Diving in Europe

Can anyone suggest any good diving sights in Europe. I am wanting to book a cheapish holiday for Easter and we would like to get in a couple of dives while we are there. Can anyone recommend anywhere?

Hi, not sure about your diving experience or what you are used to/like, but have done some diving in Europe this year:

• Ustica - an island off of Sicily is great. The tip of an inactive volcano, pretty much 100% protected. Dived with a great place called Profundo Blue. Lots of fish life and great topography with walls, caverns, wrecks etc. Profundo were in addition great hosts, the boat and accomodation were fab, wine and olives on arrival etc, I can't wait to go back. Paolo & Anne are the owners. And, you're in Italy so the apres dive is superb. Ryan Air fly to Sicily.
• Croatia - lots of places to dive from Debrovnik (prob spelt wrong!) to the islands. Great visability. I spent a couple of days in Vis, an island that was a military base for years, so very protected re fishing etc. A real range of diving from wrecks to achaological diving. Great for variety.
• Malta/Gozo - went at Christmas, water was 14 degrees, the vis was 30m + and it hadnt stopped raining for a week when we arrived, so god knows what the vis is like in good weather! Maltaqua were a great school, I did a rescue course with them. There is everything in Malta you could want - wrecks, reefs, again, great topography, swim throughs etc. It can be a bit "chicken and chips" depending on where you stay, lots of brits visit, but great diving.

If you haven't dived in Europe or colder water before, first impressions can be "less life", but its all there, its just not in your face as per the tropics. Also, the topography really adds to the diving with great seascapes and it seems, lots of wrecks.

Have also heard that the canary islands have great diving and will be trying out Sardinia in a few weeks (over easter in fact).

Lots to discover! Have a great trip.

Annette

croatia (cool wrecks), cornatii islands, Îles d'Hyères (cote azur, france) spain, malta

About diving in Spain, I would reccomend Illes Medas Maritime Park (Medas Islands, in the "Costa Brava") in Girona, north Barcelona. Ryanair flys to Girona. It can be very crowded if you go in Spanish Easter holydays.

I stayed in an apartment for 28€ night (4 pax) and each dive cost us 35€.

Canary Islands have a great weather at that time, and if you want nice pleasant diving, I would reccomend Fuerteventura, head to "Punta Amanay", I did my OW with them and that's why I'm a scuba junkie right now. All the Canary Islands are quite cheap and the diving was the same price as I mentioned before, ans the sun over there is worthless.

You can also have great dives in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria; Menorca; Columbretes (Castellón, close to Valencia) and so on...

Cheers!

here some links to trips we organized for our club with some information:
http://subaqua.web.cern.ch/subaqua/Photos/2007-05-10-Iles-Frioul-Annonce/
http://subaqua.web.cern.ch/subaqua/Photos/2007-09-Medes-Annonce/

cheers Pierre.baehler@cern.ch