The best zoos in Spain 2026

Although all summer is considered high season in the theme parks and zoos spread across the country, spring and also the end of summer, when temperatures do not skyrocket, are two ideal times to visit them. Controversies aside, Spain has some magnificent spaces where adults and children can enjoy the living creatures typical of our habitat but also others to which one is not lucky enough to be able to travel in a lifetime, and to this is added that in several of the Spanish zoos magnificent work is carried out to conserve endangered species.

For many decades now, the Madrid Zoo Aquarium has been one of the strong points in the city's tourist offer for families traveling to see the capital and its surroundings with children, and its fame has meant that other similar, even more modern, facilities distributed throughout the rest of the country may be little known. It is therefore not necessary to go to Madrid to be able to enjoy in situ, together with the little ones, giraffes, felines, bears of all subspecies, marine animals, elephants and other creatures that the little ones have been seeing in stories since they were very little.

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What's more, it is difficult to make a selection of 10 Spanish zoos that are worth a visit, and not precisely because there aren't any good enough to be included in the top, but quite the opposite. Surely, in fact, we have left out of our selection some who deserve to be included in it, but we have also wanted to give priority to complementary criteria, such as their geographical location, so that they are dispersed, as far as possible, around the entire Spanish geography.

Of course, in all of them the safety and prevention protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been adapted, so that their visitors can come with the guarantee that they are doing so in a safe space, something essential taking into account the delicate health circumstances that condition social life today.

Barcelona Zoo

One of the oldest zoos in Spain is the one in the city of Barcelona. Located in La Ciudadela, it was founded in 1892 and in its facilities you can enjoy one of the largest captive animal populations in Europe.

Bioparc of Valencia and Fuengirola

We include the two centers that share a name and project in the same heading because they are complementary since the wild habitats reproduced in them are not repeated in the other. What the visitor sees in Fuengirola is not seen in Valencia and vice versa. In both cases, their facilities are impeccable, conveying at all times the feeling that the animals maintain an excellent quality of life.

Madrid Zoo Aquarium

We have already talked about it in the text because this zoo, inaugurated in 1972, is a national reference. Since then, it has been modified and new spaces have been added to the usual ones, such as the aquarium, which completed a collection of animals from the five continents. The famous panda bears are the symbol of the zoo in the area where giraffes and zebras coexist as one of the little ones' favorites.

Cabárceno Nature Park

This natural park located in Cantabria is perhaps the most original in Spain due to its concept of species in semi-freedom. There is no more natural environment than this for its animals, among which is a huge population of brown bears, the animal symbol of the Picos de Europa, but also ostriches and giraffes, to mention two examples of animals that come from very different habitats. The cable cars that help you navigate the park are the perfect complementary attraction for the little ones.

Faunia

Since 2001 it has been the perfect complement to the Madrid Zoo Aquarium. Among other things, because of its concept, which is different from this one as it is organized into ecosystems, but also because of its location in the city, just to the east, practically on the other side of the Casa de Campo, a natural space where the traditional zoo is located. The space dedicated to the penguins alone is worth the visit, and even more so if children go.

Safari Madrid

In the Madrid municipality of Aldea del fresno, near Navalcarnero, this original zoo is located, which we include in the top because of its format different from the usual one in this type of parks since it is visited with the visitor's private vehicle, which intermingles with the fauna that lives in semi-freedom in its facilities. A full-fledged mini-safari that will delight the little ones.

Oceanographic of Valencia

One of the most famous and visited zoos in Spain is this space dedicated to marine animals located in the heart of Valencia, within the complex known as the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia. Based on the recreation of different seas and oceans from around the globe, it has some of the most spectacular aquatic species on the planet.

Zoobotanist of Jerez

A semi-unknown gem within the universe of Spanish zoos is the Zoobotánico de Jérez, in Cádiz, a space where various conservation programs for endangered species are carried out, including the Iberian lynx. It is the largest population of captive animals in Andalusia, which is very well accompanied by a spectacular collection of botanical species.

Mundomar Benidorm

Highly visited in the summer months due to its location in the famous Alicante municipality, Mundomar is an ideal space for children and adolescents to fulfill their desire to swim alongside species adored by everyone such as dolphins or sea lions. In addition, its informative work stands out thanks to the complete program of shows it offers.

Jungle Park Tenerife

Although the famous Loro Parque is located on the island of Tenerife, since it does not need public recognition because it is one of the most visited and well-known zoos in the country, it is worth highlighting the alternative present on the same Canary island, the Jungle Park Tenerife, in whose facilities the largest tropical jungle in Europe is recreated. More than 300 species from all over the world inhabit it.