Overlooking the waters of Wolderwijd in Harderwijk, Dolfinarium is the largest marine mammal park in Europe. It opened to the public in 1965 and houses dolphins, porpoises, seals, walruses, crabs, lobsters and sea anemones found in the North Sea.

Visit the 2,000-seat Blue Dome to see Dolfinarium’s famous show, where common bottlenose dolphins display their intelligence at the command of knowledgeable handlers. Get an up-close look at these curious creatures from the underwater viewing area or learn about the differences between dolphins and porpoises at the Bruinvisbaai.

Travelling with young kids? There’s a children’s playground at the Dolfinarium, as well as a swimming beach on the shores of lake Wolderwijd. If you want a more interactive animal experience, you can opt for the “In the Water with Dolphins” encounter, which lets you touch the dolphins and learn how to communicate with them through hand gestures.

Getting there

Dolphinarium is a five-minute drive from the Harderwijk railway station, which connects by train to Utrecht and Zwolle. Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport are around an hour’s drive away.