The Bioparc zoo of Valencia, Spain.

© Kemal Taner/Shutterstock


This zoo devoted solely to African animals has an educational and conservationist remit and an unusual approach. Though, as always, the confinement of creatures such as gorillas in limited spaces raises mixed feelings, the innovative landscaping is certainly a thrill. The absence of obvious fences makes it seem that animals roam free as you wander from savannah to equatorial landscapes. Aardvarks, leopards and hippos draw crowds, but most magical is Madagascar, where large-eyed lemurs gambol around your feet among waterfalls and grass.

There are various child-friendly eating points around the zoo.


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