Campania dive sites

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.

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.

The waters around Punta Campanella have been navigated since at least the 7th century BC, and Roman-era artefacts are scattered throughout the dive sites. Divers can observe ancient lead anchor stocks, fragments of amphorae, and structural remains of what may have been a Roman fish farm or harbour installation. The point itself was sacred to the Romans and Greeks, dedicated to Athena and later the sirens of Homeric legend. While artefacts cannot be touched or removed, their presence alongside Mediterranean marine life adds a historical dimension unique to this area.