Genoa Aquarium: the Flexi ticket helps avoid losing your visit if plans change

A site open every day, with last entry at 6 p.m.

The Acquario di Genova states that it is open 365 days a year. The opening hours shown on the official page run from 09.00 to 20.00, with last admission at 18.00. For visitors, the practical consequence is clear: the visit is planned around an entry time slot, but the venue highlights daily availability, including outside school holiday periods.

The official site presents Genoa Aquarium as the largest aquarium in Europe and invites visitors to discover a route among dolphins, sharks and hundreds of other species. The figures highlighted give a sense of the scale of the visit: 400 animal species, 200 plant species and 12,000 m2 of exhibition space.

The dated ticket commits you, the Flexi leaves room to adjust

The official difference between the tickets is decisive. The fixed-date ticket requires, at the time of purchase, the reservation of a specific date and time slot. These date and time slot are described as mandatory and must be respected. The Flexi ticket, by contrast, is valid for one year from the date of purchase and does not require immediate reservation.

If something unexpected happens, the rule changes depending on the ticket chosen. For a fixed-date ticket, the site states that changing the reserved date is not possible under the conditions of sale. For an Open Flexi ticket, the visitor can change the visit date or time slot once, within the 2 hours before the chosen entry time.

Entry prices announced from 26 euros

For standard admission to the Acquario di Genova, official prices start at 26.00 euros for adults over 13. Children aged 4 to 12 have a price announced from 16 euros, while children aged 0 to 3 enter free of charge. Military personnel, people over 65 and disabled people have a reduced rate announced from 20 euros.

The site also specifies that tickets for the Acquario di Genova and those for the other AcquarioVillage structures are not nominative. For online purchases, the name shown is that of the person who made the purchase, or of the gift recipient. If a visit is impossible, tickets can therefore be transferred to third parties.

Precise rules for disabled visitors and animals

Disabled people with a document certifying their disability are entitled to a reduced rate. The official site adds that the companion of a person with a 100% disability receives free admission. For online purchases, this companion must go to the ticket office to collect the free ticket, with the required supporting document.

The rule on animals is also explicit. No animals are allowed inside the Acquario di Genova, except guide dogs for blind people. For visitors accompanied by a small dog, the site refers them to the IAT Porto Antico tourist information service for details about a dog-sitting service in the area.

Five environments for exploring seas and fresh waters

The route is presented in five main environments: tropical seas, temperate seas, cold seas, tropical forests and fresh waters. The tropical seas highlight coral reefs, described as one of the richest ecosystems in life on the planet. Among the species cited are the clownfish, zebra shark, sawfish and emperor angelfish.

The temperate seas are presented as the areas between the tropics and the polar circles, with mild summers and winters. The site cites the moray eel, red scorpionfish, seahorse, grey shark, bottlenose dolphin and four-leaf jellyfish among the protagonists of this space.

The cold seas refer to the Arctic and Antarctic regions, described as the coldest and most inhospitable places on the planet. The protagonists mentioned are the harbor seal, gentoo penguin and Magellanic penguin. The tropical forests and fresh waters complete the route, with the iguana, boa, West Indian manatee, Cuvier’s dwarf caiman and red piranha among others.

Special experiences around the classic visit

Beyond the admission ticket, the Acquario di Genova highlights several experiences: face-to-face with dolphins, face-to-face with penguins, a visit with an expert, behind the scenes of the aquarium, a night with sharks and emotional dinners. The official page presents these options as ways to enrich the visit with special experiences.

An annual option also exists. The AcquarioPass is presented as a subscription allowing visitors to experience 365 days of emotions and follow the aquarium day after day. The prices shown for this subscription are 95 euros for adults, 75 euros for children aged 4 to 12, and free for children aged 0 to 3.

AcquarioVillage brings together four nearby structures

AcquarioVillage is presented as a set of four structures located in Genoa’s Porto Antico and visitable with a single combined ticket. It brings together the Acquario di Genova, the Città dei Bambini e dei Ragazzi, the Biosfera and the Bigo. The combined Acquario Village ticket is announced from 51 euros for adults, 43 euros for reduced rates and 40 euros for children aged 4 to 12.

The announced distances make the whole area compact. The Biosfera, a spherical glass and steel structure designed by Renzo Piano, is 50 meters from the aquarium. The Bigo, a panoramic lift offering a 360-degree view over Genoa, is located 100 meters away. The Città dei Bambini e dei Ragazzi is on the lower level of the Porto Antico complex.

For access by car, the aquarium car park is open every day, 24 hours a day. It has 167 spaces, including 4 for disabled people. The site specifies that it is not possible to reserve a space, but also indicates that other covered and uncovered car parks are available in the Porto Antico area.