Considering a visit to Lisbon’s famous aquarium? You won’t want to miss what I’m about to share.

I’m Mikki, and in this article, I’ll take you through my adventure at Oceanário de Lisboa, the second largest aquarium in Europe.

Ready to dive in? Let’s begin.

Why We Chose the Oceanarium

With the Euro 2024 celebrations in full swing, the streets of Lisbon buzzed with excitement, crowds filling every corner. Seeking a break from the festivities, I stumbled upon the Lisbon Oceanarium, which promised a peaceful escape for the day.

Having visited the Malta aquarium before, I knew how much Andy had enjoyed that experience. Convincing him to explore another marine wonder, along with our friend Peter, wasn’t difficult; both were eager for a new adventure.

Ticket Details and First Impressions 

As we crossed Lisbon’s version of the ‘Golden Gate Bridge,’ we headed toward the aquarium, anticipation building along the way. Knowing that aquariums can be hit or miss for me, I kept my expectations tempered.

Upon arriving, we were greeted by the friendly staff at Oceanário de Lisboa, which set a positive tone for the visit. With tickets priced at €29 per person, including a cable car ride, the deal seemed fair.

Considering this aquarium’s reputation as one of the world’s finest, featuring over 8,000 animals and plants from 500 different species, it felt like we were in for something special.

An Immersive Presentation of the Portuguese Sea 

The aquarium was immense, featuring multiple sections with different themes. 

Our journey began with ‘One – The Ocean As You Never Felt It,’ an exhibition by Maya Almeida. This presentation portrayed our deep connection with the sea through images taken exclusively in Portugal. 

I was immediately captivated by the aesthetics, feeling it was magical. The ocean is truly beautiful and never ceases to impress me. 

What a wonderful way to begin our experience.

Forests Underwater: The World’s Largest Nature Aquarium 

Following the beautiful presentation of the Portuguese Sea, we continued our sensory journey at ‘Forests Underwater,’ an exhibition by Takashi Amano. 

Little did I know that Oceanário de Lisboa features the world’s largest nature aquarium. 

Fun fact: the nature aquarium is more than 40 metres long and home to over 10,000 tropical fish of 40 different species, as well as 46 species of aquatic plants. 

Despite mainly visiting the traditional aquarium, this was probably my favourite exhibition. The nature aquariums were amazing! So architecturally pleasing, I could’ve spent hours just sitting there. 

It truly felt like real-life meditation.

The Main Exhibition: One Planet, One Ocean 

We had probably already spent about 1.5 hours exploring the first two exhibitions when we decided to enter the oceanarium’s main exhibition: “One Planet, One Ocean,” an immersive journey around the world.

Until this moment, I would’ve sworn that Copenhagen has the most beautiful aquarium in the world. However, Oceanário de Lisboa is the most amazing aquarium I’ve ever experienced. 

The aesthetics are on-point! 

It features an iconic central aquarium representing the global ocean, housing around 70 species from four oceans, and is surrounded by four distinct marine habitats, including several species of sharks and rays.

The central aquarium is truly stunning, and I love how you get a different perspective of it regardless of where you are walking. You can see it from many different heights and angles.

Exploring the Wonders of the Deep 

With over 8,000 animals in the main exhibition, we saw some quite interesting ones. 

Have you ever heard of a leafy sea-dragon? It’s mind-blowing looking at these: Is it a plant or is it an animal moving? Haha, a true chameleon. 

There is so much to see, and I would gladly go back again!

Our Cable Car Ride Experience

I had never tried a cable ride until I went to Lisbon with Andy and Peter. I thought I’d have to convince them to try it with me since I am always the daredevil. However, they instantly said yes. 

Surprise, surprise: I was the one feeling slightly scared this time, but I calmed my nerves by reminding myself these rides run 1,000 times daily. 

What a beautiful way to end our visit to the aquarium, sitting 30 metres up on the Telecabine Lisboa, contemplating the beauty of the surroundings.

Spotting Architectural Replicas in Lisbon 

Portugal is so funny; it feels like they got inspired by multiple places and decided to create replicas. 

For example, what is this version of Burj Al Arab next to the aquarium?

Lupini Beans: A Portuguese Treat

A good experience had to end with my favourite snack in Portugal – lupini beans and beer! 

If you’re in Portugal, do yourself a favour and buy some lupini beans. They’re extremely delicious! 

You might look funny when you struggle to pop them the first few times or even end up shooting yourself in the face, but the reward is glorious. Yummy.

Our Rating of Oceanário de Lisboa

I would rate this experience 5 out of 5! There are plenty of things to discover and learn.

Oceanário de Lisboa is a class institution dedicated to the knowledge and conservation of the ocean since 1998. It’s one of the most visited places in Portugal, just 10 minutes from Lisbon airport.

We understand that it’s among the most visited places, because it is truly beautiful!

How We Went There

We went with a Bolt from Porto Brandão, which cost €10 for a 20-minute ride to the aquarium. 

Public transportation is also fairly easy in Portugal when using Google Maps. However, taxis are very affordable in Portugal, especially with Uber and Bolt. 

Your budget, your decision!

Final Remarks

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about Oceanário de Lisboa and that you’re inspired to experience it yourself.

Stay tuned for more exciting Portugal content coming your way.

xoxo,
Mikki