In recent days, the operation of the Visitable Underwater Archaeological Sites of the Western Pagasetic Gulf was officially inaugurated with great ceremony. Today, on Divelog, we strive to present you with a detailed guide to their operation.

The Region of Thessaly, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, has established the first network of visitable underwater archaeological sites. Following the “opening” of the Peristera Alonnisou shipwreck, others such as Telegraphos, Glaros, and Kikynthos have been added.

For visits to the shipwrecks, at present, no additional ticket is required beyond the fee of the diving center that must accompany you.

Diving centers wishing to explore these wrecks are required to have guides who have attended the special seminar organized by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities. Certified guides will inform you on how to navigate and supervise the dive to ensure it takes place without any issues in the area.

Restrictions and Requirements

During your dive at the archaeological sites, approaching exhibits at a distance less than 1.5 meters is not allowed, and hovering over them is prohibited. Removal of anything from the site, even if it has no archaeological significance, is not permitted.

As with all archaeological sites, photography for personal use is allowed, but commercial photography requires written permission from the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities.

Divers must have control of their buoyancy before diving into the underwater archaeological sites. Diving centers may request a trial dive before the visit to the wrecks.

Divers must be certified for the depth they are diving. If, for example, the wreck is at 25 meters, divers must have a certification equivalent to Advanced Open Water, etc.

Diving centers are obligated to have a trained guide for every four divers and must inform the port authority and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities at least one day in advance of their visit. If deemed necessary, an inspection of the vessel and the divers’ equipment may be requested after the dive.

Information Center

Similar to Steni Vala Alonnisou, Amaliapoli has an information center for the public, where visitors can learn about the archaeological sites, their history, and experience a “virtual dive” using virtual reality devices.

Read detailed guides for each wreck separately:

TELEGRAPHOS | GLAROS | KIKYNTHOS

Divelog.gr would like to thank the diving archaeologist Ms. Efi Vamvaka for her assistance in writing this article.