Zoo Barcelona Tickets: how to buy and prices

Barcelona Zoo is one of the best things to do in the city if you're looking for a fun family afternoon. Home to creatures from all corners of the world and endangered species, the dynamic and lively atmosphere here is unlike anywhere else in the city.

Below, I'll tell you everything you need to know to get your tickets and better organise your visit, but you have to read the information to the end. Have a good trip!

Like so many other attractions in Barcelona, tickets to the Zoo are divided into categories. While an adult will have to pay around 22€ to access the facilities, other population groups have offers that I recommend you take into consideration when making a budget: adult tickets cost approximately 22€; children from 3 to 12 years old around 13€; free admission for children under 3 years old; individuals with functional diversity; pay approximately 6€ and adults over 65 pay approximately 11€.

If you're visiting Barcelona with children the Zoo is a great alternative as are some excellent excursions outside Barcelona.

At the moment there are no exclusive guided tours of Barcelona Zoo, neither provided by tour operators nor by the zoo administration itself. Although you can find guided tours of Barcelona, the zoo is almost never included due to the time it takes to get around the zoo and how easy it is for tourists to find their way around the complex.

In the absence of a guide there are additional resources that can help you have the best experience on your next visit to the zoo, I'll tell you about them below.

Barcelona Zoo mobile application

To find your way around the complex, the official app of the Zoo Barcelona attraction is the best option. This resource offers visitors numerous facilities such as real-time location on the Zoo Map and the possibility of finding their way to the most popular points of interest in the complex. In this way it is possible to create and personalise your own route based on the areas or enclosures that most attract your attention.

• Download on Google Play
• Download on Apple Store

If you didn't have time to buy your tickets online for the Barcelona Zoo, it is possible to buy them directly at the ticket office located at the entrance of the Zoo. However, this is not an action I recommend to my friends who are visiting Barcelona for a few days as they may encounter long queues and waste a lot of time. Please note that the Zoo ticket office always closes 30 minutes before closing time (18:00 or 17:00 depending on the season).

In general, buying zoo tickets online is a resource used mostly by tourists looking to save time on their trip and avoid queues; the inhabitants of Barcelona and surrounding cities who visit the enclosure frequently to have a nice family day out prefer to use the ticket office directly so there is always a queue to access this attraction. This queue can be avoided if you buy your tickets in advance.

Yes; visiting the Zoo is one of the best things to do in Barcelona if you have a few days to get around; this fact is well known to tour operators who have included the Zoo in the Barcelona Pass, a resource that allows travellers to save money on their visits to the main attractions.

In addition to the Zoo, this special pass, which is valid for two to three days, will give you free access to other major attractions in the city such as the Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera, Park Güell, the Aquarium and many more. The pass can be purchased in conjunction with access to the city's tourist bus.

Due to its strategic location, getting to the Barcelona Zoo is really easy. The enclosure is located in the Parc de la Ciutadella of Barcelona and has two independent accesses, the first one through the Parc de la Ciutadella itself and the second one through Wellington street, near the famous Paseo de Circunvalación. The most recommended options for getting to this area of the city are listed below.

Public transport

You can get to this area of the city using Barcelona's public transport, for example:

• Barcelona Tramway, with this option you will have to take the T4 route to the Ciutadella - Vila Olímpica stop located 5 minutes from the entrance.

• Barcelona Metro, you must take the L4 line to the Ciutadella - Vila Olímpica station, located 5 minutes from the Zoo.

• Barcelon bus, routes 59, D20 and H16 have stops that stop just a few minutes from the entrances.

Barcelona tourist bus

If you need help getting to this area of Barcelona, the Barcelona tourist bus is an excellent alternative. This transport resource will take you through the main attractions in the city and you can hop on and off at the stops as much as you like.

In Barcelona there are two tourist buses with two routes, to visit the Zoo you will have to take the bus Route West, the stop located just in front of the zoo is El Born - Ciutadella - Zoo and there is a new bus every 30 minutes approximately.

If you visit Barcelona with children, the Zoo is a must-see attraction, as the youngest visitors are undoubtedly the ones who enjoy this place the most. The most beautiful thing about the experience is their innate ability to marvel at the novelty, whether it's a small amphibian or a huge kangaroo.

In addition, it is important to bear in mind that the collection of species at Barcelona Zoo is one of the most diverse, which means that children and adults alike admire creatures that they would be unlikely to see outside the pages of books or digital screens.

Since this is one of the favourite activities of families in Barcelona and its surroundings, the administration of this space puts a lot of effort in creating thematic workshops and educational activities focused on children, which your little one can easily join. Do some research days before your trip or ask in the information section when you arrive at the Zoo.

The Barcelona Zoo is located in large grounds and although it began its activities in 1892 with few species and thanks to the donation of a private collection of animals, over the years the number of creatures sheltered in this space exceeds 7,000 specimens with an average of 400 different species. As you would expect, everything is organised by areas, so here is a list of the most impressive ones.

The Farm

One of the favourite facilities for local children and tourists in Barcelona, here you can meet and even play with various farm animals such as cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, donkeys and horses. Very interactive!

The Aquarama

A gigantic pond where beautiful dolphins live and interact, get up close to see them greet the public with pirouettes and all kinds of graceful acrobatics. If you like marine life you should also visit the Barcelona Aquarium.

The Primate Gallery

Possibly one of the best sections of the Barcelona museum. You can observe these fantastic creatures and their life in society in a habitat very similar to their natural environment. Both children and adults really enjoy this space.

The Palm Grove

Simulating the lush vegetation of the rainforest, in the palm grove you will find the most fabulous specimens including a diversity of cockatoos, exuberant macaws and parrots in striking colours.

Tribute to Copito

For decades Barcelona Zoo enjoyed the unique distinction of being home to the only albino gorilla, the world famous Snowflake. This special and affectionate creature lived practically all his life at the Zoo and died in 2003 of old age and skin cancer at the age of 36.

Visiting the Barcelona Zoo is not a short visit, the minimum time needed to really see a bit of everything this place has to offer is at least 4 hours. For this reason I don't recommend it to people visiting Barcelona for a day, as you run the risk of missing out on other more emblematic attractions.

If you're spending several days in the city on a family holiday, I recommend a day trip to the Zoo. The reason is simple: there's plenty to see, do and enjoy in this space, especially if you're visiting with children.

Barcelona Zoo currently occupies a surface area of approximately 8,000 square metres, which is quite large! In addition, the diversity of creatures that take refuge here is equally admirable; a total of 7,000 specimens grouped into 400 different species coexist in different environments.

One of the most important aspects to bear in mind when planning a visit to the Zoo is the opening hours of the Barcelona Zoo, which change throughout the year and according to the season. The Zoo operates every day all year round but follows the following timetable.

• Between October 30 and March 18, the opening hours are from 10 am to 5.30 pm, reduced for the winter monthsin Barcelona.
• Between March 19 and May 15, opening hours are from 10am to 7pm, with the arrival of spring.
• Between May 16 and September 15, opening hours are from 10am to 8pm, extended hours for the summer months inBarcelona.
• Between September 16 and October 29, opening hours are from 10am to 7pm.
• On Christmas Day, 25th December, the zoo only works from 10h to 12h.

In the following section I will share with you some recommendations that may be of great help in your adventure at the Zoo.

Find out what is allowed and what is not.

• Food: You can bring food to the zoo and even prepare a picnic with the family. You will find several food stalls inside the zoo.
• Vehicles: Vehicles such as scooters, segways and skateboards are prohibited, but you can bring a pram if you have small children.
• Pets: With the exception of guide dogs, pets and animals are prohibited inside the zoo premises.
• Clothing: It is forbidden to walk around with bare torso on zoo premises.
• Smoking: Only in designated areas.

Do not touch or feed the animals

This is especially important if you are travelling with young children, so make sure you make them understand that feeding and touching the animals is not allowed. The creatures at the zoo are on a strict diet and ingesting anything inappropriate could cause discomfort or illness.

Wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun.

You will be walking or standing for more hours than you could imagine, so try to wear comfortable shoes that allow you to move freely and also apply sunscreen throughout the day, a hat or cap is an excellent accessory.

Arrive early

If you want to make the most of your day, try to arrive at the Zoo during opening hours and head immediately to the most popular areas to enjoy them more. Around midday, the flow of people increases considerably, especially during the peak tourist months in Barcelona.

Find out about the activities

In addition to the wonderful collection of species, Barcelona Zoo is known for having numerous educational activities throughout the year; some are camps lasting several weeks but others are activities of a few hours focused on children and their families. Finding out about these activities before you travel can make the experience even more memorable for your children.

Professional photos and videos need a special permit

This may not be the case for you, but it is worth bearing in mind that special permission is required for audiovisual material or professional photography in the zoo's grounds. Find out more on the official website.