Loro Parque

Walk into the penguin house out of the Tenerife warmth and the cold meets you at the door: behind the glass, penguins clamber over a man-made iceberg and dive into the pool below it.

Then there are the parrots. The park began in 1972 as a home for 150 of them and now keeps around 4,000 — macaws, cockatoos, amazons, parakeets — the largest parrot collection in the world. Their screeching carries along the paths before the aviaries come into view.

Around them sit gorillas, chimpanzees, tigers, lions, jaguars, red pandas and pygmy hippos in planted enclosures, with flamingos, pelicans and puffins among the other birds. The shows set the rhythm of the day: sea lions, dolphins, parrots and the orcas of Orca Ocean each perform on a daily timetable, and a 20-minute nature film plays in an indoor cinema.

• A full visit takes the whole day, and the park closes in the late afternoon. Come at opening if you want both the shows and the enclosures.
• Seats at the popular shows fill early. Plan the day around the show times and reach the stand before the start.
• The orca and dolphin shows are the main target of criticism from PETA, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and others; Thomas Cook dropped tickets in 2018.
• Cafés and food stalls are spread through the grounds, and cards and contactless payment are accepted.
• Parking near the gate fills on busy days. The free train from town saves the search for a space.

The park sits on the outskirts of Puerto de la Cruz. The easiest way in is the free train, painted in bright colours, which runs from the town directly to Loro Parque and doubles as a short sightseeing ride.

Buses stop at the Loro Parque stop, about 170 m away. Drivers have a car park about 110 m away, plus paid and free street parking around it. On busy days finding a space takes a while, so arrive early or leave the car in town and take the train.

Once through the entrance, everything is on foot, across 13.5 hectares of paths between the enclosures, show arenas and cafés.

Best: at opening time, on any day of the week.

Avoid: arriving after lunch.

The park closes in the late afternoon and the shows take up much of the day, so only a morning start leaves time for the enclosures as well; crowds build even midweek.