Diving in Northern Greece

Chalkidiki (also commonly spelled Halkidiki) is the top holiday destination in all of northern Greece because of its seaside resorts, gorgeous natural scenery, and glamorous beaches. A peninsula which is made up of three individual peninsulas, like lush mountainous fingers jutting into the oh-so-blue Aegean waters.
There is Kassandra where you will find the most popular tourist beaches, resorts and hotels, Sithonia which is more secluded and quiet with a number of private coves, and finally, Athos which is the home of a closed monastic community. This peninsula can only be accessed by men and these men must obtain special permission.

All three peninsulas offer incredible diving experiences. There are even special trips organized to dive in the waters off the coast of Athos. On the southern tip of Kassandra, there is currently an effort that is ongoing to get the area classified as a marine protected area. There is a lot of spearfishing, line fishing and trawling that goes on here so the natural marine life is being threatened. There are currently conservation efforts that mostly aim at education both locals and visitors about the dangers of overfishing that are being undertaken by the residents of the area but without official protection, the loss of marine life will be ongoing.

The descriptions provided here are intended as general information and personal experiences related to specific dive sites and locations and should not be construed as definitive advice or recommendations. Before diving, please confirm that diving is permitted at your chosen location, and comply with all relevant local laws, regulations, and posted signage. The responsibility for verifying the legality of the dive and assessing any associated risks rests entirely with you.