Lisbon's Oceanarium is one of the world's largest
aquariums. Designed by American architect Peter Chermeyeff, it rises from the river and is reached by a footbridge.
It is a deep-sea diving experience without any of the risks, with about
25,000 fish, seabirds, and mammals in an enormous central tank that is the size of
four Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Visitors can look into it from different
levels for close-ups of the various creatures, including different species
of sharks.
But it's the design rather than the size that makes it outstanding.
It
is the first aquarium ever to incorporate world ocean habitats within a
single environment, with impressive recreations of various ocean ecosystems
-- the Antarctic tank containing penguins, and the Pacific tank with otters
playing in rock pools.
They are all separated from the main tank by
invisible acrylic walls, giving the impression that all the creatures are
swimming in the same space.
There are also high-tech multilingual
interactive displays explaining the development of ocean life.
Get reduced admission to the Oceanarium and ride Lisbon's metro, buses, and trams for FREE with the Lisboa Card.
Where: Doca dos Olivais, Parque das Nações
How: Metro - Oriente Station
When: 10AM-6PM (Winter), 10AM-7PM (Summer)
What: www.oceanario.pt
Oriente
Station - A stunning modern station.
Portugal
Pavillion - A gravity-defying structure.
Atlantic
Pavillion - A UFO-like arena.
Interactive
Science Museum - Scientific exhibits with cutting-edge technology.
Vasco
da Gama Tower - The city's tallest building with a panoramic viewing platform.
Vasco
da Gama Bridge - One of the world's longest bridges.
Book your room for free (no booking fees) and pay later at the hotel:
HOTELS SEARCHCentral, stylishly furnished, and cheaper than many hotels:
APARTMENTS SEARCHStylish, award-winning budget accommodation in the city center:
HOSTELS SEARCHSkip the long lines for taxis or the hassle of navigating public transportation when you arrive at the airport, and go straight to your hotel:
AIRPORT TRANSFERSGo on a day trip or on an organized tour around Lisbon:
TOURS & TICKETS SEARCHPlanning to travel around Portugal? Save time and look for the best deals here:
CAR RENTAL SEARCHSave time and money: Get FREE or reduced admission to most of Lisbon's attractions and ride the city's metro, buses, and trams for free with the Lisboa Card:
ORDER YOUR CARDJoin GoLisbon on Facebook for regular updates on what's happening in the city:
GOLISBON FACEBOOK