Diving Calabria & Basilicata – Tyrrhenian & Ionian

About Calabria & Basilicata – Tyrrhenian & Ionian

The toe of Italy and the coast of Basilicata offer wild, less-crowded diving across both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas. Scilla on the Costa Viola guards the Grotta dello Stretto and the groupers of the Secca di Scilla, while Tropea and Capo Vaticano add pinnacles, lobster walls and the blue Grotta Azzurra. Maratea in Basilicata brings the Santo Janni pinnacle and the Scala cavern, and the Ionian coast around Roccella and Soverato offers gentle sloping reefs rich in octopus and seahorses for training. Warm, clear and authentic, this region is a relaxed alternative to the famous north. The region rewards careful planning and respects the strong Italian marine-protection rules, offering rewarding diving for a range of Mediterranean experience levels.

Highlights

• ✓Secca di Scilla: pinnacles with groupers and dentex on the Costa Viola
• ✓Scoglio del Palombaro: Tropea pinnacle with barracuda and amberjack
• ✓Grotta Azzurra: Capo Vaticano sea cave with light effects
• ✓Secca di Santo Janni: Maratea pinnacle with groupers and nudibranchs
• ✓Roccella & Soverato: gentle Ionian reefs good for training

Getting There

Fly into Lamezia Terme (SUF) or Reggio Calabria (REG), then drive the coast. Dive bases sit in Scilla, Tropea, Capo Vaticano, Maratea and Soverato.