The Rome Bioparco (Zoo) Is Great For Children And Adults
If you are looking for something child friendly in Rome, check out the Rome Bioparco, a.k.a. The Rome Zoo, for a fantastic afternoon with the animals.
Anyone who travels with young children knows that there are limits to the number of ancient ruins and museums that can hold their interest. If you want a suggestion, the Rome Bioparco (Fondazione Bioparco di Roma) is a great place to spend an afternoon in Rome.
Interesting History Of The Rome Zoo
The Rome Zoo (a.k.a. The Rome Zoological Garden) came to life more than 100 years ago. The architectural plan was to take a new direction of creating open spaces and moats instead of keeping the animals in cages. The popularity of this style of zoo continues today. The zoo grew to its current size of 42 acres (17 hectares) following the expansion in 1935.
Following the two world wars, the zoo went into obvious decline, until 1994 when the zoo was transformed into a Biopark, although apart from the name change, this significance of the change is definitely lost on me. It’s a zoo.
What You Can See At The Rome Bioparco?
There are individual enclosures and structures all around the park. The animal enclosures include Penguins, Lemurs, Komodo Dragons, Chimpanzees, Tigers, Lions and all the usual suspects. The buildings that can give a closeup or more information include:
- Priest’s Hat Hall
- Penguin’s Theater
- Oasis of the Lake
- Elephant’s Hall
- Holm Oaks Hall
- Reptile House
- Environmental Crime Museum
The Rome Zoo Tickets and Prices
One of the best options for buying tickets to the Rome zoo is the ability to buy an “Open” ticket which will allow you to buy a ticket that is valid for 6 months from the date of purchase, giving you the option to visit the zoo when it is convenient and the weather is perfect. The full priced “Open” ticket is €20, and the reduced “Open” tickets is €16. All other tickets are listed below:
| Tickets | Can be purchased at the ticket counter | Online ticket within 5 days | Online ticket within 30 days | Online ticket within 45 days | Online ticket within 60 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full ticket on fixed date | € 18,00 | € 18,00 | € 17,00 | € 16,50 | € 14,50 |
| Reduced ticket on fixed date Children taller than 1 meter up to 10 years of age Over 65 (Wednesday € 9) | € 14,00 | € 14,00 | € 13,00 | € 12,50 | € 11,50 |
| Groups on a free visit (with minimum of 15 paying visitors) | € 14,00 | – | – | – | – |
| Disabled (free entrance only for 100% disabled adult or child and for 1 accompanying caregiver– show your disability card ) | € 11,00 | – | – | – | – |
| Free Children under 1m in height | – | – | – | – | – |
| Last Minute Adults and children Purchase at the ticket counter2h before of the park closing time | € 9,00 |
When Do The Animals At The Rome Zoo Eat?
One of the fun things to do at the Rome Bioparco is to plan your visit to each of the animals around the time they eat. The feeding times are as follows:
| Japanese Macaques | 11:00AM |
| Lemurs | 11:30AM |
| Elephants | Noon |
| Bears | 12:30PM |
| Chimpanzees | 2:30PM |
| Sea Lions | 3:30PM |
| Penguins | 4:00PM |
What If I Get Hungry At The Rome Zoo?
Well, I wouldn’t recommend trying any of the food that will be fed to the animals. However, there is a snackbar that can definitely help a hungry child or adult. There is a bar available while the zoo is open for drinks, coffee and snacks. Around meal time the offerings expand to include burgers, fries and other kid-friendly foods. On weekends, there are a couple of additional dining spots open to handle the larger crowds.
How Do I Reach The Rome Zoo
The zoo is located in the northern corner of the Borghese Gardens, so if you know where that is, you are mostly there. For me, coming from near the Colosseum, the #3 tram/bus was a relaxing trip to the Bioparco stop just outside the Gardens. More options include:
- #19 Tram – Get off at the “Bioparco” stop
- Bus: 3, 52, 53, 926, 217, 360
- Metro: Take the Red Line and get off at “Flaminio” or “Spagna” stations and it is a short-ish walk from there.
How Long Does It Take To Go Around Rome Zoo?
The Rome Zoo is a good size exhibit. It is large enough to have some of the most interesting and popular animals that kids will love. It isn’t so large that you will feel like you are stuck in a neverending IKEA. The time to visit the zoo will of course depend on a couple of things:
- Are You Bringing Kids And How Many?
- Do You Plan To Eat Lunch There?
- Is It Important To Visit Every Animal And Enclosure?
If you aren’t bringing kids, ate before you got there and want to see the popular animals, then I would suggest 60-90 minutes would be enough. If you have a big family, will be eating there and are writing a book report on all the animals, you would be there for up to 3 hours. It is totally up to your interest and needs.
Opening times For The Bioparco Rome
The Bioparco is open everyday of the year except for Christmas Day and the ticket office closes 1 hour before closing time, so don’t be late.
Regular Hours
- 1 January – 30 March from 09:30am until 5:00pm
- 31 March – 26 October from 09:30am until 6:00pm
- 27 October – 31 December from 09:30am until 5:00pm
Extended Hours (Only Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
- 31 March – 6 October from 09:30am until 7:00pm
Is The Rome Bioparco Worth It?
If you are looking for some fun adventures with kids in Rome, the Bioparco is a must see. The zoo is a good size, without being overwhelming. The animals, for lack of a better measure, are certainly the popular ones that kids will love. There is a lot of shade, which is priceless during the hot summer months, and the snack bar is an oasis. Forget about ancient Rome for a couple of hours and enjoy living, breathing and eating animals!
More Amazing Parks Around Rome
Visiting Rome Bioparco is DEFINITELY worth it! Plan ahead and make reservations to spend time experiencing all the zoo has to offer! If you are interested in checking out more of the beautiful parks in Rome, these posts can help:
- Are The Villa Borghese Gardens Worth Visiting? Yes!
- At Cinecittà Studios Lives The History Of Italian Cinema.
- A Rome Shopping Mall Is A Great Experience For Tourists.
- The Best Colosseum Tours For Families Coming To Rome.
- The Colosseum At Night Tour Is A Worthwhile Experience.
- 12 Amazing Secrets Of The Colosseum In Rome.
- The Ancient Roman Colosseum Is Definitely Worth Visiting.
- Hoop It Up At Colle Oppio Park.
- Aqueduct Park Rome Is A Good Run.
- EUR Lake Rome Is An Urban Escape.
