Bioparco Giardino Zoologico, Rome

LOCATION

Viale del Giardino Zoologico
00197, Roma
Italy
+39 06 320 7389
www.bioparco.it

ACCESSIBILITY AND PARKING

We went the long way to the Zoo, getting off the metro at Spagna, the nearest Metro stop. This brings you out at the bottom end of the Villa Borghese, the park in which the zoo is situated. If it’s a nice day, you then have a fairly long, pleasant walk through leafy avenues and green spaces, passing tranquil pools before you get to the zoo itself. We enjoyed the walk although the same walk at the other end of our visit, when we were tired from walking round the zoo itself, was a little more hard going.

If you’re not feeling so athletic, then the bus or tram is probably a better idea. There is a tram stop directly outside the zoo called Bioparco, which is serviced by routes 3 and 19. Buses No. 3, 52, 53, 926, 217, 360, 910 all go to the zoo.

There is a large free parking space outside the zoo if you have hired a car during your stay in Rome.

OPENING TIMES 2011

1 January – 25 March : 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Monday - Sunday)
Last admission at 4:00 PM

26 March – 1 April : 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM (Monday - Sunday)
Last admission at 5:00 PM

2 April – 25 September : 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM (Monday - Friday)
Last admission at 5:00 PM

26 September – 23 October : 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM (Monday - Sunday)
Last admission at 5:00 PM

24 October – 31 December : 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Monday - Sunday)
Last admission at 4:00 PM

EXTENDED OPENING HOURS

Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays
2 April – 25 September : 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Last admission at 6:00 PM

PRICES

Adults: €12.50
Children over 1 metre and under 13 years of age: €10.50
School group leaders and accompanying parents: €10.50
National servicemen, security forces and civil service operators (upon presentation of ID): €10.50
Senior citizens (60+) everyday except Wednesdays (€ 4.00*): €10.50
Groups of 15 or more adults: €10.50

FREE ENTRY TICKETS FOR:

- Children under 1 metre
- Disabled people
- Essential carers for disabled people

OUR ROME ZOO EXPERIENCE

We didn’t even know there WAS a zoo in Rome when we first decided to come here. We associated Rome with ancient ruins and crumbling architecture. But when we looked at our map – there it was, right in the middle of the Villa Borghese. So when we found ourselves with a spare afternoon at the end of our week, we decided to have a look.

We enjoyed our afternoon at the Zoo. It is arranged partly in geographical area, so there is an area dedicated to peculiarly Italian animals, a South American area and as African Savannah.

They have the usual zoo animals, such as giraffes, elephants, lions, tigers, leopards, lemurs and a chimp village. They also have pygmy hippos, a penguin theatre, a number of different types of deer and antelope, as well as bears, wolves and African wild dogs. There is a large aviary, which can be accessed either up a rather large flight of steps, or from either side up a gentle slope. We went up the steps, but came down the slope! There is also a snack bar and a small children’s play area up there.

There is a large reptile house, housing such creatures as giant tortoises, crocodiles, numerous lizards, vividly coloured frogs, caimans and the odd-looking axolotls. My husband actually enjoyed this part of the zoo more than any other, taking numerous photos of the brightly coloured and odd-looking creatures.

There is a children’s zoo, where little ones can see chickens, rabbits, goats, donkeys and pigs.

The park also has a wide variety of beautiful flowers. Vegetation abounds throughout the park – it’s by no means a series of boxed in, depressed-looking animals in concrete cages. Sometimes you can’t even see the animals through all the green stuff they have in their compounds to make it seem as close to nature as possible.

There are various different events and festivals throughout the year – check the website for what’s going on when you’re there.

I’m sure I’m forgetting loads as I’m going through the photos on my camera trying to remember all the animals we saw – there are some I can’t even remember the names of.

It’s quite a big park and there is a lot of walking but it’s a nice day out, especially for kids. A must-see!