Attica Zoological Park

Attica Zoological Park opened as a bird park on the plain at Spata, east of Athens near the airport, and birds remain the strongest part of it, with large walk-through aviaries and a wide range of parrots, cranes and raptors. Mammal sections were added later and now include big cats, primates, hoofstock and a reptile house, along with marine mammal presentations that run to a timetable. It is the only zoo of this scale in Greece and it opens every day of the year. The site is flat and easy to walk, laid out on a loop with the aviaries near the entrance, and much of a visit is spent outdoors under whatever the Attic weather is doing that day.

What you actually see

• The walk-through aviaries - the original core of the collection and still the best part.
• The big cat and primate enclosures - the main mammal sections on the outer loop.
• The reptile house - indoor and useful when the sun is at its worst.
• The scheduled presentations - timed talks and feeding sessions posted at the entrance.

When to go

Autumn to spring is far more comfortable than summer, when the Attic plain gets very hot and both animals and visitors retreat to shade. Morning is the active period for most species; by early afternoon in warm weather many are asleep. Weekends and school holidays are busy. Check the presentation timetable on arrival and plan the loop around it.

Honest expectations

Shade is scarce and summer afternoons are hard going. Some enclosures for large mammals feel small, and opinions on the marine mammal presentations are divided. Food options on site are limited and priced accordingly. Reaching it without a car means a metro ride plus a bus, which turns a half-day visit into most of a day.

Nearby

Athens airport, the coastal suburbs toward Vouliagmeni and the vineyards of Mesogeia.