Mare Nostrum Aquarium, Montpellier

The Mare Nostrum is more than just an aquarium, it is a real-time underwater experience. This beautiful aquarium opened in 2007 and was extended in 2011. Mare Nostrum is one of the most visited attractions in Languedoc-Roussillon. It is situated in the Odysseum quarter of Montpellier and so is easily accessed by motorway (A9) or from the city centre by tramway. It's extremely large and houses an amazing variety of sea life from across the oceans. There is so much to see and explore! It's a great place to take your kids; they will enjoy seeing all the different fish, and can participate in sealife-based learning games. Halfway through the tour you will find a massive tank with stingrays, big fish, and SHARKS! You can go right up to the tank and if you get there on time, you can watch scuba divers bravely swimming with, and feeding, the fish!

 

As you make your way through the aquarium, there are different themed areas. There's Hawaii with palm trees, sand and lots of very clear water full of colourful fish! A bit further on is the café where you can stock up on drinks and snacks. After enjoying a bite to eat, you get to the rainforest where you can see lots of different reptiles and fish tanks. It's all beautifully designed with slides for the kids and trees and lots of great sound effects! Once through the rainforest, you'll come to the 'petting zoo-arium'. Here, you can touch baby stingrays and starfish and it is a great experience for people of all ages to get so close to these wonderful creatures. If you're lucky, you can even see a 3-D short movie. There is also a great museum and a gift shop.

The location is fantastic as it is right in the middle of the Odysseum outdoor shopping centre, surrounded by restaurants and shops. There is also an excellent bowling spot nearby! The bowling rink has more than 20 alleys so it's unlikely that you would have to wait for a place. Parking is very close so you won't have to walk very far.