Aquarium Finisterrae, the Nautilus Room and the Seals

The Aquarium Finisterrae is A Coruña's municipal aquarium, one of the three Coruña Science Museums. It opened in 1999 on the seafront promenade, on the stretch that leads to the Tower of Hercules, and its rooms are devoted to life in the Galician Atlantic: more than 300 species. For a family it is the most complete visit in the city, and it works just as well in sun or rain.

What you shouldn't miss

The Nautilus Room is a huge tank of about five million litres, decorated like Captain Nemo's submarine: you sit down and watch groupers, white seabream and other big fish pass by on the other side of the glass. The Maremagnum Room brings together the more educational aquariums, with the OceanoSfera and interactive modules, and the Humboldt Room hosts the big temporary exhibitions. Outside, on the terraces above the sea, are the anchor of the oil tanker Mar Exeo, a tide pool with shore birds and the Piscinarium, home to a group of common seals.

The seals are fed every day at 12:00 and 17:00 by their keepers; the fish in the Nautilus on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:30. On Saturdays and Sundays at 18:00 there are short talks about octopuses or seahorses. Everything is included in the ticket. Plan your visit so that you are outside at seal time.

Price, opening hours and tickets

General admission costs €10; the reduced price, €4, is for under-16s, over-65s, the unemployed, Carné Joven holders or students and large families, with ID. Children under 4 and people with disabilities go in free. If you are also going to see the Domus and the Casa de las Ciencias, the Bono 3 Casas, at €12, gives one entry to each museum and does not expire.

It is open every day. From September to December and from March to June, 10:00 to 19:00; in July and August, 10:00 to 20:00; in January and February, 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and 11:00 to 19:00 at weekends. The last entry is one hour before closing. It is closed on 25 December and on 1 and 6 January, and on 24 and 31 December it closes at 14:00.

Online, only the general ticket is sold in advance; the reduced ticket and the pass are bought at the ticket office on the day. On free-entry days, such as local festivals, you must book online.

Getting there

It is at Paseo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez, 34, on the stretch of the seafront promenade that runs from the city to the Tower. You can walk there beside the sea from the centre or cycle along the promenade's bike lane; the Tower of Hercules is next door, continuing north.