Istanbul Aquarium Florya
One of the largest themed aquariums in the world, at Florya on the Marmara coast. Around 17,000 animals across a route that runs geographically — Black Sea, Bosphorus, Dardanelles, Aegean, Mediterranean, Suez, Red Sea — so you effectively swim the route a ship would take.
- At the gate
- £22.10
- Allow
- 1h 30m
- District
- Closed
- Open daily
Istanbul Aquarium, in short
One of the largest themed aquariums in the world, at Florya on the Marmara coast. Around 17,000 animals across a route that runs geographically u2014 Black Sea, Bosphorus, Dardanelles, Aegean, Mediterranean, Suez, Red Sea u2014 so you effectively swim the route a ship would take.
It is a genuinely good rainy-day option and one of the few sights in Istanbul built with children squarely in mind.
What it costs
Walk-up entry is u20ac26. Included on the pass.
Getting there
Florya is west along the coast, about 21 km from Sultanahmet u2014 roughly 30 minutes by car, or 45 from Taksim. The easiest public route is the Marmaray line from Sirkeci, or a bus from Eminu00f6nu00fc near the Spice Bazaar.
How long to allow
Two to three hours to walk the full route without rushing. Longer with children, who tend to stall at the rainforest.
The rainforest
The Amazon section is the part people remember. Temperature and humidity are held at rainforest levels, and it is immediately noticeable when you step through u2014 heavy air, dense planting and dart frogs in the undergrowth, some of them venomous and all of them behind glass.
Diving with sharks
The main tank holds 4,000 cubic metres of water and around 5,000 animals, and certified and introductory dives can be booked in it. That is arranged separately with the aquarium and is not part of standard admission.
Frequently asked questions
- About 21 km and 30 minutes by car from Sultanahmet, or roughly 45 minutes from Taksim.
- Species from the Black Sea, Bosphorus, Dardanelles, Aegean, Mediterranean, Suez Canal and Red Sea, plus a full tropical rainforest section.
- The Marmaray line from Sirkeci, or a bus from the Eminu00f6nu00fc area near the Spice Bazaar.
- It is one of the better options in the city for families u2014 indoors, walkable and interactive throughout.