Wroclaw Zoo and Afrykarium

Wroclaw's zoo opened in the 1860s and is the oldest in the country, occupying a park east of the centre with a mix of nineteenth century buildings and modern enclosures. What changed its status was the Afrykarium, a large complex opened in 2014 that concentrates on African aquatic ecosystems in one route: a coral reef from the Red Sea with a walk through tunnel, a channel where hippos are viewed underwater, mangrove and river sections, and a colony of penguins and seals. The rest of the zoo is conventional but large, and getting round the whole site takes most of a day at a normal pace.

The main sights

• The reef tunnel - a walk through section of the Red Sea tank with sharks and rays passing overhead.
• The hippo channel - underwater glass showing hippos moving on the bottom, the single best thing here.
• The mangrove and river halls - humid African freshwater habitats with crocodiles and large fish.
• The historic park - old brick pavilions and mature trees from the zoo's nineteenth century layout.

When to go

The Afrykarium is indoors and warm, which makes it the default Wroclaw plan on a wet or cold day and therefore very crowded then. Weekday mornings, especially outside school holidays, are much easier. Arrive at opening and do the Afrykarium first, then the outdoor sections. Book online in advance, since entry is by time slot at busy periods.

Practical notes

It is expensive by Polish standards and the Afrykarium bottlenecks badly, with slow queues at the tunnel and glass panels three deep on weekends. Some of the older enclosures look dated next to the new building. The full circuit is several kilometres of walking, food inside is poor value, and in high summer the outdoor animals are inactive.

Nearby

The Centennial Hall and the Japanese garden are directly across the road, and the old town is a short tram ride west.