Rome Bioparco Tickets

This ticket guarantees skip-the-queue access to the Bioparco, the zoo of the Eternal City. It is situated in Villa Borghese, one of Rome’s most beautiful parks, and is one of the oldest in Europe.

Not only will you see the many animals that live there, but you’ll also learn to recognise each one’s habitat, and you’ll be able to take part in an activity directly with the animals, such as getting up close to some reptiles, watching the chimpanzees being fed or feeding the elephant yourself. Although this is included with your ticket, it’s important to book your place at the ticket desk.

The Biopark opened in 1911 and was a real revolution. Previously, the animals had been kept in cages, but the architect Carl Hagenbeck, who oversaw the project, decided to dig trenches so that they could roam more freely. Today it covers 17 hectares and is divided into themed areas. Below are the highlights:

• California sea lions – Intelligent and lively mammals that splash about peacefully in a dedicated pool, right opposite the Cape penguin enclosure. They live on the west coast of the United States and Mexico, but their habitat is under threat from plastic
• Brown bears – Originally found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but now threatened by habitat loss. Their enclosure recreates a stream with logs and rocks
• Ring-tailed lemurs – Recognisable by their bushy tail with black and white rings. They live in groups in the rainforests of Madagascar
• White rhinos – This species, threatened by poachers, has found refuge in the Italian capital. The rhinos have a large mud wallow which they use to regulate their body temperature
• Asian lions – Compared to their African cousins, they are smaller in size, have a shorter mane and are more sociable. At the Bioparco, you can see them up close through a thick glass panel.