There are three good Zoos near Calpe within about 40 minutes to an hour drive, and a couple more worth the extra drive time if you want to make a full day of it. Whether you’re visiting with children, have grandchildren staying, or just want a day away from the beach, here’s what’s nearby and which suits different ages.
Terra Natura, Benidorm
About 40 minutes from Calpe. This is the biggest and most complete wildlife park in the area.
Terra Natura is set up around three themed zones. The Asia zone has the headline animals: elephants, tigers, and rhinos in large enclosures with hidden barriers so you feel close to the animals. The America zone has jaguars, monkeys, and a walk-in aviary where tropical birds fly over your head.
The Pangea zone at the entrance is home to the Venomous Creatures exhibition, with dart frogs, scorpions, tarantulas, and snakes, which children either love or flatly refuse to enter. The birds of prey show runs daily and is worth timing your visit around, with eagles, falcons, and owls flying low over the audience.
It’s a full day out. The park is big enough that you’ll have plenty of time to see everything across four or five hours, and there’s food and shade throughout. In summer, Aqua Natura, the water park next door, is included in some ticket options, so you can do animals in the morning and water slides in the afternoon, which is a good combination when the heat builds.
If you only visit one zoo from Calpe, this is probably the one.
Mundomar, Benidorm
Also about 40 minutes from Calpe, and right next to Terra Natura.
Mundomar is smaller and focuses on marine animals and exotic birds. The dolphin and sea lion shows are the main draw, and they’re well done and popular with younger children. Beyond the shows, you’ll find penguins, flamingos, lemurs, sea turtles, and a colourful collection of parrots and tropical birds. It’s a more manageable visit than Terra Natura, comfortable in half a day.
Aqualandia, one of the bigger water parks on the coast, sits right alongside, so the same morning-and-afternoon split works here too. Some families do Mundomar one day and Terra Natura another, since they’re next to each other and different enough to justify both.
Safari Aitana
About an hour from Calpe, up in the mountains near Penàguila. It’s roughly 60km via the AP-7 and CV-770, and the last stretch is a winding mountain road, so allow a little over an hour from Calpe.
This is a completely different experience. Safari Aitana is a guided safari across the mountainside, and the way it works is part of the fun.
You follow a feeding vehicle in a convoy along a 7km route, driving your own car. At each stop the guide has everyone get out to feed and touch the animals while explaining what you’re seeing. You’ll meet ostriches, giraffes, llamas, goats, and elephants up close. The lions, tigers, and wolves are in securely fenced sections you drive through with the windows up, watching them from the safety of the car.
There’s also a walkable zoo area near the entrance with smaller animals, reptiles the keepers will let children hold, and a play park. Most families do this part either before or after the main tour. Arriving early matters, because the first tour of the day tends to have smaller groups and the animals are most active around feeding time.
The mountain setting is part of the appeal. On a clear day the views from the Sierra de Aitana are worth the drive on their own, and in summer the altitude keeps it slightly cooler than the coast. The access road is unpaved in places, so allow a little extra time, but a normal car handles it fine.
Worth the Longer Drive
If you’re happy with an hour or more in the car, two options in the Valencia area are genuinely worth it.
Bioparc Valencia is about an hour and a half from Calpe and it’s one of the best-designed zoos in Spain. It’s built around immersive African habitats where the savannah, equatorial forest, and Madagascar zones feel like you’re walking through them. You can see gorillas, elephants, lions, leopards, and rhinos up close, and in the Madagascar zone you walk among free-roaming lemurs.
Oceanogràfic, also in Valencia, is the largest aquarium in Europe and part of the City of Arts and Sciences. Sharks, beluga whales, dolphins, penguins, sea turtles, and jellyfish, with a huge underwater tunnel that children love. It suits all ages and can easily be combined with a day in Valencia. About the same drive as Bioparc.
Quick Comparison
| Zoo | Distance from Calpe | Best for | How long to allow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terra Natura | ~40 minutes | Families, all ages | Full day |
| Mundomar | ~40 minutes | Younger children, marine life | Half day |
| Safari Aitana | ~1 hour | Adventurous families | Half to full day |
| Bioparc Valencia | ~90 minutes | Older children and adults | Full day |
| Oceanogràfic Valencia | ~90 minutes | All ages, marine life | Full day |
Tips
Go early in summer. The parks are cooler and quieter before midday, and the animals are more active. Terra Natura and Mundomar get busy from late morning in July and August.
Book tickets online. Most of the parks offer cheaper entry if you buy in advance, and some offer combo tickets with the adjacent water parks. Check before you turn up at the gate.
Bring water, sun cream, and comfortable shoes. Safari Aitana involves walking as well as driving, and the Benidorm parks are bigger than they look on the map.
For Safari Aitana specifically, check the guided tour times before you go and aim to arrive early. The first tour of the day tends to be the best, with smaller groups and more active animals.
Thinking of Staying Longer in Calpe?
If you’re visiting Calpe with family and starting to think about what it would be like to live here, you’re in good company. The combination of beaches, restaurants, wildlife parks, and mountain walks within easy reach makes it a place that works for families year-round.
If you’d like to explore that idea, tell us what you are looking for and Sina will come back to you personally with properties that fit.
Sina
Founder of Solinea Real Estate, based in Calpe. Sina helps buyers and sellers across the Costa Blanca North with honest, local guidance.