Dive trip Catania Marine Park, Area Marina Protetta Isole Ciclopi

Swimming, diving, snorkelling and apnea in Italy in Catania Marine Park, Area Marina Protetta Isole Ciclopi

Make a diversion to Catania on your diving trip to Sicily. Swim, dive, snorkel, and freediver in the Cyclops Islands marine nature reserve, Area Marina Protetta Isole Ciclopi, between Capo Mulini and Punta Aguzza, in the province of Catania. Covering an area of 623 hectares, the tiny Cyclops archipelago includes the Lachea islands, the large Faraglione, and the small Faraglione, as well as 4 other large rocks arranged in an arc around the village of Acitrezza. Legend has it that the Cyclops Polyphemus, blinded by Ulysses and enraged, threw these large rocky megaliths into the water. The marine reserve's basaltic rocky coastline is the result of lava flows from the Etna volcano, which turned the seabed upside down. Suffice it to say that the underwater landscapes are very interesting to explore! Holders of PADI Deep Diver certification who enjoy current and depth, explore some of the most beautiful dive sites in Sicily at Faro di Capo Mulini. Certified PADI Open Water Diver, immerse yourself in a depth of around twenty meters at the Percorso Archeologico, I Panettoni, or Faraglione Piccolo dive sites, drained by a gentle current. Catania's dive sites, such as L'antico Macello, Il Castello, Casa del Principe, and Punta Aguzza, are more accessible to PADI Advanced Open Water divers, with depths of 22, 34, and 40 meters respectively.

Lovers of marine biology and expert macro photographers will be delighted by the presence of several species of Rhodophyta red algae, Chlorophyta green algae, and Phaeophyceae brown algae. Take your magnifying glass underwater to see colonies of Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa. As far as fauna is concerned, the Cyclops Islands marine nature reserve lies where the Tyrrhenian Sea meets the Ionian Sea. During your diving holiday in Catania, discover the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean and find a wide variety of invertebrates here. Are you a non-diving companion? Make the most of your holiday in Sicily to visit the marine reserve yourself by boarding a glass-bottomed boat from Aci Trezza, which is also suitable for people with reduced mobility. Organize a boat trip with the park's guides around the archipelago to swim in the crystal-clear waters around the Cyclops islands and climb the rock to the hermit's grotto on the island of Lachea. The small museum on the marine environment is well worth a visit. Established in 1989, Area Marina Protetta Isole Ciclopi is jointly managed by the University of Catania and the municipality of Aci Castello.