- Open Water course
- €495
- Best season
- May to October is the core season
- Water temperature
- 15–27°C
Updated July 2026
Good to know
Good to Know
- Water quality and marine life visibly improve the further southeast you go from central Athens — most serious dive centers are based well down the coast (Anavyssos, Vari, Varkiza, Lavrion, Lagonisi) rather than right in the city.
- A standard 12-hour (or 18-hour after repetitive dives) no-fly interval applies after diving, which matters if you're flying onward from Athens shortly after a dive trip.
- Site names and exact vessel identities (e.g. 'Apollonia VI' vs 'Apollonia II', 'Avantis 3' vs 'Avantis II') are used inconsistently between different dive operators and guides — don't be surprised if a boat captain refers to a site slightly differently than the name you read online.
- This is a warm-water, generally easy, day-trip diving destination rather than a bucket-list wall/current/big-animal destination — expect pleasant Mediterranean reef and wreck diving rather than dramatic pelagic action.
- Almost no dive shop offers pickup from central Athens hotels — you're expected to make your own way (often via Metro Line 2 to Elliniko plus a local bus) to the coastal suburb where the shop is based.
- Best diving season is May to October, when water temperatures run roughly 20-27°C and visibility is strongest; shoulder months (September-October) are quieter with fewer crowds.
- Course prices vary noticeably between operators and sources — get a direct quote from the specific shop rather than relying on a single average figure, since official operator pricing for PADI Open Water ran meaningfully higher than some general travel-guide estimates.
Dive Sites And Conditions
- Access Type
- Predominantly shore-and-day-boat accessible — this is NOT a liveaboard destination. Most named sites are reached either by walking straight in from the coast (a handful of true shore dives) or by a short RIB/day-boat ride of a few minutes to a few miles from small marinas along the Riviera, with the dive centers themselves typically 30–60 minutes by car or taxi from central Athens.
- Region Overview
- Diving near Athens is concentrated along the 'Athens Riviera' — the southeast Attica coastline running from Vouliagmeni/Varkiza through Anavyssos, Legrena, Lagonisi, Saronida and out to Cape Sounion, plus offshore islets like Fleves, Arsida, Pontikonisi, Patroklos and Makronisos.
- General Marine Life
- Across the Attica coast divers commonly report bream, sea bass, wrasse, octopus, cuttlefish, squid, moray eels, groupers, lobster, nudibranchs, and occasional tuna, barracuda or small dolphinfish sightings further from the city center; posidonia seagrass meadows and rocky Mediterranean reef formations are typical.
Sites
Fleves Island — Wreck
- Type
- wreck + wall
- Location
- Islet off Vouliagmeni, roughly 3 miles from the coast
- Depth Range
- 6–35 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water and above
- Marine Life Notes
- Combines a wreck with an adjoining wall; described by local operators as one of the most requested sites in the region.
Fleves Island — Cave
- Type
- cave/cavern + wall
- Location
- Same islet as above, off Vouliagmeni
- Depth Range
- 3–40 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water and above
- Marine Life Notes
- A deep wall dive combined with small caves and a large cavern along the way up; operators note a WWII-era inert plane bomb on this stretch of coast.
Blue Hole (Near Vouliagmeni Lake)
- Type
- cavern/sinkhole formation
- Location
- Vouliagmeni, adjacent to the thermal Vouliagmeni Lake
- Depth Range
- Shore/near-shore, moderate depth
- Diver Level
- Suitable for confident beginners with guide; more rewarding for certified divers
- Marine Life Notes
- A striking blue sinkhole-like formation with reef and rock-wall surroundings, fed by warm water from the Vouliagmeni hot springs; some describe it as connected via an unexplored underwater cave system to Vouliagmeni Lake itself.
Vouliagmeni Lake
- Type
- cave system (shore dive)
- Location
- Vouliagmeni
- Depth Range
- Cave entrance around 12 m descending to 30 m, beyond which only certified cave divers may proceed
- Diver Level
- Advanced Open Water minimum; full cave certification required beyond the restricted zone
- Marine Life Notes
- Warm water year-round (over 23°C); prized more for its unique geology and cave-diving history than for marine life.
Limanakia Pigadi
- Type
- shore dive into a submerged 'well' formation
- Location
- Coastal stretch between Vouliagmeni and Varkiza
- Depth Range
- 4–18 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- A long-standing local training and recreational shore-dive spot.
Artemis & Lito (Twin Islets)
- Type
- reef
- Location
- Off Varkiza, about 4 miles out
- Depth Range
- 3–20 m
- Diver Level
- Discover Scuba Diving level and up
- Marine Life Notes
- A reef formed between two small islands; divers frequently encounter sea-birds diving alongside them at the surface.
Pontikonisi Island — Wall
- Type
- wall
- Location
- Off Agia Marina, about 5 miles out
- Depth Range
- 3–40 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water and above
- Marine Life Notes
- Large rocks along the wall are home to morays, groupers and spirograph worms; an underwater ridge descends from 5 m to nearly 40 m on the island's north side.
Pontikonisi Island — Reef
- Type
- reef
- Location
- Same islet, Agia Marina
- Depth Range
- 6–30 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- General reef life; paired dive with the wall site above.
Arsida Island — Reef
- Type
- reef with archaeological interest
- Location
- Off Anavyssos, about 3 miles out
- Depth Range
- 10–40 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- Rocky reef formation scattered with ancient amphorae (relics of ancient Greek/Roman-era transport pottery).
Arsida Island — Cave
- Type
- cave + wall
- Location
- Same islet, off Anavyssos
- Depth Range
- 15–40 m
- Diver Level
- Advanced Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- A cave leading into a wall dive on the same site.
Fish-Farm (Legrena)
- Type
- shore dive
- Location
- Coast of Legrena
- Depth Range
- 2–40 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- Marine life is notably richer here because of the adjacent fish farm attracting wild fish.
Car Wrecks
- Type
- artificial wreck cluster
- Location
- Legrena
- Depth Range
- Shallow-to-moderate (exact figures not consistently published)
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- A cluster of sunken car wrecks used as an artificial-reef style dive.
Patroklos Island
- Type
- wreck
- Location
- Off Anavyssos, about 8 miles out
- Depth Range
- 6–28 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- A vessel split into two pieces, now home to a variety of sea species.
Kyra Eleni (Motorship Wreck)
- Type
- wreck
- Location
- Off Patroklos
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Certified divers
- Marine Life Notes
- One of the region's named shipwrecks, cited by the official Athens tourism guide as a highlight excursion.
Althea Reef
- Type
- reef (shore dive)
- Location
- Coast of Althea
- Depth Range
- 2–18 m
- Diver Level
- Discover Scuba Diving level
- Marine Life Notes
- Shallow reef with distinctive rock formations, suited to beginners.
Pothitos Island — Wall
- Type
- wall
- Location
- Off Lagonisi, about 5 miles out
- Depth Range
- 6–40 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- Described by local operators as rich in marine life.
Pothitos Island — Reef
- Type
- reef
- Location
- Same islet, off Lagonisi
- Depth Range
- 6–20 m
- Diver Level
- Discover Scuba Diving level
- Marine Life Notes
- Home to groupers and octopus.
Turtle Island
- Type
- reef circuit
- Location
- Off Lagonisi, about 6 miles out
- Depth Range
- 5–25 m
- Diver Level
- Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- An island shaped like a turtle; dived as a circuit around the formation for varied colors and topography.
Kalypso Reef
- Type
- reef
- Location
- Saronida
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Varies
- Marine Life Notes
- One of the better-known named reef sites on this stretch of coast.
Symos Wreck
- Type
- wreck
- Location
- Saronida
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Varies
- Marine Life Notes
- Named wreck site off Saronida.
Apollonia VI Wreck (Also Referenced As 'Apollonia II' by Some Sources)
- Type
- wreck
- Location
- On a reef off Makronisos island
- Depth Range
- 18–24 m (bow and stern sections)
- Diver Level
- Open Water to Advanced Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- A 1955-built cargo vessel that struck the reef in 1980; visibility on this site is noted as excellent.
Portugal / SS Portugal Wreck
- Type
- wreck
- Location
- Southwest side of the same Makronisos reef as Apollonia VI
- Depth Range
- 26–40 m
- Diver Level
- Advanced Open Water
- Marine Life Notes
- The ship broke into two pieces on impact; the larger section now rests on the reef.
The Groupers' Nest
- Type
- reef/rock complex
- Location
- North side of the Makronisos reef
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Varies
- Marine Life Notes
- A complex of large boulders sheltering notably large groupers.
Tripiti Reef
- Type
- reef
- Location
- Northern Makronisos
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Varies
- Marine Life Notes
- Named swim-through reef site highlighted by the official Athens tourism guide.
Avantis 3 / Avantis II Wreck (Naming Varies by Source)
- Type
- wreck
- Location
- Off the island of Dorousa
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Certified divers
- Marine Life Notes
- Listed by both the official Athens guide and PADI as an epic shipwreck excursion; exact vessel naming differs slightly between sources.
Pylaros Wreck
- Type
- wreck
- Location
- Attica coast (exact islet not consistently specified)
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Certified divers
- Marine Life Notes
- Named alongside Avantis II as one of PADI's highlighted Athens-area wrecks.
Porto Rafti
- Type
- wall
- Location
- Porto Rafti bay, southeast Attica
- Depth Range
- Up to roughly 30 m visibility conditions
- Diver Level
- Certified divers
- Marine Life Notes
- Cited by the official Athens tourism guide as a wall-diving location.
Petali Islands
- Type
- wall
- Location
- Petali islets, Attica coast
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- Certified divers
- Marine Life Notes
- Grouped with Porto Rafti and Makronisos as a wall-diving destination in official tourism materials.
Schinias Bay
- Type
- sandy-bottom beach/shore dive
- Location
- Nea Makri, on Attica's east coast
- Depth Range
- Shallow, beginner-friendly
- Diver Level
- Discover Scuba Diving / beginner
- Marine Life Notes
- Crystal-clear, calm bay used mainly for introductory dive experiences rather than advanced sites.
Athens Scuba Park (Freshwater Quarry)
- Type
- flooded former clay quarry — training/novelty site, not sea diving
- Location
- Inland Attica
- Depth Range
- Not consistently published
- Diver Level
- All levels, including training
- Marine Life Notes
- A purpose-built freshwater dive park with numerous deliberately sunken objects (small planes, cars, motorcycles, boats) rather than natural marine life; used for training, night diving and novelty wreck practice rather than as a natural marine site.
Season And Conditions
- Visibility
- Generally very good, commonly cited at 20–30 meters.
- Best Season
- May to October is the core season; September and October offer the best combination of warm water and fewer crowds.
- Water Temperature
- Roughly 20–27°C in season, dropping to around 15–18°C in winter — mild enough that some centers dive year-round in wetsuits.
- Wind Note
- Winds mostly come from the north, but the indented Attica coastline gives dive operators sheltered site options regardless of wind direction.
Typical Course Costs
- PADI Divemaster
- €800
Price does not include PADI registration fees and course materials, which are extra.
- PADI Open Water Diver
- €495
Confirmed directly from one PADI 5-star center's official course page. A generic water-sports guide cites a lower ~350€ figure for a 2-day PADI/SSI intro course including gear and certification — treat that lower figure as less reliable than the operator-quoted price.
Discover Scuba Diving Trial
- Boat Dive
- €85
- Shore Dive
- €75
- Note
- One operator's official site quotes 75-85€; a general travel-guide source cites roughly 50€ as a lower-end estimate — actual price varies by shop and shore vs boat.
Operator Density
- Estimate
- Roughly 8-10 distinctly named dive operators serve the greater Athens/Attica coastline, making this a genuinely well-supplied dive scene rather than a one- or two-shop town.
- Geographic Note
- Most dive shops are based in the southern coastal suburbs (Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Vari, Anavissos, Lagonissi, Nea Makri, Lavrion) roughly 30-60 minutes from central Athens, rather than in the city center itself; nearly all shore dives happen along this southern coast regardless of where the shop's office is based.
Named Operators Found
- Seahorse Dive Center (Vari) — PADI 5-star IDC (Instructor Development Center)
- Go Scuba Diving (Anavissos, southern suburbs)
- Athina Diving (Lagonissi, ~30-40 min from center)
- Diver's Corner (Athens area) — PADI center offering air fills, Nitrox, Trimix, freediving and rebreather equipment rental
- Aqua Team (Vrilissia, with affiliated centers in Porto Rafti and Kythnos) — recreational, technical and rebreather diving up to instructor level
- Kanelakis Diving Experiences (Nea Makri, Schinias bay)
- Amphibious Diving Center (Lavrion)
- Dive in Blue (Glyfada, Akti Miaouli)
- Athens Divers Club — SSI-affiliated, Saronic Gulf trips and snorkeling/freediving lessons
Certifying Bodies Present
Certifying Bodies Present
- PADI (dominant body — Open Water through Divemaster, plus Instructor Development Center/IDC courses available)
- SSI (offered at Athens Divers Club, covering everything from Try Scuba to advanced/specialty training)
- SDI/other agencies appear in generic searches but could not be confirmed as genuinely based in Athens, Greece specifically
Certification Levels Commonly Offered
Certification Levels Commonly Offered
- Discover Scuba Diving / Try Scuba (non-certification trial experience)
- PADI Open Water Diver
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
- PADI Rescue Diver (with EFR Primary & Secondary Care prerequisite)
- PADI Divemaster
- Specialty courses: Nitrox, Cavern, Tec/technical diving (notably at Vouliagmeni Lake), CCR/rebreather courses at some centers
- Instructor-level training (IDC) at at least one Athens-area 5-star center
Freediving Crossover
- Details
- Crossover is real but modest: at least one Athens-area PADI center (Diver's Corner) rents freediving equipment alongside scuba gear, and Athens Divers Club explicitly offers 'basic freediving' and snorkeling lessons alongside its SSI scuba courses. A regional booking platform (Scubahellas) also lists 'Freediver' as a bookable activity category for the same Athens/Vouliagmeni locations used for scuba. This suggests some overlap in operators and sites rather than a fully separate freediving-only scene.
- Genuine Crossover Confirmed
- Yes
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.