Best Aquariums in Istanbul

Best Aquariums in Istanbul

 

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Istanbul Aquarium
    • Working Hours
    • How to get there
  3. Istanbul Sealife Aquarium
    • Working Hours
    • How to get there
  4. Emaar Aquarium
    • Working Hours
    • How to get there
  5. Viasea Aquarium
    • Working Hours
    • How to get there

Introduction

There are brand new museums in Istanbul to visit individually or as a family outside of the most famous buildings. The most interesting group amongst them is the aquariums of Istanbul. These museums give the chance to travelers to enjoy a relaxing day out of the busy city centers. While you can learn about exotic fishes and creatures of the sea, you can also share this experience especially for families with kids. The majority of these places are located close to a famous shopping mall that is easy to access even with public transportation. Here is short information about these famous aquariums and important things to know

Istanbul Aquarium

Istanbul Aquarium is one of the biggest aquariums in Istanbul by using up-to-date technology and having lots of theme areas. There are lots of fish species and sea creatures kept in their own natural habitats with a great range of locations in the world starting from the Black Sea to the Pacifics. With a total number reaching up to 17,000, this aquarium is amongst the top places of its kind not just in Istanbul but also in the world. The museum makes the traveler feel that they literally visit the natural places of these sea creatures by using extraordinary themes. Everything that a traveler can see or hear comes directly from the source of the places that these animals naturally live. In this aquarium some of the examples you can see are:

  • The piranhas that can smell the blood in the water with a distance of 2 km.
  • The biggest sea creature, the Lemon Shark, lives for about 25 years and never sleeps or rests during that time.
  • The Russian Sturgeon that comes from the time of the dinosaurs being famous with the best caviars in the world.
  • The Dusky Groupers can change their genders. They can live half of their life as male and the rest as female.
  • The penguins that can hold their breath for seven minutes underwater.

Aside from all of these, you can also visit the Amazon rain forest for a different experience. If you want to be really adventurous, you can also dive with the sharks with trainers.

Istanbul Aquarium has a shopping mall and a restaurant section overlooking the Sea of Marmara.

Working Hours

Istanbul Aquarium is open every day on weekdays from 10:00 to 19:00 and on the weekends from 10:00 to 22:00.

How to get there

From Sultanahmet and the old city hotels Get the T1 tram to Eminonu station. From the Eminonu station get bus number BN1 to Istanbul Akvaryum station. The Istanbul Aquarium is 5 minutes walking distance from the station.

From Taksim Hotels Get the funicular from the Taksim Square to Kabataş. From the Kabataş station, take the T1 tram to Eminonu. From the Eminonu station get bus number BN1 to Istanbul Akvaryum station. The Istanbul Aquarium is 5 minutes walking distance from the station.

Istanbul Sealife Aquarium

Opened in the year 2009, Sealife Istanbul is one of the most-visited aquariums in Istanbul. With its easy metro connection from the city center, it has a growing number of visitors every year. There are more than 15,000 species in the museum but to see these creatures is not the only thing you can do in the venue. There are specific feeding times you can join or you can see the professional divers having special shows and many more. The aquarium gives you the feeling that you are under the water with its 270 degrees platform. There is also an animal hospital where the sick sea creatures are collected from the world and getting healed. You can also visit the hospital section while you are in the museum and may have further information about the protection programs. Aside from a museum, Sealife also has private areas for meetings, birthday celebrations, or even weddings depending on the request. There are different theme sections including the ray bay, the ocean room, the rain forests, the tortoise hospital, and many more.

Working Hours

The Sealife Istanbul is open every day between 11:00 and 20:00. The last entry is at 19:00.

How to get there

From Sultanahmet and the old city hotels Get the T1 tram to Yusufpasa station. From the Yusufpasa station, walk 5 minutes to Aksaray Metro Station. From the Aksaray Metro station, get the M1 metro to Kocatepe station. The Sealife is within walking distance from the Kocatepe station.

From Taksim hotels Get the funicular from the Taksim Square to Kabataş. From the Kabataş station, take the T1 metro to Yusufpasa station. From the Yusufpasa station, walk 5 minutes to Aksaray Metro Station. From the Aksaray Metro station, get the M1 metro to Kocatepe station. The Sealife is within walking distance from the Kocatepe station.

Emaar Aquarium

Opened in the year 2017 as a shopping mall and entertainment center on the Asian side, Emaar Shopping Mall hosts Emaar Aquarium. There are more than 20,000 species from 200 kinds from different parts of the world in this aquarium. The main sea creatures you can see in this museum are spider crabs, piranhas, goby fishes, different kinds of rays, and many more. There are also different theme sections including the main tank, forests, rivers and waterfalls, penguin island, crocodile kingdom, and game areas. There is also a tunnel aquarium which is 3 meters lower than the surface of the water with a 270-degree view.

Working Hours

The Emaar Aquarium is open every day between 10:00-22:00.

How to get there

From Sultanahmet and the old city hotels Get the T1 tram to Sirkeci station. From the Sirkeci station, get the Marmaray to Sogutlucesme station. From the Sogutlucesme station, get the bus number 14B, 14ES or 15ÇK to Mobilyacılar Sitesi station. From the station, Emaar aquarium is within walking distance.

From Taksim hotels Get the funicular from Taksim Square to Kabatas station. From the Kabatas station, take the T1 metro to Sirkeci station. From the Sirkeci station, get the Marmaray to Sogutlucesme station. From the Sogutlucesme station, get the bus number 14B, 14ES or 15ÇK to Mobilyacılar Sitesi station. From the station, Emaar aquarium is within walking distance.

Viasea Aquarium

As a good option for the travelers having a flight from the Asian side airport, Sabiha Gökçen, Viasea Aquarium and shopping mall opened in the year 2015. There are more than 12,000 sea creatures with 47 different themes in a land of 8 acres. This aquarium is one first in the world using a climate theme, which you can see the animals in their original atmosphere. There is a historical chronology of the Bosphorus for the visitors with the longest tunnel in an aquarium in Istanbul. In this tunnel, you can see wild sharks, Nile crocodiles, and tortoises that are more than 100 years old.

Working Hours

Viasea Aquarium is open every day between 11:00-18:30.

How to get there

From the Sultanahmet and old city hotels Take the T1 tram to Sirkeci station. From the Sirkeci station, take the Marmaray to Tuzla station. From the Tuzla station, take bus number C109 to Viaport Marina station. From the Viaport Marina station, Viasea Aquarium is within walking distance.

From Taksim hotels Get the funicular from Taksim Square to Kabatas station. From the Kabatas station, take the T1 metro to Sirkeci station. From the Sirkeci station, take the Marmaray to Tuzla station. From the Tuzla station, take bus number C109 to Viaport Marina station. From the Viaport Marina station, Viasea Aquarium is within walking distance.

 
 

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