Barcelona Zoo

The Barcelona Zoo was opened in 1892 in Parc de la Ciutadella (or Citadel Park), thanks to the donation of a private collection of animals. Since then, the zoo has expanded consistently and currently houses more than 2,000 individuals from 300 species of wild animals, as well as more than 1,300 trees, bushes, plants, and flowers from 332 botanical species. Guests of the zoo can become acquainted with representatives of the most famous animal species, including zebras, elephants, bears, lions, panthers, giraffes, buffaloes, kangaroos, vultures, ostriches, hippos, and many others.

The zoo is divided into several animal habitats:

• The farm is one of the most popular sites for children. The youngest visitors will be happy to get to know domestic animals such as cows, ponies, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, and donkeys. In the Titi Monkey Gallery, there are currently seven species of the smallest of the existing primates called titi; the titis come from South America.
• The gallery of small primates is one of the most visited sites.
• In the Palmeral area you can see all kinds of colorful cockatoos, macaws, and parrots.
• The house of reptiles holds a large collection of amphibians and reptiles, such as iguanas, caimans, giant snakes, and small lizards.
• The Aquarama Zone offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy a spectacular dolphin show and become acquainted with the marine mammals in the huge aquarium.

Barcelona Zoo is located in the center of Barcelona in the Ciutadella park. You can reach the zoo through the entrance to Ciutadella Park or from Carrer Wellington, next to Passeig de Circumvallació. All types of public transport are available as well: bus lines D20, H14, H16, V21, and V27, metro line 4 (from the Barceloneta or Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica stops), and line 1 (from Marina and Arc de Triomf).

Prices for the Barcelona Zoo

• Adults: 21.40 Eur.
• Children (aged 3-12): 12.95 Eur.
• Visitors over 65 years old: 10.50 Eur.
• Children under 3 years old: free entry.
• Disabled visitors: 5.65 Eur.

Tickets to the Barcelona Zoo can be purchased through the zoo’s official webpage, www.zoobarcelona.cat, and at the ticket offices at the entrance. The ticket offices usually close an hour before the zoo’s closing hour. Also, there is a club tariff system for regular visitors to the zoo. For example, the annual subscription for a family is 94.05 euros.

Barcelona Zoo working hours

The opening hours of the zoo vary depending on the season.

• The winter period lasts from October 30 to March 18, from 10:00 to 17:30.
• The summer period lasts from March 19 to October 29, from 10:00 to 19:00.

Dolphin show at the Barcelona Zoo

One of many attractions the Barcelona Zoo offers is the dolphin show. For thirty minutes, these wonderful mammals demonstrate their ability to communicate with the public and perform complex tricks. The caretakers introduce visitors to the lifestyle, behaviour, and features of mammal care. They also teach the audience to distinguish a dolphin female from a male and explain how dolphins communicate with each other. During the show, dolphins perform jumps and flips, swim on their sides and greet the audience with a side fin. In addition, these special mammals help the rangers prepare a show. For example, one of the caretakers may give the end of a rope to a dolphin, who then stretches the rope to the other end of the aquarium for a jumping trick.

The Dolphin Show is one of the most popular and successful shows for entire family; therefore, visitors are advised to purchase tickets in advance, as they can waste a lot of time in the queue and possibly even miss the show otherwise, especially on holidays and weekends.

• The show is held daily from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 15:00 to 17:00.