Largest and Best Aquariums in Europe 2024

This list of the largest and best aquariums in Europe 2024 is established from thorough research based on different criteria like the largest tank, viewing panel size, and the number of big fish hosted (like sharks etc).

Europe’s large aquariums, in comparison to Asia where most of the big aquariums belong, or even the US, are certainly not quite as impressive, but there are plenty of interesting and unique ones to visit. In fact, the Oceanogràfic, the best aquarium in Europe, ranks currently as number 10 in the world (closely followed by Europe's other two top aquariums: the Nausicaá and the Oceanário de Lisboa).

1. Oceanografic, Valencia (Spain 🇪🇸)

Europe’s finest and most futuristic marine complex laid-out on 110,000 square meters (#10 worldwide)

Best Aquariums Europe (Top 10)

Best Aquariums Europe (Top 10)
Exterior view of the Oceanografic with its trademark roofs
Best Aquariums Europe (Top 10)
Visitor Map

Size: 6/10

Viewing Panel: 2/10

Species:  5/10

Architecture: 8/10

Bonus: 7/10

Overall: 5.60/10

The Oceanogràfic, situated in Valencia, Spain, is inside the futuristic Cultural Complex named The City of Arts and Sciences. Designed by the famous Spanish architect Félix Candela, it is composed of nine elegant underwater towers that house samples of the most important ecosystems. Due to its avant-garde architecture, it is worthwhile admiring not only the sea life but also the fanciful buildings themselves.

Inspecting through the various installations, visitors learn experience first-hand the behavior and way of life of more than 500 different species like various sharks, dolphins, belugas, walruses, sea lions, seals, penguins, turtles, rays, sawfish, jellyfish and especially rare oceanic sunfish amongst others.

With 7 million liters (1.8 million US liquid gallon) of water and a 35-meter (114 ft) underwater tunnel, the tank in the 'Oceans' environment is by far the biggest of the Oceanogràfic.

Inside the pavilion called ‘Temperate and Tropical Seas’ people are invited to pass through an impressive 70-meter underwater tunnel which connects the temperate regions of the Pacific and Atlantic to the warm waters of the Indian and Caribbean via aquariums with a total of 700’000 liters of water. From the impressive total water volume of 41.6 million liters (10.98 million US liquid gallon), more than half are attributed to the dolphinarium.

      • Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): 29 EUR
      • Official Webpage (English) 

Best aquariums in the World 2017 | Oceanografic Main Tank | Wordcitiesranking.comTunnel of the Tropical and Temperate Seas environment in the Oceanografic


2. Nausicaá — Centre national de la mer, Boulogne-sur-Mer (France 🇫🇷)  

Following a large expansion (finished in may 2018) this aquarium impresses now with Europe’s largest tank of 10 million liters (#13 worldwide)

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)

Exterior view of the Nausicaá

Size: 6/10

Viewing Panel: 7/10

Species:  5/10

Architecture: 5/10

Bonus: 3/10

Overall: 5.20/10

Located in the small town Boulogne-sur-Mer (30 km from Calais) in the northeast of France the Nausicaá - Centre national de la mer was inaugurated in 1991.

After a massive expansion of the aquarium (finished on the 19th of May 2018), the French National Sea Centre now features Europe’s largest tank (10 million liters) as well as Europe’s largest viewing panel (20 meters long and 5 meters high).

As for the sea life, there are Bronze Scalloped Hammerhead sharks, a giant manta ray and shoals of other fish on display.

Furthermore, the aquarium features an 18 metre-long transparent tunnel.

      • Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): 24.20 EUR
      • Official Webpage (English) 
Bronze Scalloped Hammerhead shark ( by Littlegreenman / Public domain )


3. Oceanário de Lisboa, Lisbon (Portugal 🇵🇹) 

Remarkably presented aquarium, focusing around a central tank with not less than 4 large viewing panels, housing a large oceanic sunfish and impressive schooling fish (#16 worldwide)

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)

Visitor Map

Size: 5/10

Viewing Panel: 5/10

Species:  6/10

Architecture: 6/10

Bonus: 2/10

Overall: 4.80/10

The Oceanário de Lisboa in Lisbon, Portugal, opened its doors in 1998 and was designed by the famous American architect Peter Chermayeff, who also designed the Aquarium Kaiyukan in Osaka, Japan.

The main exhibit contains a central 5 million liter square shaped tank with large (7 m wide and 7 m tall) acrylic windows on every four sides, and smaller focus windows strategically located around it. During the visit, one has the opportunity to see the main tank from various angles, passing by a large viewing panel eight times on two floors.

One of the very few aquariums in the world, we count six in total, the Oceanário de Lisboa hosts a large oceanic sunfish. As very impressive, we consider also the different kinds of sizable manta rays and schooling fish, very rarely seen in aquariums and well represented in the aquariums logo. Furthermore, the Oceanário de Lisboa houses penguins, sea otters, sharks, rays, chimeras, a massive octopus, cuttlefish, jellyfish, and many other species.

The aquarium is located northeast of Lisbon, in the Parque das Nações, where the Expo '98 took place. The building impressively seems to “float” in the Ocean and is accessible by crossing a drawn-out footbridge.


4. Moscow Oceanarium — Moskvarium, Moscow (Russia 🇷🇺)

One of Europe’s newest big aquariums is housing killer whales and impressive Arapaima (#15 worldwide)

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)

Exterior View of the Moskvarium
Visitor Map

Size: 5/10

Viewing Panel: 3/10

Species:  6/10

Architecture: 5/10

Bonus: 5/10

Overall: 4.80/10

Opened in 2015, the Moscow Oceanarium (Московский океанариум) — also known as the "Moskvarium" — is the most recent of the big aquariums. Its total water capacity is 25 million liters — making it the second largest in Europe. The bigger part of it belongs to the Dolphinarium.

The exhibits contain more than 8,000 water creatures of 500 different types such as three-meter sharks, dolphins, Russian sturgeon, and immense Arapaima.

The Moskvarium is one of the very few aquariums in the world that still house killer whales (Orcas). Animal Rights activists have led serious protests against the continuation of this practice. If you still want to see them, pay attention as they are quite badly contained in a huge tank with a very small, extremely blurred viewing panel with massive reflection problems. They will probably only pass by every 30 minutes for a quick moment.

The Moskvarium is rather far away from a metro station, but fortunately, there is a regularly operating shuttle bus (with the picture of a giant orca on it) starting opposite of the VDNKh Metro station.

Largest and best aquariums in Europe, Moscow Oceanarium — Moskvarium (Московский океанариум)Shark in the Moskvarium


5. Aquàrium Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain 🇪🇸)

Displaying oceanic sunfish and a fascinating 80-meter-long underwater tunnel (#18 worldwide)

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)
Sunfish in the Aquàrium Barcelona

Size: 4/10

Viewing Panel: 4/10

Species:  5/10

Architecture: 4/10

Bonus: 7/10

Overall: 4.80/10

The Aquàrium Barcelona, conveniently located in Port Vell, displays over 11,000 marine animals in over 35 different water basins from 450 species. Its highlight is an 80-meter-long underwater tunnel through the shark basin. Here one can easily distinguish two types of shark, the sandbar shark, which is grey, slim and keeps its mouth closed, and the sand tiger shark, which has brown markings and always swims with its mouth open.

There are two easily distinguishable types of shark, the sandbar shark, which is grey, slim and keeps its mouth closed, and the sand tiger shark, which has brown markings and always swims with its mouth open.

Furthermore, one of the only six aquariums in the top 30 list of the best aquariums in the world, it houses an ocean sunfish. Aquarium exhibits rarely hold Sunfish due to the unique and demanding requirements of their care.

Underwater Tunnel of the Aquàrium Barcelona ( by Paul Hermans / CC BY-SA 3.0 )


6. National Aquarium Denmark, Copenhagen (Denmark 🇩🇰)

Fancy modern architecture and the 2nd largest viewing panel of Europe in the suburbs of Copenhagen (#19 worldwide)

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)
Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)Exterior view of the National Aquarium Denmark 

( by Daniel from Melrose / CC BY-SA 2.0 )

Size: 4/10

Viewing Panel: 6/10

Species:  3/10

Architecture: 7/10

Bonus: 4/10

Overall: 4.80/10

Den Blå Planet National Aquarium Denmark opened in 2013. Situated in Kastrup, a suburb of Copenhagen, it is one of the most modern aquariums in Europe. The spiral design by the Danish studio 3XN is an architectural highlight that consists of a shiny façade covered with small diamond-shaped aluminum plates.

The aquarium is home to 20,000 fish of 450 different species and other aquatic animals, which include sharks, sea lions, dwarf crocodiles, moray eels, and barracudas.

The largest tank disposes of an impressive 16 by 8 m main viewing panels and it’s the 2nd largest in Europe after Royal Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem, Netherlands. There is a shuttle bus operating from April to September.

Tunnel of the National Aquarium Denmark ( by Daniel from Melrose / CC BY-SA 2.0 )


7. Acquario di Genova, Genoa (Italy 🇮🇹)  

Italy's best aquarium, designed by the Genoese architect Renzo Piano

Size: 4/10

Viewing Panel: 7/10

Species:  5/10

Architecture: 6/10

Bonus: 2/10

Overall: 4.80/10

The Aquarium of Genoa was designed for Genoa Expo '92. The Genoese Pritzker prize-winner and internationally known Renzo Piano worked in collaboration with Peter Chermayeff.

It was expanded in 1998 with the addition of a 100-meter ship connected to the original building by a walkway. The aquarium consists of 70 tanks with 15 thousand animals from 500 different species like dolphins, various sharks, penguins, manatees, jellyfish, seals, and tropical fish amongst others.

The aquarium is located on a quay jutting out into the waters of the Porto Antico area. It is a linear structure designed as if it were containers on a cargo ship.

by Christine Zenino / CC BY-SA 2.0


8. Antalya Aquarium, Antalya (Turkey 🇹🇷)

Displaying the world's second longest submarine viewing tunnel for an exorbitant price

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)

Size: 5/10

Viewing Panel: 2/10

Species:  2/10

Architecture: 3/10

Bonus: 9/10

Overall: 4.20/10

Antalya Aquarium, situated near the city center and just a short walk from the sea, features the second longest underwater viewing tunnel in the world with a length of 131 meters. The Shanghai Ocean Aquarium ranks first in this category.

With a massive entry fee of 43 EUR, the Antalya Aquarium is by far the most expensive aquarium in our list. 

Submarine Tunnel of the Antalya Aquarium ( by Хомелка / CC BY-SA 4.0 )


9. İstanbul Sea Life Aquarium (former Turkuazoo İstanbul Aquarium), Istanbul (Turkey 🇹🇷)

Featuring an impressive 83 m long underwater tunnel and a large collection of sharks

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)

Size: 5/10

Viewing Panel: 2/10

Species:  3/10

Architecture: 3/10

Bonus: 8/10

Overall: 4.20/10

Formerly known as Turkuazoo Istanbul Aquarium, the highlight of the Istanbul Sea Life Aquarium, located inside the gigantic Forum İstanbul Mall, is its 83 m long underwater tunnel. It hosts a large collection of sharks including massive tiger sharks, nurse sharks, guitar sharks, zebra sharks, whitetip and blacktip sharks. The aquarium has direct access to the Kocatepe metro station.

Often causing quite a bit of confusion, the capital of Turkey is home to two rather big aquariums with similar names, both on the European side of the city: Apart from the 'Istanbul Sea Life Aquarium' there is also the 'Istanbul Aquarium'.

      • Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): 40 TRY (online Price) (ca.  10 EUR)
      • Official Webpage (English)

Underwater Tunnel in the Istanbul Sea Life Aquarium


10. Nordsøen Oceanarium, Hirtshals (Denmark 🇩🇰)

This cold water aquarium contains exclusively species native to the oceans around Denmark

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)

Size: 4/10

Viewing Panel: 5/10

Species:  5/10

Architecture: 4/10

Bonus: 3/10

Overall: 4.20/10

The Nordsøen Oceanarium situated on the shores of the North Sea in Hirtshals, Denmark, possesses a main tank that holds 4.5 million liters of cold water and is Northern Europe’s largest aquarium.

It houses about 3,000 fish and displays large specimens of the North Sea like cod, saithe, turbot, sea bass, and several rare ocean sunfish through an impressive 6 x 12 m acrylic-viewing panel.

The Nordsøen Oceanarium opened in 1998, but was almost completely destroyed in 2003 after a devastating fire (which killed all the fish). The aquarium finally reopened in 2005.

Best Aquariums in Europe, Nordsøen Oceanarium
Ocean Sunfish in the Nordsøen Oceanarium


11. Honorable Mentions

Istanbul Aquarium, Istanbul (Turkey 🇹🇷)

The second large aquarium in Istanbul presents a remarkable variety of fish species

Best Aquariums in Europe (Top 10)

Size: 4/10

Viewing Panel: 5/10

Species:  6/10

Architecture: 4/10

Bonus: 2/10

Overall: 4.20/10

Istanbul Aquarium (İstanbul Akvaryum) is situated 5 km from the Atatürk International Airport, in Florya, on the European side of Istanbul. It claims to be the world’s biggest thematic aquarium and exhibits a remarkable amount of species (1500). Highlights include arapaima, capybara, various type of sharks and rays as well as an immersive Amazon rainforest exhibit featuring piranhas, small caiman crocodiles, and countless tropical plants.

The largest of its 64 tanks is filled with 4 million liters of water and has a ca. 8 m wide and 4 m tall viewing panel.

Visitors are invited to a 1,2 km (0.62 miles) long travel route passing by 16 thematic geographic areas originating in the Black Sea towards the Pacific.

Exterior view of the Istanbul Aquarium   


12. Comparison List of the Best Aquariums in the World 2024

For an overview of the top thirty aquariums, see our detailed comparison list of the best aquariums in the world in 2024

Best Aquariums in the World Top 10 List

Best Aquariums in the World Comparison List

We also created a video of the Top 50 Cities in the World 2024 (ranked by 14 criteria)