Distance from Heraklion: 15 km
Distance from Chania: 158 km
Opening hours: 9:30 in the morning until 16:00 in the afternoon, 365 days a year
Information: The CRETAquarium – The Aquarium of Crete is available for organizing and hosting events such as business meals, formal dinners, conferences, children’s parties, etc.)
Access for the disabled
Amenities: Parking lot, café, snack bar, restaurant
Website: cretaquarium.gr
The CretAquarium opened up for business in December 2005; it is situated 15 km. away from Heraklion, in the region of Gournes and in a total surface area of 58,000 sq.m. The buildings of CretAquarium-Thalassocosmos house research laboratories and administrative services, state-of-the-art fish farming facilities, as well as the Aquarium of Crete.
The vision of creating CretAquarium was inspired by the employees of the former Institute of Marine Biology of Crete and thus it has always been supported by the knowledge, the specialization and the innovation the Greek Scientists of the Aquatic Environment have developed over the last 20 years. The aquarium is not only a genuine tourist attraction, since the research on the behavior and care of marine species continues to take place until this very day by excellent researchers and scientists.
Thalassokosmos is an aquatic world that unfolds before your very eyes with 32 tanks and 50 observation points in an area of 1,600 sq.m., with 3D illustrations, individual audio tours and easy access for the disabled. The first impression you will have of this magical world is that you are actually on the sea floor, with specially designed technical spaces (behind the scenes) that host 2,000 marine organisms in 1,600,000 liters of seawater. It is a place that will undoubtedly enchant you, while at the same time it aims to create stimuli and reflection on the protection and sustainable management of the Mediterranean marine ecosystem.
