Snorkeling In The Mediterranean – Tips On Where And When To Go

Are you planning to go snorkeling in the Mediterranean this summer? Then you probably want to know where you find the best marine life and clearest waters of this huge body of water that sits between Europe, Africa and Asia. Although the Mediterranean Sea does not have such colorful coral reefs as the tropics, but still offers a lot to see for those who wish to grab a mask, snorkel along with a pair of fins, and explore the underwater world. We have traveled and snorkeled in many spots in the Mediterranean and in this guide, we tell you what places you should consider visiting, what species you can see, and when to schedule your trip for the best experience.

10 Best Spots To Go Snorkeling In The Mediterranean

Here are our favorite snorkel spots in the Mediterranean region!

Balearic Islands – Spain

Situated in the western Mediterranean, the Balearic Islands are the perfect summer destination for those who seek scenic coastlines, top-notch beaches and fine food while on vacation. This Spanish archipelago comprises four main islands – Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera.

Mallorca is the largest of the four and boasts a diverse landscape of mountains, valleys, and beaches. Menorca is known for its unspoiled and rugged coastline, Ibiza is world-famous for its nightlife, while Formentera is the smallest of the four islands and is known for its rustic serenity and hippy-tinged vibe.

The common feature of these four breathtakingly beautiful islands is that they all have superb beaches, clear waters, and rich marine life. If you are looking for good snorkeling in Europe, consider visiting one of the Balearics (or all)!

Corsica – France

The fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean, Corsica – between southern France and north-western Italy – is known for its beautiful white sand beaches and stunning scenery with red cliffs, mountains, and stone villages dotting the coastline. But not only the magnificent landscape that makes Corsica a popular destination; thanks to its crystal-clear waters and preserved marine ecosystem, this island is also one of the top snorkeling sites in the Mediterranean area.

The more than 1,000 km long coastline offers numerous magnificent beaches, which are often ranked among the most beautiful ones in the world! The excellent water clarity ensures that you can observe interesting species of fish and sea creatures when you put on your mask.

Many Corsica snorkeling spots have seagrass meadows nearby, which means there is a high chance of seeing cuttlefish, moray eels, breams, and stingrays. At rocky shorelines, swimming through caverns and underwater rock formations will add an adrenaline boost. If you fancy staying in a place nicknamed the Island of Beauty, Corsica is the perfect spot for you this summer!

One of Corsica’s most remarkable snorkeling spots is the Calanques de Piana UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is famous for its red cliffs and crystalline waters. To visit this site, join a Calanques de Piana excursion.

Zakynthos – Greece

One of the most popular Greek vacation destinations in the heart of the transparent watery Ionian Sea, Zakynthos attracts thousands of visitors year after year. Although the main attraction is the Navagio Beach’s iconic shipwreck, the island is also famous for its Caretta caretta turtle population, so those who want to swim with turtles while snorkeling in Greece should choose Zante as their destination.

This turtle species lives in the Mediterranean and lays eggs between June and August, always on the same beach where they were born. Turtles can be seen all over the island, but mostly around the southern areas.

The best snorkel spots in Zakynthos to see turtles are Kalamaki, Dafni, and Gerakas beaches, where you can simply enter the water from the shore. If you prefer boat trips, we recommend this eco-friendly turtle spotting tour. With its breathtaking landscape, vibrant culture, and superb marine life, Zante will make you fall in love with Greece.

Sardinia – Italy

If you are looking for the best place for snorkeling in the Mediterranean, consider visiting Sardinia. This Italian Island is a family-friendly destination where you will find sandy beaches to play in the surf with your kids, but also rocky shores with crystalline waters which are ideal for snorkeling and to experience the underwater world.

The richness of underwater life in Sardinian coastal waters is well known, particularly in protected regions like the Capo Carbonara Marine Reserve, which is best visited with a guided snorkeling tour.

Most of the Mediterranean’s most iconic species may be found here, including the common dentex, gilt-head bream, amberjack, and dusky grouper. Red sea stars, cucumbers, sea urchins, and sea anemones can even be found at shallow depths.

Related post: Sardinia snorkeling places

Malta

A small island nation with a rich history, Malta is the Mediterranean’s most popular tourist destination that offers not only lots of historical attractions to explore but also good snorkeling. Thanks to its crystal-clear waters and many rocky beaches, you can observe diverse marine life simply by putting on goggles and a pair of fins.

If you want to explore one of the most unique places to snorkel in the Mediterranean, we recommend heading to Anchor Bay, on the island’s northwest coast. Also known as Popeye Village, this location is where the Popeye musical was filmed. Nowadays, the village functions as an attraction park with a museum and shows to experience, but the best part is that it is situated in a protected bay where snorkeling is simply fantastic!

To access this snorkel spot, get an admission ticket to Popeye Village that grants you access to the fun park and its beach, or walk down to the bay through the nearby dirt track. You can enjoy swimming over seagrass meadows and observing vibrant marine life here, including many types of fish, octopuses, and moray eels. We even spotted a cuttlefish here!

Related post: Where to go snorkeling in Malta?

Cyprus

Nicknamed the “Island of Love”, Cyprus is another must-see destination thanks to its diverse landscape, clear sea, tidy beaches, and of course, underwater attractions!

The rocky shoreline offers fantastic conditions to explore the Mediterranean’s marine life; you can observe a variety of fish and even swim with turtles, as the island is an important breeding site for Caretta caretta (Loggerhead) and Green sea turtles.

Also, there is another unusual, yet worth-to-see snorkeling site in Cyprus; the underwater museum in Ayia Napa. The MUSAN consists of more than 90 underwater statues in shallow depths (8-10m/26-32ft) so they are perfectly visible while snorkeling thanks to the fantastic water clarity.

Made of a special PH-neutral concrete-like material that promotes coral and algae growth, the sculptures will attract marine life to the area. When in Cyprus, do not miss out on visiting this special Mediterranean snorkeling spot; we enjoyed it so much that we returned two times!

Capri – Italy

Capri is a favorite holiday destination for the wealthy and celebrities due to its exquisite hotels, well-known restaurants, and world-class shopping. But, it is also a fantastic snorkeling destination in Italy, thanks to its rocky terrain and intriguing marine tunnels.

Snorkeling from the shore is good on pebble beaches like Bagni di Tiberio and Cala Grande beaches. We also loved Marina Piccola beach, which consists of three little rocky beaches with clear water where you can see some marine life. However, the island can be pretty busy during the peak summer period, making the beaches crowded; therefore, we recommend choosing a private boat tour so that you can see the island’s coastline and access prime snorkel spots comfortably.

Medes Islands – Spain

An archipelago about 150 km from Barcelona on the Costa Brava Coast in Spain, the Medes Islands are a must-visit if you are looking for good snorkeling in Europe. Accessible by boat tours from L’Estartit, the islands are part of a marine reserve and are home to rich underwater flora and fauna.

The Medes Islands are a great place to go snorkeling in Spain and learn about the Mediterranean Sea’s ecosystem and its many different species of marine life. You can see various fish here such as rainbow wrasse, damselfish, sea bass, and sea breams but also barracudas and groupers. Moreover, some rare soft coral species can also be observed.

Sicily – Italy

With an abundance of archaeological sites, charming villages, rugged coastline, crystal-clear seas and some of the Mediterranean’s oldest marine reserves, Sicily is a destination worth adding to your travel list. Around the island, there are numerous snorkeling places, most of which are easily accessible from the beach.

The finest Sicily snorkeling spots are the country’s marine protected areas, such as the Riserva Naturale Del Plemmirio on the east coast. Book a Plemmirio Reserve tour and enjoy swimming among schools of seabreams, tropical-colored wrasses, and moray eels in some of the clearest Mediterranean waters.

You may also expect to encounter dusky groupers (juveniles are surprisingly plentiful at snorkeling depths), giant gilt-head bream, bigger amberjacks, and even barracudas. Filled with natural beauty, good food, and warm people, Sicily is an incredibly rewarding destination and always a good travel destination.

Albania

Albania might not be a top-rated Mediterranean snorkeling destination, but in fact, this southeastern European country has surprisingly nice rocky beaches wit crystalline waters inviting for some underwater exploration.

Our favorite snorkeling place in Albania is Dhermi Beach, located on the country’s southern coast in the Ionian Sea. This place is famous for a naturally created cave called “Pirate’s Cave” and offers fantastic scenery with olive trees surrounding it. Dhermi is a great place to relax, enjoy the laid-back vibe, and go for refreshing swims while you can see interesting underwater rock formations in the clear water.

What Can You See While Snorkeling In The Mediterranean Sea?

The Mediterranean waters offer an excellent glimpse of marine life. Various fish species, such as cardinalfish, ornate and rainbow wrasses, seabream species, and groupers, are frequently observed in the area, as are moray eels, octopuses, and cuttlefish. The stony seabed has caves and fissures with walls covered in algae, sponges, and colorful anemones.

Posidonia meadows -usually found near sandy beaches- offer a lot to see too. It is easy to spot red sea stars, sea cucumbers, and also rays and skates that spend most of their time over the sand where they seek shrimp, crabs, mollusks, and shrimp or bury themselves under a thin layer of sand in order to remain unnoticed and rest.

Although the Mediterranean Sea does not have vibrant coral reefs like the Caribbean Sea, the Indian Ocean, or the Red Sea, it still has rich and varied underwater life and offers good snorkeling spots.

What Is The Best Time To Snorkel In The Mediterranean?

The Med countries are year-round destinations with fantastic outdoor activity options in all seasons, but snorkelers should come in the summer when the sea and air temperatures are the most comfortable for water activities.

However, since the Mediterranean is a huge area covering more than 2,500,000 km2 (970,000 sq mi), there are notable climate differences between the regions.

The warmest weather and like this, warmest air and sea temps you can expect when visiting the southern countries like Malta, Southern Italy, Sicily, Southern Greece, or Cyprus where the sea temperatures reaches 25-26°C/77-78.8°F during summer and the water remains pleasantly warm until mid-autumn.

The northern countries, like Albania, Greece’s northern coast and ita islands, Northern Italy, Corsica, the French and Spanish coastline and islands also have a warm climate, but expect milder water temps even during the summer months; the maximum sea temperature ranges between 21-24°C/70-75°F in these countries.

Given the hot, sunny weather and school holidays time, note that July and August are peak seasons for Mediterranean vacationers meaning most beaches and coves will be crowded. Therefore, if you can, schedule your visit for the shoulder seasons. Late spring and early autumn are also extraordinary times to snorkel throughout the Mediterranean with pleasantly warm air and seas but without crowds.

What To Pack For A Mediterranean Snorkeling Vacation?

What gear to pack when planning a snorkeling trip is a key point, as you don’t want to miss out on fantastic adventures because you forgot your equipment at home. For snorkeling in the Mediterranean, we recommend bringing the following:

• Snorkel Set: While traveling throughout the Mediterranean, we learned that it is not common to find affordable gear rental like at other popular snorkeling destinations, so we recommend bringing your own equipment. If you have limited space in your luggage, get a travel-size snorkel set.
• Underwater Camera Or GoPro (plus accessories you use): Although there are no colorful coral reefs in the Mediterranean Sea, there are lots of interesting creatures that are worth capturing. Bring your camera or a pocket-sized GoPro to record your adventures.
• Rash Guard: The Mediterranean sun is strong; you can get sunburned easily, especially when near or in the water, so don’t leave your rash guard at home. We love using these types of clothes when snorkeling because they protect the skin from the sun and help prevent jellyfish stings.
• Wetsuit: Water temperatures in the Mediterranean are lower than in the tropics, so if you quickly get cold when snorkeling, pack a shorty or 3mm thick wetsuit that will keep you warm while in the water.
• Water Shoes: Most Mediterranean beaches are rocky, so don’t forget to bring beach shoes so you can walk along the sea comfortably and safely.

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