Barcelona Zoo, a jungle in the city centre
Barcelona zoo was created in 1892 when a wealthy banker gave his animal collection to the city, which then decided to house them in the Parc de la Ciutadella.
The zoo is home to around 4000 animals from 400 different species. Allow at least 2 hours for your visit.
The animals in Barcelona zoo
Observation spaces
It is possible to follow a logical route that takes you through areas which follow on from each other but which are not alike! The animals’ spaces permit quite easy observation of the fauna. For example, the lions and tigers are not in cages, which is great! But don’t worry for your safety: a deep ditch separates the felines from the visitors. The reptiles are in a large glass cage or in warm humid terrariums.
A huge variety of animals
Here is a non exhaustive list of the animals in Barcelona zoo:
- Animals of the Savannah: giraffes, elephants, lions, tigers, jaguars, gazelles, hyenas, warthogs, hippopotamus, meerkats, zebras, camels…
- Reptiles: tortoises, serpents, crocodiles, iguanas…
- Birds: flamingos, parakeets, toucans, herons, penguins, and many startling exotic birds!
- Mammals: wolves, bears, wildebeest, wapitis, lamas, kangaroos, seals…
- Primates: gorillas, chimpanzees, titi monkeys, orangutans, macaques…
Did you know? In 1966, the only albino gorillas in the world entered Barcelona zoo. Copito de nieve or Floquet de neu in Catalan (Snowball) had 22 children. He died aged 39 in 2003. He was the great pride and mascot of the zoo during his life (a 87kg mascot, all the same!). Now you can only find him in teddy form in the gift shop. Which is less alarming than the original!
The dolphinarium
Although previously the dolphins were only visible during shows, you can now see them in the same way as other species. The large observation platform allows a hundred or so people to come and watch the marine mammals.
- The dolphinarium opens its doors from 11am to 2pm and 3pm to 6pm.
- There are no dolphin shows anymore.
- The dolphinarium is closed until the 5th of February 5 2017
- Some associations denounced the living conditions of animals in some Spanish zoos including Barcelona, where the dolphins are basically confined in unsuitable conditions.
Activities and services at Barcelona zoo
Farm and face painting
On weekends and holidays there are lots of organised activities. Generally they take place between 1:30pm and 3pm and are announced over a megaphone 5 minutes before the start.
You can see the zoo’s farm and the farming facilities, and you can even get close to some of the smaller animals. Children can also get their faces painted to resemble the zoo’s animals.
Picnic areas and lockers
Picnic areas are dotted around the zoo. Lockers of three different sizes are available at the entrance.
Useful information
Zoo Timetable
- 1st of January to 18th of March: 10am to 5:30pm
- 19th of March to 15th of May: 10am to 7pm
- 16th of May to 15th of September: 10am to 8pm
- 16th of September to 29th of October: 10am to 7pm
- 30th of October to 31st of December: 10am to 5:30pm
- 25th of December: 10am to 12pm
Ticket window closes 30 minutes before the zoo closing time.
Zoo prices
Single entry:
- Adults: around €20
- Children from 3 to 12: around €12
- Free for under 3s
- You can show your ticket directly from your mobile phone, although you may prefer to print it.
Annual membership:
- Family: around €90
- Single parent family: around €65
- 1 person: around €42
To which you should expect to add €25 for registration
Accessibility to Barcelona zoo
The zoo is entirely wheelchair accessible
Hi I was wondering if you still have the orangutan that lived magic tricks . There is a YouTube clip showing him being entertained and surprised by the trick on other side of the glass. It was dated 2015. What was the name of the orangutan? Julie from Miami Florida.
Good morning, Julie
Thank you for your comment! I think that the magic trick was just a one time thing, I haven’t found any further information apart from the “experiment” they did in 2015. However, you can always check the zoo’s website to see what special activities they organise.
Have a nice trip!