Greece – Mainland, Attica & Sporades

Mainland Greece is a wreck-diving region with strict rules. Off Attica the Saronic Gulf holds shallow wrecks such as Kyra Leni and Apollonia II around Makronisos, and deep Second World War wrecks (Monrosa, Roza Vlassi, Patris) among the 91 wrecks the Ministry of Culture opened to recreational diving. The Kea wrecks (HMHS Britannic and others) are covered in the Cyclades – Dodecanese region. Halkidiki offers walls and a shallow cargo wreck on Kassandra and Sithonia. In the Northern Sporades the Peristera shipwreck off Alonissos, a late 5th-century BC merchant ship with thousands of amphorae, opened in 2020 as Greece's first accessible underwater archaeological site, and the 85 m Christoforos stands upright in Panormos Bay on Skopelos. Three more archaeological sites in the western Pagasetic Gulf were approved but their opening could not be confirmed.

Facts

• Best season: May – October; the Peristera dives run from May to October
• Water and visibility: About 18 °C in April to 19–20 °C in November off Attica, warmest in July and August, visibility up to 30 m; Wannadive lists 10–30 m for most Attica and Halkidiki sites
• Getting there: Athens airport (ATH) for Attica; Thessaloniki (SKG) for Halkidiki; Volos or Skiathos/Skopelos airports and ferries for the Sporades
• Diving rules: Greek law allows dives on wrecks over 50 years old only with a dive guide from an authorised Greek dive centre or club (law of 2019/2020); the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities holds jurisdiction over wrecks of ships and aircraft older than 50 years. Check current rules
• 91 designated wrecks: Since 2022 a joint ministerial decision (culture, defence, shipping) lets recreational divers visit 91 ship and aircraft wrecks designated as monuments, dated 1868–1970 and lying down to 120 m, after the required documentation is submitted by divers or dive companies. Touching or removing anything is forbidden, and research needs a culture-ministry permit
• Visitable archaeological sites: Peristera (Alonissos) has been open since 2020: guided only, groups of up to eight, permanent moorings, minimum 1.5 m above the seabed. Telegraphos, Kikynthos and Glaros in the western Pagasetic Gulf were approved, with opening planned for around the end of 2025 – not confirmed
• Marine park (Alonissos): The National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades has a core Zone A (Piperi, Psathoura, Gioura, Kyra Panagia, Skantzoura), where the park lists diving with respirators as prohibited, and Zone B (Alonissos, Peristera) with no diving-specific rules. Check with the park authority
• Hazards: Boat traffic around Attica, strong current at deeper sites and the depth of the wartime wrecks (many at 60–130 m, technical diving only). Some wrecks may still hold old ammunition – never touch anything

Season

• Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
• Acceptable: May, Oct
• Poor: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr
• Water temperature: 18–27 °C

The Peristera dives run from May to October; off Attica the water is about 18 C in April and 19-20 C in November, warmest in July and August. The Skiathos centre advertises 22-29 C in season. Many island centres are closed or by appointment in winter (not checked for every centre).

Dive sites (20)

Attica & Saronic Gulf

• Agios Markos Wreck (Salamis, Kaki Vigla) – 35–48 m, advanced
• Apollonia II Wreck (Makronisos) – 15–40 m, intermediate
• Avantis III Wreck (Dorousa island) – 30–47 m, advanced
• Kyra Leni Wreck – 18–30 m, intermediate
• Makronisos South Reef – 15–25 m, intermediate
• Monrosa Wreck (off Anavyssos) – 75–92 m, advanced
• Patris Wreck (1927, Patroklos islet) – 60–72 m, advanced
• Portugal Wreck (Makronisos) – 15–40 m, intermediate
• Roza Vlassi Wreck (south of Sounio) – 55–60 m, advanced
• Simos Wreck – 9–18 m, beginner
• The Parking Lot – 18–40 m, intermediate
• Tripiti Reef (Makronisos) – 15–40 m, intermediate

Halkidiki

• Avlaki (Kassandra) – 5–50 m, advanced
• Kalamitsi (Sithonia) – 10–30 m, beginner
• Mitilini Wreck (Sani, Kassandra) – 16–22 m, intermediate
• Porto Valitsa (Kassandra) – 3–60 m, intermediate

Northern Sporades

• Christoforos Shipwreck (Panormos Bay, Skopelos) – 15–38 m, advanced
• Junkers Ju 88 (Psathoura, marine park Zone A, restricted) – 28–32 m, advanced
• Peristera Shipwreck (Alonissos Underwater Museum) – 20–28 m, intermediate

Pagasetic Gulf

• Kikynthos Shipwreck (Amaliapoli, Pagasetic Gulf) – 3.5–12 m, beginner

Operators (7)

• Planet Blue (Lavrio) – dive centre, 12 Fokionos Negri Street, Lavrio
• Skopelos Dive Center (Sporades Diving) – dive centre, Adrines, Skopelos (Adrina Beach Hotel)
• Ikion Diving (Alonissos, Sporades Diving) – dive centre, Steni Vala, Alonissos
• Skiathos Diving Centre – dive centre, Koukounaries Beach, Skiathos
• Zoumbosub Pelion Divers (Volos / Afissos) – dive centre, Dive school Polymeri 2G, Volos; diving centre Afissos
• Scuba Fun Pelion (Chorto) – dive centre, Leda Hotel, Chorto, South Pelion
• Triton Scuba Center (Kassandra, Halkidiki) – dive centre, Paliouri, Kassandra, Halkidiki

Routes (3)

• Peristera shipwreck from Steni Vala (Ikion Diving)
• Christoforos wreck, Panormos Bay (Skopelos Dive Center)
• Kassandra walls (Triton Scuba Center)

Site positions are approximate unless marked otherwise and are for orientation only, never for navigation. Many Greek wrecks and archaeological sites are protected: dive only at designated or legally open sites, with a licensed Greek dive centre where required, and never touch or remove anything. Rules and openings change, so check with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture (Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities) or the marine park authority first.