Poema del Mar is Las Palmas' spectacular modern aquarium — a beautifully designed ocean world on the city's waterfront, home to one of the largest curved viewing panels on the planet. Opened in the port district, it takes you on a journey from tropical rivers and jungle to the deep Atlantic, ending at a vast window where sharks and rays glide past just an arm's length away. Slick, immersive and blissfully cool on a hot day, it is one of the best rainy-day or family attractions on Gran Canaria.
Three worlds under one roof
The aquarium is arranged as three connected experiences. Jungle recreates a lush freshwater and forest habitat, with a striking living green wall, tropical fish, reptiles and amphibians. Reef is a burst of colour — coral-reef tanks alive with clownfish, seahorses, jellyfish and other bright shallow-water creatures. Finally Deep Sea takes you into the cooler, darker Atlantic, building toward the showpiece: an enormous curved acrylic panel looking into a huge tank of sharks, rays and shoals of fish. The route is designed to feel like a descent from the light of the surface into the mysteries of the open ocean.
Photo: Darja.Lavogina · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · scaled
That record-breaking window
The centrepiece really is remarkable. The main viewing panel is one of the biggest curved aquarium windows anywhere in the world — a wall of crystal-clear acrylic several metres high and many metres wide, holding back millions of litres of seawater. Standing before it as a shark drifts overhead is genuinely awe-inspiring, and it is the moment most visitors remember. There are benches to sit and watch, making it a lovely place to pause and simply take in the scale of it.
A perfect escape from the heat — or the rain. The whole aquarium is indoors, air-conditioned and undercover, so it is ideal on a scorching afternoon or one of the island's rare wet days. It works well combined with a stroll and lunch in the nearby port and shopping area.
Great for families
Poema del Mar is a firm favourite with children. The tanks are set at heights kids can see into, the lighting and design keep young attention spans engaged, and there is plenty to spot at every turn — from tiny seahorses to the huge ocean predators at the finale. Pushchairs are easy to manage as the route is smooth and largely step-free, and there are lifts between levels. If you are travelling with little ones, it deserves a place on any list of the Canary Islands with kids.
Allow around one to two hours. Most families take an hour and a half or so to work through the three zones at a relaxed pace, longer if the children want to linger at the big window. It is easily combined with other things nearby to fill a half-day.
Tickets and opening times
Poema del Mar is a paid attraction with timed entry. As of 2026, adult tickets cost roughly in the region of €25, with cheaper rates for children and under-fives often free — but prices and opening hours do change, and buying online in advance is usually cheaper and guarantees your slot. Always check the current details on the official site, poema-del-mar.com, before you go. It is open daily for most of the day; the last entry is some time before closing, so don't leave it too late in the afternoon.
Getting there
The aquarium sits in the port area of Las Palmas, close to the cruise terminal and the city's big shopping centre, so it is easy to reach on foot if you are staying in the capital. City buses stop nearby, and there is paid parking close by if you arrive by hire car. From the southern resorts it is a motorway drive of around 45 minutes up the GC-1, making it a realistic day trip even if you are based around Maspalomas — pair it with a day in the city.
Combine it with a day in the city
Poema del Mar makes a natural anchor for a day exploring Las Palmas. Afterwards you could walk or hop on a bus to the famous Las Canteras city beach, wander the historic Vegueta old town with its cathedral and museums, or browse the port-side shops and restaurants. Together they show off the lively, cosmopolitan side of the island that many beach-based visitors never see — and the aquarium is one of the most impressive attractions the capital has to offer.
From jungle rivers to a shark-filled window the size of a cinema screen — Poema del Mar is a world-class aquarium hiding in plain sight on the Las Palmas waterfront.
Book online, arrive with an hour or two to spare, and let the kids lead the way to the big tank. For more ideas across the island, browse our full list of things to do.