This zoo was great most of the enclosures were a pretty good size and the bear cubs were so cute…read moreand we're playing together the was also a mini stand up ski lift that travels round the zoo above the cages which is fantastic! I have never done anything like this and see animals in this way. I loved it! There were white tigers loads of babies and you actually get to see okapi up close which I've never done. It was 19.50 each and the lift and dolphins feeding were free. I would recommend the dolphins I thought the show was fantastic all the usual stuff but truly beautiful!

I really enjoyed this zoo because of the intimate nature of the exhibitions. In many cases you…read morereally feel close to the animals when you observe them. In terms of the variety of animals and the relative ease of accessing them this place gets 5 stars for sure. In terms of the size of the place - it's not big by any respect. I was able to blast through everything in about 2-3 hours and we didn't exactly zip through either. We took time to view, read and take photos as we went. The main issue is this place isn't cheap and it's pretty pricey for something that won't take up a lot of your day. But in the end I just saw it as contributing money to the zoo and hoping it helps keep the animals taken care of. If you look at it that way, relative to what the zoo offers, I think it was worth it for me.

Had some time to kill before our flight back home so we decided to come spend a few hours here…read more Beautiful zoo, but it is quite small. With it being so small I thought the price tag at $30 euros per person was a little much. It only took us about two 1/2 hours to see the entire zoo and watch the bird show. The bird show was in Portuguese so we couldn't understand what birds were what, but nonetheless, the show was very nice and entertaining. They had a great primate exhibit and the animals seem to be a little closer than most zoos I have been to.

I've been to many aquariums, but this was easily one of my favorite experiences. It's not…read moreoverwhelming in size, but it is incredibly well-designed and spacious, which made the visit feel very relaxed. The standout is definitely the massive central aquarium--it's stunning and keeps the kids completely engaged as you move through the levels. It was also great to see that the animals appear to be in excellent condition and the habitats are pristine. If you are in Lisbon with children, this is a must-see. It's a high-quality, manageable outing that the whole family will actually enjoy!

Oceanário de Lisboa is a must if, like me, you want to visit every large-scale aquarium. I went in…read moreJanuary and it was not too uncrowded, which made a big difference. There is a certain serenity that massive aquariums bring, a form of hypnotic biophilia that acts directly on your nervous system and reduces stress and anxiety. I have always been wondering why aquariums/deep water have such effects. The slow, continuous movement of fish and water holds attention without demanding it, allowing the brain to shift out of high-alert, task-oriented states. This results in measurable reductions in heart rate, blood pressure, and perceived stress, similar to effects observed in natural environments such as forests or coastlines. In large-volume tanks, flow patterns are slower and more laminar, encouraging natural swimming behaviors rather than repetitive or erratic movement. The presence of schooling fish and large pelagic species reinforces predictable motion patterns, which the human visual system and nervous system interprets as calming. This giant central tank of the aquarium is widely cited as one of the largest single aquarium tank in the world. It represents four oceans, Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Antarctic, in one continuous ecosystem. The layout: you start at the upper level and gradually spiral downward. As you descend, the viewing angles improve and the scale becomes apparent, with large pelagic fish (incl. the massive slow-moving sunfish), sharks, rays, and schooling species sharing the same water column without visual barriers. The central tank holds approximately 5M liters of seawater and relies on controlled lighting, filtration, and circulation systems to maintain multiple habitat zones within a single body of water. Surrounding it are satellite habitats focused on specific ecosystems, including open ocean, coastal waters, polar environments, and temperate reefs. There is also a small kelp forest section, which immediately reminded me of the magnificent kelp exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium in California (still unmatched; love it!), but this felt like a respectful and well-executed nod. The aquarium sits in Parque das Nações, the former Expo '98 site, which adds a lot to the experience and activities. Before or after the visit, you can use the Telecabine Lisboa (cable cars). It operates along the waterfront and provides a continuous overhead view of the Tagus estuary, surrounding Expo-era structures, and the Vasco da Gama Bridge (the second longest bridge in Europe). In January, it closes at 6 PM, and the ticket allows round trips. (Ticket cost for aquarium and cable car is less than 40 euros/person. 10-15 min from the Humberto Delgado Airport. Street parking is tough; garage parking is approx. 15 euros/24h.)

This garden is amazing. It's ancient, it's huge, and it's filled with more boxwood than I could…read morepossibly imagine - the scent was heavenly. The peacocks roaming around were a nice touch, I encountered a lemon tree, a banana tree, and a massive rubber tree. And I definitely need to return in the summer when the plants are in bloom.

An amazing botanical garden where you can definitely spend an afternoon. It looks like they were…read morehaving some sort of affair there maybe a family reunion or some such with a band or maybe a wedding not sure. What a perfect spot.