The Aquarium of Galicia, the Aquarium of Barcelona, the Oceanografic of Valencia, the Aquarium of San Sebastian are the best examples of aquariums in which the most detailed selection of marine flora and fauna is put on display for visitors to enjoy.

The Aquarium of Galicia: over 15,000 species
Located in O Grove, Pontevedra, this is the first large aquarium built in the Galician community. With a surface space of over 2,000 square meters, it has over 20 aquariums in its interior, various marine scenarios and over 15,000 species.

The Aquarium of Galicia contains the most varied marine species of the Galician coast, the Mediterranean coast, tropical seas and the Atlantic Ocean.

In addition to the most common fish, the Aquarium of Galicia also contains such surprising species as the multicoloured clown fish, the lionfish, the scorpion fish, the rectangular boxfish and American sharks.

One of the rooms, Espacioactivo!, offers visitors the chance of seeing a global vision of the marine mammal world, their habitat and their behaviour.

Donostia: an aquarium with history
The Aquarium of San Sebastian, inaugurated in 1928, offers species from the warm waters of the Amazon river and African lakes, coloured varieties from the Indo-Pacific reefs, sponges from the Caribbean and tropical morays (marine species that can reach 3 metres in length). There are also displays of underwater micromarine life magnified some forty times.

The Oceanario display offers a slice of the Atlantic Ocean, with over two and half million litres of water. The lionfish with its white wings and the scorpion fish are examples of two of the most dangerous fish on display in the aquarium.
In the Natural Sciences museum, located on the main floor, the skeleton of a whale caught in Zarauz in the mid-19th century is on display.

The Oceanografic of Valencia: the largest in Europe
Located in the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia, this is the largest aquarium in Europe, covering 110,000 square meters and containing some 42 million litres of water.

The aquarium divides the marine world up into themes, with dolphin and sea lion displays and exhibitions of other marine species from warm, humid and tropical climates. There are two displays of fish and invertebrates and the habitat of marine mammals.

There are also special installations, such as the 30-metre long tunnel in which the behaviour of species in the open sea can be observed. Sharks, beluga whales, sea urchins and a wide variety of crustaceans are just some of the 45,000 examples of over 500 species that the visitor can see.

Finally, there are special sections on the Mediterranean Sea and marine conservation.
 
Barcelona: aquatic capital
Over four and a half million litres of water, 8,000 marine organisms and 300 different species can be seen at the Aquarium of Barcelona. These include such curious Mediterranean species as the flatfish, the tuft tube worm, the ratfish and the guitarfish, as well tropical species such as the yellow surgeon fish, the multicoloured angel fish, the harlequin fish, the butterfly fish, the bicoloured goatfish, the mandarin fish and the Picasso trigger fish. These are just some of the more surprising fish on display, whose original shapes are often associated with their names.

The black shark, grey shark and moonfish are other examples of the richness of the Mediterranean that can be admired in the aquarium.

If you prefer smaller marine flora and fauna, you simply need to head for Miniacuaria, featuring magnifying glasses and interactive displays of dotted sea slugs and hermit crabs.

However, if you prefer diving into the sea, touching and discovering the Mediterranean underwater, you should visit Explora, an interactive room with over 50 activities, allowing the user to become acquainted with the Costa Brava, the swamps of the Ebro Delta and the caves of the Medas islands.