Dive sites in Italy
Browse by region, city or dive type to find suitable locations for your experience level.
Regions
All dive sites
Strait of Messina - The Mountain of Scilla
Scilla · Calabria · Italy
A legendary underwater monolith rising 20 metres from the seabed, carpeted in gorgonians and surrounded by powerful currents.
Punta Campanella Marine Reserve
Sorrento · Campania · Italy
A marine protected area at the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula where ancient Roman ruins meet Mediterranean reef walls, offering dramatic diving beneath the cliffs that separate the Bay of Naples from the Amalfi Coast.
Portofino Marine Reserve
Santa Margherita Ligure · Liguria · Italy
The iconic Italian Riviera underwater, where the Christ of the Abyss statue guards walls draped in red coral and gorgonians.
Tremiti Islands
Foggia · Puglia · Italy
A tiny Adriatic archipelago off the Gargano coast where ancient Diomedes legend meets pristine Mediterranean marine reserve, featuring dramatic grottos, Posidonia meadows, and some of Italy's clearest water.
Nereo Cave
Alghero · Sardinia · Italy
The largest underwater sea cave in the Mediterranean, hidden beneath Capo Caccia with 300 metres of tunnels adorned in red coral and golden star corals.
Pantelleria Punta Spadillo
Pantelleria · Sicily · Italy
A dramatic volcanic wall dive off Italy's most remote island, halfway between Sicily and Tunisia, where underwater lava formations, thermal vents, and exceptional visibility create a unique Mediterranean diving experience.
Ustica Island
Palermo · Sicily · Italy
Italy's oldest marine protected area, a volcanic island sheltering half the Mediterranean's marine species in crystalline waters.
Pomonte Wreck (Elviscot)
Pomonte, Elba · Tuscany · Italy
A shallow, easy-access wreck lying just 60 metres offshore from an Elba village beach, split in two and teeming with Mediterranean reef life.
Dive centers in Italy
Capo Galera Diving
Alghero · Sardinia · Italy
Alghero dive center exploring Capo Caccia caves, red coral, and Sardinia's northwest coast.
Sardinia Divers
Alghero · Sardinia · Italy
Alghero dive centre exploring Sardinia's Capo Caccia marine reserve — Neptune's Grotto and spectacular caves.
Area Mare Diving
Cala Gonone · Sardinia · Italy
Cala Gonone dive center exploring the Gulf of Orosei with cliffs, caves, and blue holes.
Sea Spirit Diving Resort
Giardini Naxos · Sicily · Italy
Giardini Naxos resort dive center near Mount Etna with volcanic reef and Isola Bella diving.
Ischia Diving Center
Ischia · Campania · Italy
Volcanic diving on Ischia island with hydrothermal vents and fumaroles in the Bay of Naples.
Diving Center La Gorgonia
Lipari · Sicily · Italy
Lipari-based dive center exploring all seven Aeolian Islands with gorgonian-covered walls.
Elba Diving Center
Marciana Marina · Tuscany · Italy
Elba island diving in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park with wrecks and granite reefs.
Nautilus Diving Center
Palau · Sardinia · Italy
Palau dive center for Maddalena Archipelago National Park diving in northeast Sardinia.
Orca Diving Center Puglia
Porto Cesareo · Puglia · Italy
Porto Cesareo MPA dive center on Puglia's Ionian coast with seahorses and clear water.
Diving 5 Terre
Riomaggiore · Liguria · Italy
Dive center in Riomaggiore exploring the underwater Cinque Terre UNESCO coast.
Diving Group Portofino
Santa Margherita Ligure · Liguria · Italy
SSI center with local expert-guided dives in the Portofino marine reserve.
Portofino Divers
Santa Margherita Ligure · Liguria · Italy
Portofino Marine Protected Area dive centre with red gorgonian forests and the famous Christ of the Abyss statue.
Diving Sorrento
Sorrento · Campania · Italy
Sorrento dive center exploring the coast to Capri with arches, grottos, and Roman ruins.
Nike Diving Center
Taormina · Sicily · Italy
Taormina dive center exploring Sicily's volcanic Ionian coast with Mount Etna views.
Diving Center Ustica
Ustica · Sicily · Italy
Dive centre on Ustica island — Italy's first marine protected area with crystal-clear volcanic waters.
Orca Diving Ustica
Ustica · Sicily · Italy
Dive center on Ustica, Italy's first marine reserve, with volcanic grottoes and rich marine life.
SubAquaDive Service
Villasimius · Sardinia · Italy
Villasimius dive center in Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, southeast Sardinia.
Diving Center Saracen
Vulcano · Sicily · Italy
Vulcano island dive center in the Aeolians with volcanic fumaroles and thermal vents diving.
Nautilus Diving Center
14 · Sardinia · Italy
Scuba Revolution Sardinia
20 · Sardinia · Italy
Archeo diving
Via Degli Oleandri · Sardinia · Italy
Poseidon Diving Center-SSI-Diving & Snorkeling
79 · Sardinia · Italy
Bluforia Diving Center
4/A · Sardinia · Italy
Blu dive Center
07028 Santa Teresa Gallura OT · Sardinia · Italy
Discovery Diving Sardegna
07052 San Teodoro OT · Sardinia · Italy
DST Sardegna - Diving & Snorkeling Team
Spiaggia Sos Aranzos · Sardinia · Italy
Kairos Diving Center - Sardegna
07026 Porto Rotondo OT · Sardinia · Italy
Scuba Point
07020 Palau OT · Sardinia · Italy
Orosei Diving Center
08028 Orosei NU · Sardinia · Italy
Anthias Diving Center
Km 3 · Sardinia · Italy
AQUARIUS Dive Center
2 · Sardinia · Italy
BLU INFINITO Diving Center
Porto Coda Cavallo · Sardinia · Italy
Bosa Diving Center
09089 Bosa Marina OR · Sardinia · Italy
Argonauta Diving Sardinia
4 · Sardinia · Italy
Sandalia Diving Center & Snorkeling
07041 Alghero SS · Sardinia · Italy
Italian Divers Sardegna
88 · Sardinia · Italy
Orso Diving Club - Whale Watching Sardinia
lato ovest porto · Sardinia · Italy
Mister Jump diving center
4 · Sicily · Italy
La Perla Nera Diving
5 · Sicily · Italy
Mare Nostrum Diving
90051 Ustica PA · Sicily · Italy
Diving in Italy
Dive sites in Italy include pinnacle, reef, cave, wall, wreck locations across Calabria, Campania, Liguria, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany. Each location includes depth, conditions and environment type to help you plan safely.
Use the region and city navigation above to narrow your search, or explore individual site pages for detailed conditions, entry type, skill requirements and nearby alternatives.
FAQ
What certification do I need to dive the Strait of Messina?
Advanced Open Water is the minimum requirement, with Deep Diver specialty and strong current diving experience essential. The strait's powerful currents, which can exceed 3 metres per second, demand expert timing and thorough local knowledge. Only dive with experienced local guides who understand the complex tidal patterns.
When is the best time to dive the Mountain of Scilla?
June through September provides the warmest water at 22 to 26 degrees and the most predictable conditions. However, diving here is entirely dictated by tidal cycles rather than seasons. Your dive operator will plan every dive around slack water windows, which shift daily. Flexibility is essential.
Why is the Strait of Messina significant for marine biology?
The strait's intense currents create upwellings that bring deep-water nutrients to shallow depths, supporting an extraordinary ecosystem. It hosts the world's largest known black coral forest, rare gold coral colonies, and the only Mediterranean population of Errina aspera. Deep-sea species like Sloane's viperfish are occasionally found in shallow water, and bluntnose sixgill sharks periodically rise to diving depths.
What permits are needed to dive in the Punta Campanella Marine Reserve?
Diving in Punta Campanella Marine Reserve requires advance authorisation from the park authority. Zone A, the fully protected core area, is accessible only with authorised dive centres that hold annual permits. Zone B allows diving with notification to the park office. Dive centres in Sorrento, Massa Lubrense, and Nerano hold permits and handle all bureaucracy for visiting divers. Independent diving without a permitted centre is not allowed in Zone A. Fees apply and contribute to reef monitoring and enforcement. Booking through a local centre at least 24 hours in advance is recommended during summer.
Can I combine diving with visiting the Amalfi Coast and Capri?
Absolutely. Punta Campanella sits at the exact geographical junction between the Sorrentine Peninsula, the Amalfi Coast, and the island of Capri, which lies just 5 kilometres offshore. Most divers base themselves in Sorrento or Massa Lubrense and combine morning dives with afternoon exploration of Positano, Amalfi, or Capri. The ferry to Capri from Sorrento takes 20 minutes. The diving calendar also aligns perfectly with the tourist season, making it easy to include diving in a broader Italian coastal holiday.