Do not miss the visit of the Gothic cathedral from the 15th century. Nearby there are the caves of Castellana, which include (besides the Adelsberg cave) the most important cave systems in Europe. Caves that are long 1.2km (with side passages much more) are accessible with a guide and have 2 lifts. Above the caves there is a watch tower and the Cave Museum. In the nearby town of Fasano you can visit Zoo Safari with 600 exotic animals including lions, and the Dolphinarium. This part of Puglia is famous for the unique occurrence of the “trulli” – the dominant form of a circular brick houses with conical roofs in overlapping layers. Best Trulli and other precious relics are in Alberobello, Martina Franca and Locorotondo.

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Marineland is a specific marine zoo with a variety of water attractions. You can see the wonderful performances of trained smart dolphins, sea lions and parrots. Marineland occupies an area of 4.5 hectares. You can also learn about the life and biology of these fantastic animals, here. During the presentation you will learn about the negative impact of human activities on natural habitat. There are zoological garden and an outdoor water park, where are several types of slides, including kamikaze slides, twister or boomerang, or even special water attractions for children.

Marineland is easily accessible by a special bus (blue bus with Marineland mark) from the resorts of Calella, Pineda de Mar, Santa Susanna and Malgrat de Mar. If you purchase tickets in advance, you will take the bus even for free. Marineland is open daily from 10 May till 17th September. Admission is 24 euros for adults and 17 euros for children (4-12 years). Children under 4 years are admitted free.

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There are multiple buildings that are part of the L’ Oceanogràfic of the City of Arts and Sciences. Each one of these are identified with a different type of aquatic environment. These environments include the Mediterranean, temperate, wetlands, tropical seas, Antarctica, Arctic, oceans, Islands as well as the Red Sea.

Dolphinarium L’Oceanografic, Valencia, Spain / Photo by Claire (Europe Explored)

However, perhaps the biggest and most popular attraction in the L’ Oceanogràfic is that of the Dolphinarium. There are more than 24 million liters of water in the Dolphinarium which boasts gaps of more than 10 1/2 meters. There is also an underwater restaurant where one can sit down and eat while watching tens of thousands of fish swim all around. The Dolphinarium truly is a very unique eating experience the matter how you choose to look at.

Today, there are more than 500 different species of dolphins, walruses, belugas, sea lions, penguins, seals, sharks, turtles, rays, jellyfish, sawfish, starfish, crustaceans as well as sea urchins of all different kinds. All in all, there are more than 45,000 individual animals that call the L’ Oceanogràfic their home. Furthermore the aquarium is not just home to marine life, it is also home to a number of bird species who are crucial to ensuring that the ecosystem stay as strong as it can possibly be.

Aquarium, L’Oceanografic, Valencia, Spain / Photo by Claire (Europe Explored)

It was back in 2003 when the L’ Oceanogràfic of the City of Arts and Sciences first opened its doors to the public. Since that grand opening, more than 12 million people from all over the world have made their way to the aquarium in order to see the flora and fauna as well as to attend the numerous lectures and other activities that are continuously held on the campus by numerous scientific bodies from all over the world.

A lot of time and effort was put into the design and development of the L’ Oceanogràfic of the City of Arts and Sciences to ensure that its architecture was of the latest, and most popular styles; and to ensure that any barriers within the aquarium were virtually invisible. There are countless faults, underground tunnels and tanks of all sizes that can be found throughout the park. It truly is an extraordinary destination which is home to one of the largest and most exotic biodiversed ecosystems on the planet.

Bird in L’Oceanografic, Valencia, Spain / Photo by Claire (Europe Explored)

L’ Oceanogràfic is open all year round, opening hours depend on the season, and the basic admission is 27.90 €. For more information visit Official site of L’ Oceanogràfic

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