Palma Aquarium: Europe's Deepest Shark Tank and 700 Species Under One Roof

What Palma Aquarium Actually Is

Palma Aquarium opened in June 2007 and is operated by Coral World International, a group with marine attractions across multiple continents. Its official Spanish name is Acuario de Palma. The facility covers 24,000 square metres on the Can Pastilla coastline, close enough to the sea that you can smell salt air before you reach the entrance. Inside, 55 tanks hold more than 8,000 individual specimens representing over 700 species drawn from the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans.

Two records make this aquarium worth singling out. First, the Big Blue shark tank reaches 8.5 metres in depth, making it the deepest shark tank in Europe. Second, the facility holds Europe's largest living coral collection. These are not marketing numbers: both influence the quality of what you actually see. The corals in particular are dense and visually striking in a way that differs noticeably from aquariums that rely primarily on fish.

In 2007, the aquarium received the Best Business Initiative award from the Balearic publication Actualidad Económica and the Accessibility Prize from the Consell de Mallorca. The latter is reflected in the design: wide corridors, ramp access throughout, and very few bottlenecks even on busy days.

The Big Blue: Standing Under Europe's Deepest Shark Tank

The centrepiece of the aquarium is the Big Blue, a tank containing multiple shark species visible through an acrylic tunnel that runs through the base of the enclosure. The depth of 8.5 metres means the water column above the tunnel is genuinely imposing: sharks cruise at mid-water height and the light filtering from above creates a bluish diffusion that shifts depending on the time of day and how many visitors are around you.

The tunnel experience works best when it is not crowded. Aim for the first 90 minutes after opening (around 9:30 AM) or on weekday mornings in shoulder season. Midday in July and August, school groups and families peak simultaneously and the tunnel can feel claustrophobic. The quality of the experience does not change, but your ability to pause and observe does.

Moving Through the Tanks: A Practical Walkthrough

The route through Palma Aquarium is designed to flow chronologically through ocean zones, beginning with Mediterranean ecosystems and progressing outward to Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and deep ocean environments. This is not an arbitrary sequence. Starting with familiar Mediterranean species before reaching tropical tanks gives children a useful point of comparison and keeps the pacing from feeling repetitive.

The Mediterranean section contains local reef fish, octopus, and seahorses in tanks that are shallower and brighter than the deep-ocean exhibits. Lighting here is cool and diffuse, which suits photography without flash. As you move into the tropical sections, the tanks become darker and the species more diverse: large rays, groupers, lionfish, and dense coral formations occupy multi-level tanks where it takes several minutes to see everything at each stop.

The total walking distance through all exhibits is moderate, but the route includes backtracking in some zones. Families with pushchairs or visitors using wheelchairs will find the floors fully accessible throughout. Sensory load can be high in the deeper tunnel sections due to low ambient light and the contrast with the brighter corridors, which is worth considering for very young children or anyone sensitive to abrupt transitions between light and dark.

The Jungle: A Rooftop Garden Above the Sea

Above the main aquarium building sits the Jungle, described as the largest rooftop garden in Spain at the time of construction. It combines tropical planting with interactive zones and a separate section housing land animals and reptiles. The transition from the cool, dimly lit interior to the open-air garden is marked and abrupt: the heat and brightness on a July afternoon can be intense, so carry water and sunscreen if you plan to spend time here.

The Jungle functions as a second attraction in its own right rather than a simple add-on. Children who have been quiet and compliant through the aquarium interior tend to become considerably more energetic here. If you are travelling with adults who have limited tolerance for crowds, the rooftop can be skipped without missing the core aquarium experience, though it adds approximately 30 to 45 minutes if included.

Palma Aquarium is situated in Can Pastilla, a coastal neighbourhood east of central Palma along the Bay of Palma. The beach immediately adjacent is Playa de Palma, a long sandy stretch that remains one of the most visited on the island. Combining a morning at the aquarium with an afternoon on the beach is a natural pairing for families. For more on Mallorca's beaches, see the guide to the best beaches in Mallorca.

Who This Works For, and Who It Doesn't

Palma Aquarium performs best as a family attraction for children between roughly 4 and 14 years old. The combination of interactive elements, the shark tunnel, and the outdoor Jungle covers a wide enough range of interest levels to keep mixed-age groups engaged. Adults travelling without children will find the aquarium competent and well-maintained, but it is unlikely to rank as a highlight of a Mallorca trip for someone primarily interested in architecture, history, or landscape.

For serious marine biology enthusiasts, the coral collection is genuinely impressive and worth the visit on its own terms. The diversity of Indo-Pacific species in the tropical section is wider than many similar attractions of comparable size in Europe.

Visitors on a tight budget should weigh the ticket cost against their interest level before committing. Palma and the surrounding area offer significant free or low-cost alternatives for families and nature-focused travellers. The aquarium is not overpriced relative to comparable European marine attractions, but it is not cheap either.

If you are looking for outdoor marine environments rather than indoor exhibits, Mallorca's natural coastline provides alternatives ranging from snorkelling coves to protected marine areas. The Mondragó Natural Park in the southeast combines wetland and coastal ecosystems accessible to families without an entrance fee.

Practical Details: Getting There, When to Go, What to Bring

The aquarium's address is C/ Manuela de los Herreros i Sorà, 21, in the Can Pastilla neighbourhood, approximately 10 kilometres east of Palma city centre along the coast road. By car, parking is available nearby. By public transport, buses connect central Palma to Can Pastilla; check Empresa Municipal de Transports (EMT Palma) or TIB (Transport Interurbà de les Illes Balears) for current routes and stops. Taxis and ride services from central Palma take roughly 15 to 20 minutes in normal traffic.

The interior is fully climate-controlled, making this one of the more comfortable options during Mallorca's mid-summer heat when outdoor temperatures regularly exceed 32°C. Wearing light layers is advisable as the deep tank sections run noticeably cooler than the entrance areas. The outdoor Jungle section requires sun protection during peak summer hours.

Photography inside the aquarium is possible without flash in most zones. A phone camera with a reasonably capable low-light mode will produce usable results in the brighter Mediterranean and tropical sections. The Big Blue tunnel is more challenging due to the contrast between the bright tank and the dark surroundings, but slower shutter speeds on a manual setting can compensate.

If your Mallorca itinerary is still taking shape, the guide to Mallorca with kids covers how to balance beach time, nature attractions, and family-focused sites across the island.

Context: Can Pastilla and the Bay of Palma

Can Pastilla sits at the eastern end of the Bay of Palma, separated from the city centre by the airport flight path and a stretch of continuous beach development. It is not a neighbourhood that attracts visitors for its architecture or gastronomy: its appeal is almost entirely coastal. The aquarium fits logically into this context as an anchor attraction for a beach-oriented day.

Palma city centre, with its Gothic cathedral, Arab Baths, and historic old town, is a separate experience entirely and worth at least half a day on its own. The Palma Old Town is roughly 10 kilometres west, making it straightforward to combine with an aquarium visit if you start early.

For travellers considering how Palma Aquarium fits into a wider island trip, see the full guide to things to do in Mallorca for a broader view of what the island offers beyond the coast.