Spain's most famous aquarium is the southernmost section of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. It's an impressive display, divided into zones for different habitats and species, reached overground or underground from the central hub building. The sharks, complete with tunnel, are an obvious favorite, while a series of beautiful tanks present species from temperate, Mediterranean and tropical waters. Less happily, the aquarium also keeps captive dolphins and belugas – research suggests this is detrimental to their welfare.
It's not all underwater. An aviary presents wetland birds, while the ocean islands section features giant tortoises. There are penguins, seals and sea lions, too. Though the dolphin shows are a black mark, the aquarium does make a proper effort to present information about climate change and depletion of the marine ecosystem. There's also a 4D cinema.
