an instructor, or you can go on a trip on the glass-bottomed Shark Vision Boat for a closer look closer without actually being inside the tank itself, or you can attend a Shark Sleepover, which allows kids between 6 and 16 to spend the night camping out in front of the Big Blue.
Another key area is the Mediterranean Gardens and the Jungle, a tropical rainforest, which makes up the largest rooftop garden in Spain and one of the largest in all of Europe, spanning over 12,000m2. Enter the magical little rainforest and enjoy the relaxing sounds of the 7-metre-high waterfall, walk amongst the lush surroundings of jungle vegetation, experience the Amazonian microclimate created by vaporisers, and view the hawksbill turtles, Koi fish, and piranhas.
You’ll also find the aquarium’s cafeteria up on the roof, alongside the garden, as well as a children’s play area with bouncy castles, a fountain of jet streams, a “pirate ship”, and summertime activities like face-painting, water fights, and shows. Furthermore, there is Nautilus Park, which contains a large ball pool with a volcano just waiting to be climbed in the middle and there is a Caribbean beach in the gardens where you can go to see the turtles and go snorkelling (for those over 3) with rays in the shallower waters or go swimming in the stingray tank (for those over 8).
Don’t miss the Aquadome, either, a state-of-the-art 250-square-metre dome that allows you to get up-close to humpback whales, the largest mammals on Earth. An immersive 360-degree experience, the Aquadome will educate you about these beautiful creatures and let you know about the environmental dangers putting both them, and everything in the ocean, at risk.
With information panels in English, French, German and Spanish, so much to see and do and so much fun to be had, and the aquarium being involved in environmentally focused activities, including protection and conservation campaigns, it really is a must-see attraction for anyone who has found a holiday rental in Mallorca!
Don’t miss the Aquadome, either, a state-of-the-art 250-square-metre dome that allows you to get up-close to humpback whales, the largest mammals on Earth. An immersive 360-degree experience, the Aquadome will educate you about these beautiful creatures and let you know about the environmental dangers putting both them, and everything in the ocean, at risk.
With information panels in English, French, German and Spanish, so much to see and do and so much fun to be had, and the aquarium being involved in environmentally focused activities, including protection and conservation campaigns, it really is a must-see attraction for anyone who has found a holiday rental in Mallorca!
Palma Aquarium
Carrer de Manuela de los Herreros, 21, 07610 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
+34 971 74 61 04
Opening Hours:
November 1st to March 31st: Mon-Fri, 10am to 3.30pm; Sat, Sun & Holidays, 9.30am to 5.30pm
April 1st to October 31st: Daily from 9.30am to 6.30pm
Tickets:
Palma Aquarium Adult Entrance Ticket: €22.50
Palma Aquarium Child Entrance Ticket: €14.00
Special prices for residents of the Balearic Islands as well as packages and deals for multiple visitors (check the website for more information)
Additional Costs & Information:
Aquadome and Shark Vision Boat must be reserved when entering the park. Children must be accompanied by an adult and it is not considered suitable for children under the age of 4.
For diving with the sharks, you must: have diving insurance (which can be processed in the aquarium) and a medical diving license. The experience lasts between one and a half and two hours and diving materials and entry for two to the Palma Aquarium are included in the fee.
Shark sleepover must be reserved in advance and takes place from 7.30pm to 11am the next morning. The fee includes dinner but visitors must bring their own sleeping bag, pyjamas, toiletries and socks for the Nautilus Park. It is only possible to arrange for a minimum of 15 visitors.
For the most up-to-date and correct information on all of these experiences and prices, be sure to check the official Palma Aquarium website.
Carrer de Manuela de los Herreros, 21, 07610 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
+34 971 74 61 04
Opening Hours:
November 1st to March 31st: Mon-Fri, 10am to 3.30pm; Sat, Sun & Holidays, 9.30am to 5.30pm
April 1st to October 31st: Daily from 9.30am to 6.30pm
Tickets:
Palma Aquarium Adult Entrance Ticket: €22.50
Palma Aquarium Child Entrance Ticket: €14.00
Special prices for residents of the Balearic Islands as well as packages and deals for multiple visitors (check the website for more information)
Additional Costs & Information:
Aquadome and Shark Vision Boat must be reserved when entering the park. Children must be accompanied by an adult and it is not considered suitable for children under the age of 4.
For diving with the sharks, you must: have diving insurance (which can be processed in the aquarium) and a medical diving license. The experience lasts between one and a half and two hours and diving materials and entry for two to the Palma Aquarium are included in the fee.
Shark sleepover must be reserved in advance and takes place from 7.30pm to 11am the next morning. The fee includes dinner but visitors must bring their own sleeping bag, pyjamas, toiletries and socks for the Nautilus Park. It is only possible to arrange for a minimum of 15 visitors.
For the most up-to-date and correct information on all of these experiences and prices, be sure to check the official Palma Aquarium website.