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Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa

One of the main attractions of Genoa is its wonderful Aquarium. Kids will love it! We prepared a super special post with lots of tips, information with schedules, values, how to get there and more!

By Ana Patrícia
Source Pixabay
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Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa

The aquarium of Genoa in the Liguria Region is the right destination for those who are going to Italy with children. With its large pavilions, the aquarium is beautiful and is a great option for a nice tour to do with children. So, shall we discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa? Here at Your Travel to Italy with Ana Patricia you make the trip of your dreams!!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

Aquarium of Genoa

(Source: Zenazone)

Our Introduction

On May 15th, 1992, the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America was celebrated and it was on that day, in Italy, that the Aquarium of Genoa opened its doors in the oldest part of the city’s port. Costed by several companies, the aquarium quickly became a thrill in Genoa, especially for those traveling with children. Also check out our posts Theme Parks for Children in Italy! And Tourism in Italy with children!

About the Aquarium

The aquarium is huge and occupies an area of ​​9,700 square meters for a total of 6,000 marine and non-marine specimens inserted in its ecosystems. Of particular interest are the shark, dolphin, penguin and coral reef tanks that highlight the spectacular colors of flora and fauna. Finally, the special tactile tanks offer the opportunity to pet some species of fish, immersing your hands in the water with total security, always accompanied by monitors.

Important to Know

The work done in the aquarium is serious and all animals are closely monitored by biologists daily, the species that were there were rescued or were born there, thanks to the dedicated and loving work of those responsible for the animals. Now let’s go to our post of the day and get to know the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa part by part. Find out what to do in one day in Genoa by clicking right here!

1) Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa – VISIT THE BLUE PLANET

The tour starts in the first area, called Blue Planet. Here is a short video that gives us a summary of everything to come. From here we continue on to the Grotta delle Murene area.

Grotta delle Murene (“Morays Grotto”)

The Grotta delle Murene is where a 6-meter high cylindrical tank is located. There we can see morays and various types of fish that live in harmony, there are also two smaller pools where the octopuses are located: we cannot always see them, because they are often camouflaged. We can also observe the cute seahorses. It is impossible not to like them! The Aquarium of Genoa is about controlling the reproduction and conservation of the two species of seahorses in the Mediterranean: Hippocampus guttulatus and Hippocampus hippocampus. They are a charm, aren’t they ?!

La laguna delle sirene (“Mermaids Lagoon”)

We followed paths and arrived at Laguna delle sirene! Here, contrary to what you may think, we will not see mermaids, but huge manatees, which are the marine mammals that gave rise to the myth of these mythical creatures.

La baia degli squali (“ The shark bay”)

Passing there we will reach the Bay of Sharks and this is where the children GO CRAZY! They LOVE the sharks and the climate created there, with the lights low near the tanks, makes it look like we are inside the sea! It is very cool! The sound here is muffled and the sharks seem to be parading in front of you. There are several species of sharks, such as gray sharks, nurse sharks, zebra sharks and some specimens of fish such as sawfish, groupers, amberjack and goldfish. Let’s agree: it’s not every day that you come face to face with one of the most feared marine species in the world, right ?!

L’isola delle foche (“The island of seals”)

If you manage to go ahead, hahaha, the next tank you will find is the island of seals, other animals that children love! Here are several specimens of common seals, some of which are abandoned at sea by the mother after birth, others that were born in the Aquarium. You can see the seals in two angles: from the lounge, with an underwater perspective, and from above, it is the most successful way, as you can also see them out of the water.

Piranhas Tank and the Penguins

From there, going forward, is the Tank of Piranhas, it is not the one that is most successful among visitors, but it gets to be interesting. The aquarium also houses penguins and they are BEAUTIFUL! In a huge pool they swim, play with each other, cute! The temperature there is low and the room is all white. The tank, the room temperature and the water perfectly reproduces the climate of the Falkland Islands and houses specimens of the Papua penguin and the Magellanic penguin.

2) Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa – VISIT THE CETACEAN PAVILION

Following the tour we arrive at one of the newest pavilions, the unmissable Cetacean Pavillion. Cetaceans are an infra order of animals predominantly marine and belonging to the mammalian class. The name of this order derives from the Greek ketos, which means sea monster. And, incredible as it may seem, we are talking about Dolphins! With 94 meters in length, 28 in width and 23 in height, these four pools are outdoors and you can admire from below or from above.

The underwater perspective will allow you to come face to face with the dolphins and play with them through the glass, while on the upper floor there is the reproduction of the Pelagos Sanctuary, the natural habitat of the Mediterranean triangle of different species of cetaceans. And there, on the second floor, above the pool, you can watch the dolphins while they have lunch! It’s super cool!

3) Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa –  VISIT THE BIODIVERSITY PAVILION

Following the tour we arrive at the Biodiversity Pavilion. This is where a tactile pool is located where the rays can be petted, here are also the sturgeons. They do not always get very close, but it is beautiful to see the movement as they float elegantly back and forth. In another tank, in the same pavilion, there are colorful fish from the Indo-Pacific region, and here you can also see the beautiful and colorful corals, in addition to learning much more about them! There is a beautiful wall with various types of corals and their textures! It’s very interesting!

4) Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa – VISIT THE TROPICAL FOREST

We then arrived at the Tropical Forest area. Here you can admire several animals that are surrounded by fixed tropical plants. The aquarium also dedicates a section to the world of reptiles, and supports and teaches us about various conservation and recovery projects. Here are a boa constrictor, two specimens of albine pythons and two specimens of green pythons, which are housed in shop windows and, from time to time, are shown to visitors. In this area are also reptiles from Madagascar, giant green geckos and two types of turtles.

5) Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa – VISIT THE ROOM OF THE JELLYFISH

Finally, an almost hypnotic area: the room of the jellyfish. In a circular room, the tanks house jellyfish of various sizes; watching them float calmly, in a smooth and almost magical way, is very relaxing! We desire to stay there for hours!

6) Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa – DISCOVER VR ABISSI ROOMS AND FISH MAKING ROOM

In the aquarium there are also two very nice facilities: one for payment and the other free; we are talking about Abissi VR Room and Sala Peixe.

Abissi VR Room

VR Abissi is a permanent virtual reality facility, and paying 3 euros (adults) or 2 euros (children), you can take a virtual tour under the sea, in addition to watching a 360 degree video. Children under 5 cannot participate.

Fish Making Room

In the second facility, Fish Making, which is free, there are 03 gaming stations equipped with consoles and monitors. Here children go crazy to create their ideal fish and then drop it in the virtual tank. It’s very cute, and very instructive!

7) Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa – VISIT THE BIOSPHERE

Next to the aquarium is the Biosphere! Along the pier of the old port, you will certainly see the Biosphere, which is a glass and steel sphere designed by Renzo Piano. Within this structure there are about 150 species of tropical plants such as passion fruit flowers, coffee trees, rubber trees, among others. There are also some specimens of animals such as the scarlet ibis, the mata-mata turtle and several species of birds. It’s all beautiful!

General information

We will now learn some details about the place, such as hours, prices, how to get there and some tips and information that we think is important to know.

Values:

  • Adults pay 18 euros;
  • Children up to 3 years old do not pay;
  • Children between 4 and 12 years pay 12 euros;
  • If you want to visit the Biosphere, add 7 euros for adults and 5 for children between 4 and 12 years old.

Hours:

  • March, April, May, June, September and October: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm (last entry at 6:00 pm);
  • July and August: Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 9:00 pm (last entry at 7:00 pm);
  • On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: all year round, from 8:30 am to 9:00 pm (last entry at 7:00 pm).

Websites:

Attention

  • Flash photography is not allowed!

Would you like to have dinner at the Aquarium?

Clicking Here, you can also choose to have dinner at the aquarium and an exclusive dolphin tour.

Other options for visiting the Aquarium

How to get there?

Free shuttle service from parking at Piazzale Kennedy (Fiera di Genova) to the Porto Antico area (and vice versa), from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, every 40 minutes. Or by train: on foot (10-15 minutes) from Genoa Piazza Principe station, or from Genova Brignole station – take bus 13 towards Piazza Caricamento. By subway, direction Brin, San Giorgio station.

Let’s learn a little more about the Aquarium?

In 1995, the management of the aquarium was entrusted to Costa Edutainment, which is the leader in Italy in the management of public and private structures dedicated to recreational, cultural, educational, study and scientific research activities. The company’s leadership has its roots in the entrepreneurial spirit linked to the name of the Costa family, which was born in the olive oil sector and today is also one of the largest cruise companies in the world, Costa Cruises.

Twenty-seven years have passed since then and the Genoa Aquarium has become the most visited in Italy, as well as being the largest aquarium in Europe with around seventy ecosystems that live in their natural habitats reproduced thanks to the excellent work of their caregivers. The main objective of the structure has always been to raise awareness and educate the public about the conservation of natural environments in relation to biodiversity; since 1992, Italy has already paid attention to climate change and, when nobody talked about nature conservation, Europe was already taking its first steps thinking about the future.

Conclusion

Discover the Fantastic Aquarium of Genoa. If you are in Genoa and are traveling with children, be sure to go to the Genoa aquarium. Are you with no children? Go too! You will love it!

And if you feel insecure or have no time, and need help to organize your trip, do not hesitate to look for me! I will love to help you make your dream trip to Italy. And how can I do that? Continue reading this post until the end and you will understand how can we make your life and journey easier.

Did my post help you? If yes, make sure to leave your comment below, but if you still have questions, just leave them as a comment below and I will reply, O.K.?

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Best regards from Italy

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Ana Patrícia
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