Valencia Zoo (Bioparc Valencia)

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We visited Valencia Zoo (also known as Bioparc Valencia) in February half-term.

We’re not normally huge fans of zoos really, but Valencia Zoo was absolutely brilliant – definitely the best thing we did on our week’s holiday here and definitely the best zoo and one of the best visitor attractions we’ve visited anywhere.

It was a lovely sunny, warm day and, being so outside of peak season, it was quiet with no queues and easy access to see all the animal enclosures up close, so a great time to visit.

It was easy to get to on the Metro underground train, the entrance to the zoo being about a 10-minute walk from the nearest Metro station.

There are a few things about this zoo that are so impressive and made the visit so memorable.

The first is the way the enclosures are built so as not to really feel like enclosures or “cages” at all.

See how you’re made to feel part of the animal’s enclosure – feeling as if you’re just separated from the elephants by a hedgerow: No obtrusive bars or fences to be seen.

Unlike some zoos, you never feel like you’re spectators standing around looking at animals captive in cages.

The perimeters of each enclosure are designed somehow to make them feel like they simply blend in with the viewing areas, giving you a feeling of being with the animals in their habitats rather than separate from them and looking in.

This ‘African Plains’ section was amazing. Loads of animals all together in a huge, open space with natural features – and visitors feeling as if they’re right in amongst it.

There are very few artificial-feeling man-made barriers between you and the animals.

That’s not to say that you’re just walking around amongst lions and gorillas – they are clearly, safely separated from you, but the whole design of the zoo makes it feel that way.

The other brilliant thing about the experience is the way it just keeps continually getting better and better as you walk around.

It feels like every zone you visit, every animal you see, has to be the best one – and then you move on to the next zone and it’s even better than the the last.

The variety of animals is amazing too. All the big creatures, split up in to zones that represent different parts of the world.

Lions, gorillas, giraffes, elephants, rhino – all the big animals, and the way you’re led around just builds constant excitement and amazement.

For example, our favourite part was the elephants. You first get a glimpse of them through an opening in a wall, and we stood and watched two of them playing around, eating leaves off trees.

We stood for ages watching them, before moving on to the next area, only to then come around another corner later on to find a completely different view of the elephant enclosure – much larger and with way more elephants – a whole herd.

This is the design of the zoo – giving you a little taste of something good and interesting, building up excitement constantly the whole way around, before then blowing you away with something even better.

I’ve got to admit I don’t much like the idea of animals living in captivity for humans’ enjoyment – and I often find the idea of a zoo to be a bit of a sad place that I’d rather avoid.

But I never got that feeling at Valencia Zoo.

Obviously it’s impossible to really know, but you get the feeling the animals are living in as close to their natural habitat as is possible in a city-centre tourist attraction, and they all appeared happy and well-cared for.

As a visitor, you feel like you’re being transported into their world, rather than just gawping at them in cages.

Like I say, we were there at a quiet time of year with easy access to all the viewing areas and no crowds. Perhaps it’s a different story in peak season.

But whatever – Valencia Zoo is the best zoo we’ve ever seen (not that we’ve seen that many!) and very highly recommended if you’re in the city – you won’t be disappointed!