ZOO2 – TripTips

THE 10 BEST ZOOS IN EUROPE

The zoo is an ideal place for a walk, which turns into a round-the-world trip looking at exotic creatures from distant countries.

The name “zoo” comes from the Greek word Ζωο meaning “animal”, and the first such parks were called menagerie.

HISTORY
According to archaeologists, menagerie existed in Ancient Egypt in 3500 BC, and hippos, elephants, antelopes, monkeys and wild cats were gathered in one place. In Central Asia, King Ashur-bel-kala established a zoological and botanical garden in the 11th century BC in China in 1150. A zoo was also built under the name “House of the Roe” with a great variety of animals. In 1000 BC. Chinese Emperor Wen Wang designed a zoo on 1,500 acres, with exotic animals, including the giant panda, which he called the Garden of Intelligence. With the name “intelligence” he wanted to show the most significant connection with nature and its laws. Another “animal gatherer” is the notorious King Solomon of the Kingdom of Israel, who, according to documents, traded not only in silver and gold, but also in monkeys and peacocks. According to ancient writings, Solomon even mastered the language of animals. In the 4th century BC. there were also zoos in almost all major Greek cities. It is documented that even Alexander the Great took all kinds of exotic animals found during his military campaigns to his homeland – Greece. The Roman emperors had their own collection of animals, which they often used for fighting in the arena. In the Middle Ages in England, King Henry I built his own zoo with lions, leopards and camels. One of the richest collections of exotic animals was kept in the Tower of London in 1204 by King John I. One of the oldest zoos in the world is considered to be the Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, designed as the zoo in 1752 for the royal family, opened to the public in 1795 and existing to this day.

Here are some of the best zoos in Europe that worth a visit, they provide excellent conditions for keeping and breeding animals, as well as many attractions for visitors.

COLCHESTER ZOO, UK

Web-site: https://www.colchester-zoo.com
Location: south of Colchester. You can get there by direct train from London to Colchester and from there by bus or taxi to the zoo.
Opening hours: from 09:30 to 17:00 (in winter) and from 09:30 to 18:00 (in summer)
Entrance fee: 28.50 pounds (for adults) and 21.00 pounds (for children from 3 to 15 years old).
What makes this zoo one of the best? Opened in 1963, it celebrated its 60th anniversary on June 2, 2023. The animals live in large enclosures, sometimes even sharing them, and visitors can see them from different places, e.g. polar bears swimming underwater, walking and even climbing, with different observation platforms. There are diverse special guests at the zoo, for example the cartoon characters Bluey and Bingo will be there on June 29, 2024. Since the beginning of 2024, there has also been a large prehistoric exhibition of dinosaurs of impressive size that move and resemble the real ones.

There are plenty of different outdoor adventure play areas perfect for the kids in Colchester Zoo.

There are various places to eat as well as picnic areas.

There are numerous demonstrations where visitors learn interesting things about the different animals.

There are over 1,000 animals at Colchester Zoo.

Animals live in harmony with each other, in common enclosures.

Rhinos, for example, live together with giraffes, zebras, ostriches and other animals.

2. LONDON ZOO, UK

Web-site: https://www.londonzoo.org
Location: The zoo is located in London itself, and can be easily reached by tube (Camden Town stop), from there it is about a 15-minute walk.
Opening hours: from 10:00 to 16:00 (in winter) and from 10:00 to 18:00 (in summer)
Entry fee: £31.00 (price per adult), £21.70 (price for children from 3 to 15 years old) and free for children under 3 years old.
What makes this zoo one of the best? The animals live in excellent conditions, and visitors have the opportunity to learn many new things about them. Every day there are talks and performances that are worth seeing. Everything is very clean, there are wonderful playgrounds, and a variety of places to eat. At the entrance to the zoo they make a wonderful souvenir album, which I recommend you to take.

Visitors have access to multiple animal enclosures, entering freely and viewing the animals closely, without glass or fencing separating them.

Animals can be observed from different platforms (underwater, on land and even from above).

Here are more interesting places to check out and watch the animals.

There is a well-defined corner with farm animals that children can pet.

Throughout the park there are numerous animal statues for anyone to take pictures with.

At the entrance to the zoo they also make a wonderful souvenir album that you can take on your way out.

3. LORO PARQUE, TENERIFE, SPAIN

Web-site: https://www.loroparque.com
Location: It is located in the south of Puerto de la Cruz, and there is a free express tourist train from the city.
Opening hours: every day from 09:30 to 17:30
Entrance fee: 42 euros (price per adult), 30 euros (price for children from 3 to 11 years old) and free for children under 3 years old.
What makes this zoo one of the best? Originated as a parrot park (loro means parrot in Spanish), today the variety of animals is great, the most impressive being the performances that the animals perform here, such as a parrot show, a sea lion show and an unforgettable orca and dolphin show. The school and kindergarten for parrots are also very impressive, as you can see freshly hatched birds and those over the years. It’s a great place for a walk or outside games.

Every day there are different shows with parrots that are very entertaining and show how intelligent these birds are.

The dolphin show is no less entertaining and fascinating.

Twice a day there is also a show of orca, which is unique and very entertaining, and among the audience there are places where visitors do not stay dry.

Turtles and crocodiles live together.

On site, visitors can purchase a 90-minute zoo tour where a guide walks them around and goes behind the scenes (inside the cages) of some of the animals, learning more about them.

Loro Park has wonderful playgrounds and attractions.

4. NUREMBERG ZOO

Web-site: https://tiergarten.nuernberg.de/en/home.html
Location: It is located in the eastern part of Nuremberg and is easily accessible by tram number 5 from the city center, as well as by bus 45.
Opening hours: from 08:00 to 19:30
Entrance fee: 20 euros (price per adult), 15 euros (price for teenagers from 14 to 17 years old) and 9.40 euros (for children from 4 to 13 years old). There is also a family ticket for 2 adults and children for 45 euros.
What makes this zoo one of the best? Undoubtedly, this is one of the largest zoos, located in a spacious park, where we spent the whole day. There is a wide variety of animals, as well as dolphin and sea lion performances every day. There are
wonderful playgrounds and dining areas, as well as many interactive boards with interesting facts about the animals.

The monkeys move directly among the visitors and are literally at arm’s length.

The zoo has many interactive and educational panels where visitors can learn trivia about the animals.

The park is huge and has plenty of places to eat and picnic.

There is a daily dolphin and sea lion show here.

There is a tourist train that goes around part of the zoo.

Nuremberg zoo has plenty of play areas

*Изглед към бунгалата в зоологическата градина.*

5. SELWO AVENTURA, ESTPONA, SPAIN

Web-site: https://www.selwo.es/en/
Location: This zoo is located on the sunny Costa del Sol, in Estepona, and is privileged with wonderful weather and sea views. The most convenient way to reach it is by car, or by bus from Estepona.
Opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00
Entrance fee: 29.90 euros (for visitors from 8 to 64 years old), and the same ticket can be purchased online for 19.90 euros. Children from 3 to 7 years old, as well as adults over 65 years old pay 23.90 euros for a ticket purchased on the spot or
15.90 euros for a ticket taken online.
What makes this zoo one of the best? The zoo organizes a safari every day, which allows you to enter the cages of the animals and feed them. A unique experience is also the overnight stays in the zoo, as they have various African houses and luxury bungalows for an excellent holiday. Keep in mind that in the evening the lemurs are quite noisy!
The animals live in huge enclosures, and there is a beautifully separated part for the winged representatives, open to visitors. There are many attractions for children and adults. We recommend buying a combined ticket, including their other park SALWO MARINA, where large aquariums are set up and again there is a variety of animals, shows and playgrounds.

*The zoo also has a hotel part in the form of bungalows, some with jacuzzis and sea views, and all have access to a swimming pool.*

*Every day, the park offers safaris with large open buses, through which visitors can see and feed the animals.*

A rope bridge connects the bungalows to the zoo, and there are also separate paths.

The whole park, including the enclosures of the animals, is covered in greenery.

All animals are in the immediate vicinity, with some of them the visitors have direct contact with.

Walking around the zoo is also an adventure, crossing multiple wooden bridges.

*At the entrance to the zoo there is a statue of Pipo: this hippopotamus was the first animal in the park since 1969, when the Parco Natura Viva was opened.*

6. PARCO NATURA VIVA, ITALY

Web-site: www.parconaturaviva.it
Location: Parco Natura Viva Is located in Northern Italy, in Bussolengo halfway between Verona and Lake Garda.
Opening hours: daily from March 1 to November 3, after which the park is open only on weekends and certain days with a special winter ticket. On weekdays the park is open from 09:30 to 18:00 and on weekends from 09:30 to 18:30.
Entrance fee: 27 euros (for visitors over 13 years old) and 19 euros (for children from 3 to 12 years old), under 3 years old the entrance is free. There is a discount when buying tickets online.
What makes this zoo one of the best? The park covers an area of 40 hectares and is home to 1,500 animals belonging to over 150 species from around the world. The park is divided into two main areas: Safari Park, where visitors stay in their vehicles, and Fauna Park, which is pedestrian-only. Both areas are excellently maintained, with lots of greenery. The safari park was very nice with giraffes hanging over our cars and there were many animal feeders near the road so we could see antelopes and other animals including lions and cheetahs. The fauna park is no less remarkable, being divided into separate continents – Africa, with hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, antelopes, numerous monkeys, chimpanzees, huge turtles, a separate corner for representatives from the island of Madagascar; then animals from Oceania and Australia. The Asian animal area is also wonderful, especially the Red Panda enclosures – in a natural Chinese feng shui park. Next are animals from South America, after them part of the Giants with huge lizards, varans and a separate part of already extinct species such as dinosaurs and saber-toothed tigers. The park has lovely and spacious playgrounds, dining and picnic areas, as well as a petting area. The park is a wonderful place for day trips, and its main activity is breeding of wild animals and the preservation of their biological diversity.

The ostriches are found in the safari area, which you can explore in your car or by a rental car.

The chimpanzees curiously posed for us, and we tried to guess their names by comparing them with the pictures on the signs.

All the animals looked in very good shape and had plenty of room to move around.

The park has lots of greenery and playgrounds.

In the giants area there are models of giants species extinct in the past

The red panda enjoys wonderful enclosures.

7. ARTIS ZOO IN AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Web-site: https://www.artis.nl/en/
Location: The ARTIS Zoo is located in the center of Amsterdam and is easily accessible by public transport. There is also a large parking lot right next to it, where you can leave your car and validate the ticket at the zoo, and then the price for the whole day is 16 euros.
Opening hours: from 09:00 to 18:00 (in summer) and from 09:00 to 17:00 (in winter)
Entrance fee: 26.50 euros (for visitors over 13 years old) and 22.50 euros (for children from 3 to 12 years old), under 3 years old the entrance is free.
What makes this zoo one of the best? The name comes from the Latin phrase Natura Artis Magistra (Nature is the teacher of art), known as Artis, it is a zoo and botanical garden in the center of Amsterdam. It is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands, and claims to be the fifth oldest zoo in the world. Today it is quite modern, with a planetarium with daily screenings and interesting facts about the stars. The ticket to the zoo can be combined with Microbia (the first museum dedicated to microbes), which is located at the entrance of the zoo. In the zoo itself there are many birds that click among visitors, large elephants and giraffes seem to also play with them, stretching their trunks and necks, and the many playgrounds are a real paradise for children.

Despite the beautiful enclosures, the birds often come out and greet visitors.

Wild goats have wonderful climbing facilities.

Different animals live together and seem to get along well.

The zoo has wonderful playgrounds and play areas.

Apart from the zoo, ARTIS is also a botanical garden and a wonderful place for walks.

A duck teaches her young to walk near the feeding areas at the zoo…

8. HELSINKI ZOO, FINLAND

Web-site: https://www.korkeasaari.fi/en
Location: Konkesari Zoo is located on an island near the center of Helsinki, easily accessible by ferry from the central square, as well as via a bridge to the Mustikkamaa recreation area.
Opening hours: from 09:00 to 16:00, and in summer from 10:00 to 20:00
Entrance fee: 20 euros (for adults) and 14 euros (for children from 4 to 17 years old)
What makes this zoo one of the best? The zoo is located on an island and the boat trip next to it is very pleasant. It is home to over 150 species of animals, and it is the largest zoo in Finland and one of the oldest in the world, which opened its doors in 1889. The park is very clean and well organized. There are many pleasant picnic areas, as well as playgrounds. The animals live in large enclosures and seem to be very active. Instead of giraffes and hippos, you can see reindeer, Amur tigers and two-humped camels.

The zoo has a lot of greenery and is a wonderful place to walk.

There are various exhibitions in the park, when we visited there was an exhibition of sand figures.

The park has many animals, some of which we had not seen before.

There are various restaurants and picnic areas here.

Reindeer are very beloved here.

During our visit in June, most of the animals were very active, harder to photograph but great to watch.

9. COPENHAGEN ZOO, DENMARK

Web-site: https://www.zoo.dk
Location: The Copenhagen Zoo covers 11 hectares and is located in the Frederiksberg district. It can be easily reached by bus A4 or A7, and the nearest metro stop is Fasanvej.
Opening hours: from 09:00 to 17:00 Entrance
fee: 249 CZK or 33 Euro (for adults) and 149 CZK / 20 Euro (for children from 3 to 11 years old)
What makes this zoo one of the best? With over 4,000 animals from all over the world, the Copenhagen Zoo is one of the most visited attractions in Denmark, and offers a real trip around the world. In addition to the variety of animals, the park also offers an active program for exploring them. Visit their website for the most up-to-date information on milking hours for cows, feeding red pandas, elephants or monkeys. Check also the architectural masterpieces such as the House of the Panda, the House of the Elephants and the House of the Hippos. The zoo has great playgrounds and is a wonderful place to spend the whole day.

The entrance to Copenhagen Zoo.

The tower at the zoo was built in 1905, modeled after the Eiffel Tower, and from the top there is a wonderful view not only of the animals, but also neighboring Sweden can be seen on a clear day.

The zoo has a wide variety of animals that seem to get along well with each other.

Here the elephants have various games and gadgets to develop their skills.

The polar bear home is designed so that visitors can see them outside as they swim or climb.

The zoo has wonderful and unique playgrounds.

10. HELLABRUN ZOO, MUNICH, GERMANY

Web-site: https://www.hellabrunn.de/en/
Location: The Helabrun Zoo is located in Munich and is easily accessible by public transport. The nearest metro stop is Tierpark (line U3), which is a 5-minute walk from the entrance. MetroBus, line 52 stops right in front of the entrance with the flamingo, and tram 25 stops at Tiroler Platz, from where you are again in front of the zoo for a 15-minute walk.
Opening hours: from 09:00 to 18:00 (from March to October) and from 09:00 to 17:00 (in winter)
Entrance fee: 18 euros (for adults) and 7 euros (for children from 4 to 14 years old), there is also a price for a family ticket of 39 euros.
What makes this zoo one of the best? Founded in 1911, the Helabrun Zoo is one of the most renowned scientifically managed zoos in Europe. Home to more than 500 animal species that live in a unique natural paradise, some of them coexist in common enclosures. The zoo is located in a wooded park area with plenty of shade, which is priceless on a sunny summer day. While in Munich, try to visit also the SEA LIFE MUNICH park. The zoo has excellent playgrounds and educational activities.

The animals live in huge enclosures and yet are easily accessible and visible to visitors.

The home of the elephants is huge and seems to have no end.

Monkeys enjoy a variety of play facilities.

There are beautiful aquariums with fish from all over the world.

There is a lovely corner for petting animals.

There are wonderful playgrounds, including some musical tubes for children to play.

11. LE CORNELLE ZOO, BERGAMO, ITALY

Web-site: https://www.lecornelle.it/
Location: Le Cornelle Zoo is most easily accessible by car, but there is also bus 8, from Bergamo.
Opening hours: from 09:00 to 18:00 (from April to September), then the working hours are reduced from 09:00 to 17:00, and in December and January the zoo is closed.
Entrance fee: €21 (for adults and children over 12+) and €15 (for children from 3 to 11 years old)
What makes this zoo one of the best? A relatively small zoo, which, however, pleasantly surprised us with the wonderful enclosures of the animals, very clean and spacious alleys for walking. There are many attractions for children, including a tourist train, carousels, as well as various restaurants.