Portugal

Explore Portugal

Diving in Portugal offers a fascinating tapestry of experiences, combining rich marine biodiversity with stunning underwater landscapes. The country's position at the crossroads of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea creates a unique aquatic environment, home to a vibrant array of marine life. Divers in Portugal can expect to encounter colorful nudibranchs, octopuses, and the occasional sighting of majestic manta rays and playful dolphins.

Portugal's dive sites are as diverse as its marine inhabitants, ranging from dramatic underwater cliffs and caves to historic shipwrecks that tell tales of exploration and trade. The Azores, an archipelago of nine volcanic islands, provides some of the best diving in the country with its crystal-clear waters and impressive underwater topography. Here, divers can explore the submerged craters and lava formations that house schools of barracudas and groupers.

The mainland offers a variety of diving experiences, from shore dives along the Algarve's stunning cliffs to thrilling boat dives in the Berlengas Nature Reserve, where marine life flourishes in protected waters. Meanwhile, Madeira's underwater gardens are a haven for macro photographers seeking vibrant nudibranchs and seahorses. Portugal's temperate climate makes it a year-round dive destination, though visibility and marine life encounters can vary with the seasons, adding an element of anticipation and surprise to every dive adventure.

Places to Explore

Southern Portugal

Center Portugal

Northern Portugal

Upcoming Events

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Azul Diving Center Madeira

Advanced Adventurer

19 Nov 2025

If you cannot decide which specialty programs are the best choice for you, join the SSI Advanced Adventurer program! With this program, you can try a variety of specialties before committing to full specialty programs. It is a great way to experience what advanced diver training is all about and how valuable it can be to your diving adventures. During the Advanced Adventurer Program, you will try out 5 different specialties. You will complete one open water training dive per specialty after a comprehensive briefing with your SSI Instructor. With this trial program in specialty diving, you will have total freedom to explore. You can complete the full specialty programs any time in the future and credit your Advanced Adventurer training towards them.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Wind - Centro de Mergulho

Advanced Open Water Diver

23 Nov 2025 + 1 more

If you cannot decide which specialty programs are the best choice for you, join the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver program! You will try Deep Diving and Navigation plus a variety of 3 more specialty areas of choice before committing to full specialty training. It is a great way to experience what advanced diver training is all about and how valuable it can be to your diving adventures. During the Advanced Open Water Diver Program, you will experience 5 different specialties by completing one open water training dive per specialty after a comprehensive briefing with your SSI Instructor. By taking this program you will have total freedom to explore. You can complete the full Specialty trainings any time in the future and credit your Advanced Open Water Diver training towards them.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Dive Club Cipreia - Outprostore LISBOA/SESIMBRA

Open Water Diver

07 Dec 2025

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Scorpio Madeira Diving Center

Open Water Diver

14 Dec 2025

Instructor Evaluation

Arrábida Experiences

Instructor Evaluation - IE

20 Dec 2025

Professional Level Programs / Courses

CNOCA

Assistant Instructor

12 Jan 2026

The Assistant Instructor rating is the next step after becoming a Divemaster along the scuba instructor pathway. It allows you to collect valuable teaching experience, practice briefings, teach academics, and conduct in-water training. If you want to further your career as a dive professional, you can finish the Instructor Training Course, pass the Instructor Evaluation, and become an Open Water Diving Instructor.

Centers Map

SCUBAFISH

Rua João de Melo Abreu, 68&ltbr>, 9500-316 Ponta Delgada, PO23 - PRT

Espírito Azul Dive Center

Marina de Vila Franca do Campo, 9680-024 Vila Franca do Campo, PO23 - PRT

Azoresdiving/Açordiving SSI/Mares Dive Center

Av. Joáo Bosco Mota Amaral, Marina Pêro de Teive, Kiosk A, 9500-771 Ponta Delgada, PO23 - PRT

Briza Açores

Rua D. João Paulino de Azevedo e Castro nº5, 9930-142 Lajes do Pico, PO23 - PRT

Palmela Desporto

Piscina Municipal de Pinhal Novo, 2955-211 Pinhal Novo, PO19 - PRT

Divers Club Azores

Rua dos Baleeiros, 9930-121 Lajes do Pico, PO23 - PRT

Scubazores Divers

Estrada Regional N 1 Silveira- Angra do Heroísmo, 9700-193 Angra do Heroísmo, PO23 - PRT

EMB-Escola de Mergulho de Barcelos Lda

Rua das Amoras, Edificio Quinta Nova, Apart 49, 4750-342 Barcelos, PO04 - PRT

Didactic Turtle - Dive School & Tech Services

Rua Teofilo Carvalho dos Santos nº 9 Loja E, 1600-773 Lisboa, PO14 - PRT

Rhea Dive Center

Molhe Sul - Porto do Porto Santo - Apartado 320, 9401-909 Porto Santo, PO10 - PRT

Brava Diving Center

R. Gago Coutinho e Sacadura Cabral (Praia), 9350-217 Ribeira Brava, PO10 - PRT

GRUPO RECREATIVO DE MATOS CHEIRINHOS

Avenida Salgueiro Maia, 701 B, 2785-501 São Domingos de Rana, PO14 - PRT

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★☆ Oliveira e Carmo (Wreck)

The Ocean Revival underwater park, off the Algarve coast of Portugal, is demarcated on the surface by signalling buoys and consists of four Portuguese Navy ships that serve as unique artificial reefs. The Oliveira e Carmo is one of these ships.

★★★★☆ Almeida Carvalho (Wreck)

Scubapro, Stephen Frink

★★★★☆ Banco Dollabarat

A huge seamount located on the protected offshore area of São Miguel and Santa Maria Islands. With water coming from deeps more than 200 m to the surface (Dollabarat for instance is a dive point that can start just of around 5 meters from the surface). All this create an upwelling flow of the nutrients.

★★★★☆ Navio Zambeze (Wreck)

The Ocean Revival underwater park, marked on the surface by signalling buoys, consists of four Portuguese Navy ships that serve as unique artificial reefs, with the Zambeze being one of these ships.

★★★★☆ Hermenegildo Capelo (Wreck)

The Ocean Revival Underwater Park, demarcated on the surface by signalling buoys, consists of four Portuguese Navy ships that serve as artificial reefs unique in the world, with Hermenegildo Capelo being one of these 4 ships.

★★★★★ Ambrósio

Imagine a dive site you can reach by daily trips from Santa Maria Island where, when the water temperature is, more or less above 22 ºC (between July and October), on more than 90% of the dives there, you can have many big mantas (mobulas) around you all the time – sometimes with more than 30 mobulas.