Istanbul Aquarium

Simply WOW. One of the highlights of my trip to Istanbul. There are many sections as other suggest with some historical background in between the sections too. I have been to many aquariums around the world and this one will easily rank in top 3 mainly for its thoughtful layout. The ticket cost was TY 1400 for an adult ticket, I did not go for the VR or the expedition and still spent a good 2 hours in. The rainforest at the end was unexpected and very nice. Can definitely recommend.

I had a fantastic time visiting Florya Aquarium. It's one of those attractions that's enjoyable for both adults and children, with a huge variety of marine life from different parts of the world. One of the highlights was walking through the underwater tunnel, where sharks, rays, and colorful fish swim all around you. It really feels like you're walking through the ocean. The themed sections are also very well designed, making the experience both fun and educational as you explore different aquatic habitats. The aquarium is clean, well maintained, and easy to navigate. There are plenty of opportunities to stop, take photos, and simply enjoy watching the marine life. I also appreciated how informative the exhibits were, making it easy to learn about the different species. It's definitely worth a visit if you're in Istanbul. Whether you're visiting with family, friends, or on your own, Florya Aquarium offers a fun and memorable experience that I'd happily recommend.

We visited as a family with my niece, and it was absolutely worth it. The aquarium is huge, with an impressive variety of species and beautifully designed environments adapted to each habitat. Walking through it feels like traveling across different regions of the world — from the Middle East to the North and Africa — all in one place. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that they have penguins! Seeing them up close was amazing. The aquarium features all kinds of fish, including sharks, making the experience exciting for both children and adults. After the visit, you can continue your day at the nearby mall overlooking the sea, with a lovely outdoor area and a large quay by the waterfront. Overall, it was a wonderful experience that I highly recommend for families with children.

Visited on 1st of Jan 2026 as a family with small kid and enjoyed the experience. It’s fun not just for kids but for adults too! They don’t rip you off with ticket prices and absolutely deliver. Despite the distance from the city center it’s quite accessible by Marmaray line, it has a station literally named after it :) Loved how the whole aquarium was arranged with sections ranging from variety of Turkish marine life to sections dedicated to other parts of the world. Tropical rainforest was a cherry on top! Was a nice surprise and very well organized. Definitely recommend to visit!

What a fantastic and stunning place to visit. Istanbul aquarium is nothing but breathtaking. You reach it very easily by metro, and you enter the Florya Mall, then you will find the entrance to the aquarium and easily distinguish it by the small tunnel/entrance with blue light. After the tickets are checked you immediately can take your photo taken (if you bought the photo option) and when you finish your visit, you pick the photo just before the gift shop (no frame, sold separately). It is divided into sections, each section covers a sea or ocean, and there is one for amazon forest which was beautiful. In each section you will see the fish and sea life species specific to it. The Black Sea and Marmara sections feel more local and realistic, showing fish people around Turkey actually know from everyday life. Then later the tropical sections become much more colourful, with coral reefs, bright fish and larger species. The shark area is probably one of the most impressive parts, especially with the tunnel where the sharks and rays swim directly above you. It is touristy of course, but still worth seeing. There are many different species inside, from clownfish, lionfish and stingrays to massive groupers and different types of sharks. Some tanks are huge and surprisingly well maintained. The jellyfish section is also quite relaxing because of the lighting and slow movement. One of the more interesting things is how they try to recreate the atmosphere of each region instead of only displaying fish in basic tanks. The Amazon rainforest section is probably the most unique part of the aquarium. It feels darker, warmer and more humid, with waterfalls, tropical plants, crocodile-like reptiles and larger freshwater fish. It gives a completely different atmosphere compared to the ocean sections. The best part for us was seeing the incredible and amazing sharks and also seeing divers dive into some parts of the aquarium. You can sit and watch them which was amazing. The gift shop was small but they had very beautiful and nice souvenirs. As for Giants of The Ocean exhibition which we included in the ticket, it was ok, it had a skeleton of a whale and that was the main thing. Not much else. Now the VR experience: this was excellent, albeit too short. It was about tiger sharks. Very informative and nice. Getting the full package ticket is absolutely worth it. This is one of the best, if not the best, aquariums in Europe, and you need to enjoy it fully. Also: there are penguins there 🐧 Enough said :)