Explore Venice
Italy’s city of romance, art and architecture, Venice, is also a fantastic place to venture beneath the water’s surface. Descending under the waves, a myriad of wrecks, from those of aircraft to ships that sunk during World Wars, can be found. Diving in Venice also takes place in the shallows of the Gulf of Venice, which were baptised ‘tegnue’ by Venetian fishermen. The Tegnue are natural reefs characterised by a rocky substrate and a wealth of marine life.
Scuba diving in Venice is possible from various dive centres located within the centre and the cities outskirts. Many of the dive centres offer the full range of dive courses, from becoming open water certified to gaining a professional qualification. The Veneto region is also home to a 5* dive resort, ready to help divers and freedivers explore the Adriatic Sea.
Dive Activity
Diving in Venice
If you find yourself in Italy and happen to be something of a wreck-enthusiasts while diving, Venice offers a fantastic selection. Several of the wrecks such as the ‘B24 Liberator’ lie in the shallows, so even if you’ve never explored a wreck before, diving in the Veneto region could see the discovery of your first. History buffs will delight in witnessing Royal Destroyer’s from the Second World War laid to rest on the seafloor. If you prefer reef diving, the Tegnue’s are ideal. At depths ranging from 8 to 40 metres, natural reefs thriving with aquatic plants and fish offer an incredible adventure into the underwater realm.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Venice
The unique ecosystems of Tegnue are dominated by red calcareous algae, offering up a red and rocky seascape not unlike to how we’d imagine the surface of Mars. The rocky substrate offers protection and shelter to hermit crabs, sea stars, lobsters and small benthic fish. In turn, the biodiverse reef attracts the pelagic fish species of the Adriatic who come to feed in the thriving aquatic environment. The fish that arrive range from thrushes, pouches, scorpionfish, and conger eel to sea bream and snapper. Those who venture onto the wrecks in the Gulf of Venice and further afield will find lobsters and clams attached to ship’s bodies that are encrusted with a dense layer of coral.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 7000
iStock-Michael Zeigler
Crab
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Total number of species: 190
Alamy-Water Frame
Conger Eel
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Total number of species: 250
iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.
Scorpionfish
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Total number of species: 90
Shutterstock-Levent Konuk
Goatfish
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 3000
SSI-Peter-Schinck
Nudibranch
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The best Months to Dive in Venice
The scuba diving season in Venice runs from April through to November, with the month of August the most popular time to dive - if you like to avoid crowds dive outside of August. The months of June, July, August and September see the most comfortable water temperatures, often reaching up to 26℃. In the winter months, diving is still available on request from several dive centres but the water temperature can drop below 10℃, making diving without a dry suit an activity that few would recommend.
