Learn to Dive in Greece
Greece’s Highlights
Greece is a dream holiday destination for most people. Add diving into the mix and you have yourself the perfect holiday. Above water, Greece is famous for its beautiful landscapes, stunning white and blue buildings and delicious food. It has one of the longest coastlines in Europe.
A combination of good visibility, warm water and calm conditions, make Greece an ideal diving destination. For those more experienced divers, Greece is famous for wreck and cave diving. Greece tends to have the greatest biodiversity in the Mediterranean and during the summer months turtles, sharks and other marine life can be spotted.
Greece is diverse and widespread. Mykonos is famous as a party island but below the surface it’s a great place to learn how to dive. Crete features a series of caves that are interesting to explore. Santorini is not only a sunset destination but has volcanic formations making an interesting topography for the dive site.
When is the best time to go diving in Greece?
Diving in Greece is possible throughout the year. Summer offers the warmest water temperatures between April and October.
Water Temperature: In summer, the water ranges from 20°C to 24°C. In winter, the water is between 13°C and 16°C.
Currents: None to mild
Visibility: Between 20 and 30 meters
Greece’s best dive sites
Messerschmitt 109 Wreck, Crete
Quite an unusual wreck, this German fighter plane dating back to WWII lies at 24 meters. Be sure to find the machine gun that is still intact. The tail is broken but the main body and wings are in good shape.
HMHS Britannic, Kea
The HMHS Britannic is one of the most famous wrecks in the world. It is the sister ship of the Titanic and was made as a hospital ship for WWI. The wreck is located at a depth of 122 meters making it only accessible to highly trained tec divers.
Nea Kameni, Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island with a range of scuba diving spots. Nea Kameni was formed by an ancient volcanic eruption and the site features lava formations and interesting topography. The wreck of the Santa Maria, a 34 meter passenger ship, can be found resting here. It lies at 18 meters and can be accessed by all levels of diver.
About the country
Greece features over 2,000 islands but only 170 are inhabited. With 18 UNESCO world heritage sites which include the Acropolis in Athens and the Archaeological Site of Olympia. Greece is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
It is one of the sunniest countries in the world with over 300 days of sun. This means that you’ll most likely be under the sun on your holiday. Greek cuisine is fresh and delicious and they serve some of the best seafood in the world.
For those of you that love turtles, head to Marathonisi. Nicknamed Turtle Island, lying next to Zakynthos, this tiny island is where loggerhead turtles come to nest. It is a marine protected area but it’s possible to dive there.
Recreational Courses in Greece
Dive Centers in Greece
Getting to Greece
Most people will fly into Athens and transfer to other islands by plane, ferry or else. Some of the bigger islands like Corfu and Santorini have their own airports. If you want to travel around Greece, consider renting a car. Car ferries can easily transport you from island to island.
Other important information
- Capital: Athens
- Official Language: Greek
- Demonym: Greek
- Currency: Euro
- Calling code: +30
- Driving Side: right
- Population: Over 10,700,000
- Pressure: Bar
- First Stage: DIN
