You don’t need to travel far to dive in a real sea. From Rome, in just over an hour, you can reach surprising underwater landscapes: protected seagrass meadows, wrecks laden with history and islands with crystal-clear water. Here are the sites we love most and how to experience them safely with us.
Updated: August 2026
The Secche di Tor Paterno are the only completely submerged Marine Protected Area in Italy: a rocky mountain that rises from the sandy seabed to a summit at just 18 metres, around 5 miles offshore between Ostia and Torvaianica. They offer extraordinary biodiversity: posidonia meadows, spectacular forests of red gorgonians, groupers, rays, octopuses and shoals of fish. It’s a regulated area: you can access it only with authorised dive centres and you need at least an advanced certification (or to be enrolled on an advanced course). It’s the perfect destination for anyone who wants to take a step up.
The stretch of coast between Santa Marinella and Civitavecchia is famous for its wrecks. The most celebrated is the Asia, a large dredger of about 56 metres deliberately sunk in 1987 to counter trawl fishing: today it lies broken into two sections. The stern, with its characteristic superstructure and funnel, is at around 30-37 metres; the bow, deeper (about 46 metres), drops beyond the recreational limit. Not far away there are other wrecks loved by enthusiasts: the Liburna (around 40 metres), the Transmit and the Aderno.
These are dives with precise rules on certifications (you’ll find them in the frequently asked questions below), but in any case we train you, step by step, from the entry-level courses right up to the technical level.
Also north of Rome, Santa Marinella offers shallow, sheltered seabeds, perfect for your first dives, for courses and for getting comfortable in the water. Little depth and a generally calm sea: ideal for starting out stress-free, perhaps before heading towards the deeper wrecks of nearby Civitavecchia.
The Pontine Islands are the crown jewel of diving in Lazio: clear waters, walls dropping into the blue, caves, arches and thriving marine life. They’re the destinations for our weekends and group outings, where diving, the sea and good company come together. A short journey, a great experience.
We organise outings and events throughout the season: you’ll always find them up to date in our calendar. We accompany you according to your level, with expert guides, and if you don’t yet have equipment you can rent it from us. Never tried before? Start with the free pool try-dive: the first step to discovering the underwater world right here, close to home.
It depends on how you want to experience them: to explore them from the outside down to about 40 metres you need the SSI Wreck Diving certification; to go inside them with penetration, still within 40 metres, you need the SSI Extended Range Wreck Diver; for wrecks beyond 40 metres (such as the bow of the Asia) you need a technical certification, the SSI Extended Range – XR – Technical Wreck Diving. We’ll guide you all the way to the right level.
Yes: the area is protected and regulated, you can access it only with authorised centres and you need at least an advanced certification (or to be enrolled on an advanced course).
From spring to autumn the water is warmer and visibility is often excellent, but with the right wetsuit you can dive all year round.
Of course: there are easy sites like Santa Marinella and our guided outings. And if you just want a taste, there’s the free pool try-dive.