Barcelona Aquarium

The Aquàrium de Barcelona sits on the Moll d'Espanya in Port Vell, the old harbour at the foot of La Rambla, beside the Maremagnum shopping centre, and it is one of the largest aquariums in Europe with a particular focus on the Mediterranean. That focus is its distinctive strength. Where many big aquariums concentrate on tropical reefs, Barcelona's opening galleries take you through the habitats of the sea right outside: seagrass meadows, rocky shores, caves and the open water, with octopus, moray eels, seahorses, rays and shoals of the fish you will later see on restaurant menus. Further on, tanks move to tropical seas, with colourful reef fish and corals. The centrepiece is the Oceanarium, a huge tank holding sharks, rays and big shoals of fish, which you cross through a long transparent tunnel on a moving walkway, with sharks gliding overhead; it is the moment children remember. Upstairs, interactive areas aimed at younger visitors let them explore marine life through play, games and touch, and displays explain the marine conservation work the aquarium supports. It is not a cutting-edge, high-tech attraction, and some areas feel their age, but it is well run, informative and genuinely engaging for families. The location is convenient: a walk down La Rambla, across the wooden Rambla de Mar footbridge over the harbour, and you are there, with the beaches of Barceloneta fifteen minutes' walk away.

When to use it: the aquarium is the obvious answer to a rainy day, to the hottest hours of a summer afternoon, or to children who have had enough of churches and modernista houses. It is also a reasonable choice for adults with an interest in marine life, thanks to the Mediterranean galleries, though it is primarily a family attraction and is priced accordingly. Tickets are not cheap for what is a two-hour visit, so families often book combination tickets with other attractions, such as Tibidabo, to make a day of it.

Visiting well: book online to skip the ticket queue, which can be long at weekends, on rainy days and during school holidays. Go early in the day or late in the afternoon for the calmest experience, as the middle of the day brings school groups and tour parties. Allow about two hours, a little more with small children in the interactive zones. Strollers can be used throughout, and the visit is on one or two levels with lifts. Feeding times and talks are scheduled through the day, and catching one adds interest.

Around the aquarium: Port Vell is pleasant for a stroll, with yachts, the Maremagnum centre and open waterfront; from the end of the Moll d'Espanya, it is a short walk along the harbour to Barceloneta, its beach and its seafood restaurants, which makes an easy family day of aquarium in the morning, paella for lunch and the beach in the afternoon. The Columbus Monument and the start of La Rambla are just across the footbridge, and the Gothic Quarter is a ten-minute walk away. Honest verdict: this is a good family aquarium rather than a world-class one, and travellers who have visited the great aquariums of Lisbon, Valencia or Monterey may find it modest. Its strengths are the Mediterranean focus, the convenient harbour location and the shark tunnel, and for families with a rainy day, tired legs or children who need a break from sightseeing, it does exactly what it promises and is easy to combine with the waterfront and a long seafood lunch.