The 12 Best Aquariums in Italy

1.Genoa: Aquarium of Genoa Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10,075 reviews · 1 day · from $35Our pick

Spend a full day exploring Genoa Aquarium’s 70-plus tanks, from penguins and jellyfish to sharks, seals, manatees, and dolphins. Your timed ticket includes skip-the-line entry, while optional choices add focaccia tasting, a sandwich, street food, or Panera ice cream.

“We had a great time during our visit to the Aquarium in Genoa. The species were unique and presented in a very interesting way. The variety of unique sea life is a must-see. After visiting the exhibitions, we went to a restaurant located in an open area surrounded by water, with a fresh breeze and absolutely delicious food. We had a wonderful time there with my adult daughter.”

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2.Genoa: Aquarium of Genoa with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,449 reviews · 1 day · from $42

Spend the day at Genoa Aquarium on Ponte Spinola, where themed galleries feature penguins, dolphins, manatees, coral reefs, and more. Your ticket includes a sandwich, chips, and a drink at Tender Café, whose terrace looks across Genoa’s port.

“Le point de rencontre a été difficile et j’ai eu de la difficulté à rejoindre le vendeur mais il s’est présenté. Sa ma cause un peu de stress . Par contre la visite était parfaite c’est un bel aquarium avec des lamantins et le repas était offert inclus dans notre billet . Je recommande.”

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3.Gardaland SEA LIFE Aquarium: Open Date Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 728 reviews

Explore Gardaland SEA LIFE Aquarium in a single visit with flexible date entry. Walk through 40 themed tanks, see more than 5,000 creatures, watch sea lions, and pass beneath sharks and rays in the transparent Oceanic Tank tunnel. Families also get children’s activities and a garden play area.

“It was wonderful to see all the different types of animals good experience.”

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4.Genoa: World-Famous Aquarium and Lighthouse Combo Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 387 reviews · 1 day · from $36

Visit Italy’s largest aquarium in Genoa’s old harbor, then climb 172 steps at the Lanterna, the Mediterranean’s tallest lighthouse. Your lighthouse time is booked first, while the aquarium requires a separate date and hour reservation through its official ticket link.

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5.Genoa: Aquarium and FantaCinema Combined Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 314 reviews · 1 day · from $38

Spend one day visiting the Aquarium of Genoa and FantaCinema in the Porto Antico. See sea cows, dolphins, penguins, Caribbean reef life, Back to the Future props, Alien and Star Wars costumes, and Harry Potter exhibits. The ticket is self-guided, with no food, drinks, or guide included.

“layout was great for fitting so much in and plenty of space even when busy didn't feel over crowded a definte must visit if your visiting the port”

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6.Genoa: Aquarium & Christopher Columbus’ House Entry Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 258 reviews · 1 day · from $36

Visit Genoa’s Aquarium at Ponte Spinola and Christopher Columbus’ House on Via di Porta Soprana with one $36 ticket. See manatees, dolphins, sharks, penguins, and 70 marine exhibits, then explore Columbus’ childhood home, including its workshop and attic. No guide is included.

“Tutto molto interessante, l'Acquario è stupendo..unica pecca l'orario perché non sono flessibili, avevamo casa di Cristoforo colombo alle ore 9, ma siamo arrivati un po' dopo per via dei mezzi di trasporto, ma non ci sono stati problemi lí, per l'acquario invece ogni prenotazione ha un suo orario preciso, ci hanno fatto la gentilezza di segnare errore nella prenotazione per farci entrare lo stesso anche se ad un orario diverso, per fortuna. ma c'era il rischio che saltasse il tutto.”

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7.Genoa: Aquarium of Genoa & City of Children and Youth Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 258 reviews · 1 day · from $47

Use one ticket for Genoa Aquarium and the City of Children and Youth. Explore 70 marine exhibits, 600 animal species, penguins, dolphins, manatees, and rescue areas, then let children test sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch across 3,000 square meters of hands-on displays.

“La città dei bambini è bellissima però più attenzioni nella pulizia e manca il spazio per bambini piccoli (cambiare ei pannolini)”

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8.Cala Gonone: Cala Gonone Aquarium Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 226 reviews · 2 hours · from $16Best value

Spend about two hours at the Cala Gonone Aquarium, where 24 tanks explain Mediterranean sea life before the route reaches corals and tropical species. You can also use the outdoor sea-turtle play area. The aquarium is wheelchair accessible and costs $16 per person.

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9.Livorno: Aquarium Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 222 reviews · 1 day · from $18

Spend a full day at Livorno Aquarium, set inside a historic seafront building at Terrazza Mascagni. See 33 tanks, an observation tunnel, a tactile pool, zebra sharks, seahorses, jellyfish, tortoises, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and leaf-cutter ants. The ticket is wheelchair accessible and valid only on your selected date.

“Bella esperienza , un po’ costosa rispetto a quanto offre”

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10.Aquarium of Cattolica Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 211 reviews · 1 day · from $25

Spend a full day at Italy’s largest Adriatic aquarium, exploring four color-coded routes with bull sharks, Humboldt penguins, turtles, otters, reptiles, jellyfish, and giant insect models. In summer, your ticket also covers the dinosaur area. Add lunch if you want a simple break built into the day.

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11.Genoa: Aquarium, Galata Museum and Submarine Entry Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 190 reviews · 1 day · from $52

Pair Genoa’s huge Aquarium with the Galata Museum and S518 Nazario Sauro submarine. You’ll explore aquatic species, maritime displays, and a real underwater vessel at your own pace. Tickets cover all three sites, with timed entry and no guide included.

“nie bylo jasnego komunikatu, że mamy gotowy bilet i wchodzimy sami. niepotrzebnie traciliśmy czas, by sie tego dowiedzieć”

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12.Aquarium of Genoa Ticket and Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 170 reviews · 1 day · from $85

Visit Genoa’s Aquarium, home to more than 70 exhibits and 12,000 specimens, then join a marine biologist on a four-hour cruise into the Pelagos Sanctuary. The guide speaks Italian and English and explains how to spot cetaceans without disturbing them. Whale sightings are never guaranteed, but a missed sighting earns another cruise.

“The combo deal is good. Sadly we didin’t see any whales or dolphins on our day. They came forwards and gave us a free voucher for it.”

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