If you’re travelling to Rome, Italy with children or teenagers, they may not be as enthused to spend their days surrounded by the vast ancient ruins, visiting ancient churches and cathedrals, or walking silently through the many art galleries. Many are unaware of the fact that Rome has its own zoo, known as the Biopark Zoo, housed within the compound of Villa Borghese, and is extremely close to the Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery).
Not only will you benefit from this trip, because it’s a great time to squeeze in a visit to the most magnificent art gallery in Rome, but also your family will be able to have fun afterwards. They will get the chance to watch the exotic animals as they roam around, as well as join in with the other kids as they chase the free roaming peacocks, and even get a chance to interact with flying beauties in the Casa delle Farfalle (Butterfly House).
This is also a wonderful place to throw your child a birthday party. You can choose between a two- and three-hour party with a buffet included along with games for the children to play, but let’s take a look at what the Biopark Zoo in Rome (Bioparco di Roma) offers in general.
Home to almost 1,000 animals
The Rome Biopark Zoo is an extraordinary zoological garden that sits on 42 acres (17 hectares) of land in the Villa Borghese. It was built in 1908 and opened to the public on January 5th 1911. This zoo is thought to be one of the oldest throughout Europe, and is home to almost 1,000 animals, including the usual suspects: lions, tigers, bears, zebras, and giraffes.
However, there are other unique species that you don’t see all the time such as camels, Indian elephants, various wild animals, leopards, hyenas, the free roaming peacocks, and many other exotic birds. Even though the peacocks roam around freely, they are harmless and are used to many people attempting to gain their attention. You’ll also discover countless exotic flora and fauna in the botanical garden area.
Meet Mario in the reptile house
Children really get the chance to have fun here, as there is so much for them to explore. The reptile house is incredible, and very informative. The theme is centered around Furti di Natural (thefts from nature), and when you first walk in, you will watch a short film that explains the theme further; kids love that they get to watch this inside of a mock airplane!
Afterwards, you and your family will have fun seeing several endangered species, leading you to Mario, the crocodile who was surprisingly rescued from a Roman apartment where someone kept him in a bathtub as a pet. Thankfully, he is happy and safe here, enjoying the company of the zoo keepers who really care for him, in a healthy environment where he can thrive.
Interact with butterflies
For a couple of extra bucks, the butterfly exhibit is also a place you should not miss while being here. It offers a really magical experience that is loved by adults as well as children. You get the chance to step into their environment to see how they live, what they like to eat, all while the butterflies are fluttering about freely.
They may land on you many times, and you can even hold them in your hands. You might also have the chance to witness a butterfly coming out of its cocoon – a truly wonderful sight. Afterwards, there is a petting zoo, with farm animals that you and your child can get up close and personal with. The staff members here are also a delight, because they make it exciting for your child, and sometimes even let the kids feed the animals.
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A great way to spend the day with family
Usually, you will see families walking in with food they have brought from the local store, or take away, to sit down to a nice picnic in the seating area by the swan lake, that also has a play area for children. Then again, even if you don’t bring anything with you to snack on, you will still have options from the three snack bars, and the Caffè del Parco, a nice little restaurant that has a roof garden overlooking the giraffes.
There is a new exhibit that was recently added called Alien Fishes, which is a neat underwater world where you can see octopuses, jellyfish, piranhas, scorpion-fish, and other multicolored fish. At the ticket booth, just pay an extra 3 EUR (3.42 USD) for the entry ticket. Speaking of tickets, the zoo’s entry fees are 16 EUR (18.23 USD) for adults and 13 EUR (14.81 USD) for children under 12.
Currently, the zoo is open from 9:30am until 6pm. However, from October to December 31st, the zoo will close one hour earlier at 5pm. While you’re here, please keep in mind that you are not allowed to feed the animals as they are on a closely monitored diet, unless suggested otherwise by the staff members who are working in the petting zoo.
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