Lake Garda - Sport & outdoor

Diving in Lake Garda

The most interesting dive sites

The largest lake in Italy offers many possibilities for diving enthusiasts. This is why, in addition to being well known by sailors, Lake Garda is also a great destination for divers.

In fact, this huge lake has always been considered among the best places to dive in continental Europe, thanks to its clean waters, pleasant temperatures and diversity of experiences available.

In Lake Garda, it is possible to organize spectacular dives for both beginner and expert divers. Let’s discover why this lake is so unique, and why it has so much to offer to diving enthusiasts.

Lake Garda – Dive sites of all types and for all levels

Let’s start with some Lake Garda numbers. The lake surface is 370 square kilometres; it has an average depth of 144 meters, and a maximum depth of 346 meters, in the area between Tignale and Castelletto. As for the altitude, the water surface is 65 meters above sea level.

Proficient divers are well aware that fresh water diving is an excellent way to learn, and to keep fit without the need to dive in the sea. For this reason, in Riva del Garda and in the surrounding areas there are many diving schools that offer courses for divers of all levels, including beginners – don’t forget that our guests can access exclusive discounts with diving clubs! Of course, lake temperatures are often frightening for those used to diving at sea. But Lake Garda is not as cold as one might fear! In summer, surface water temperature is around 26 degrees, reaching 11 degrees at a depth of 30 meters. However, in winter the temperature is between 6 and 8 degrees.

However, it is not only the temperatures that set lake diving apart from regular sea diving. To dive in Lake Garda, in addition to having a wetsuit suitable for “cool” temperatures, it is necessary to use fewer weights, as fresh water is less buoyant. Also, don’t forget to carry a torch, even during the daytime.

The most famous dive sites in Lake Garda

Lake Garda offers a very wide range of satisfying dives. Given its size, it’s not surprising there’s a wide variety of sites to choose from. You’ll find all kinds of dives – archaeological, deep, for beginners, for experts, in caves, along sheer cliffs and so on. It’s possible to discover a multitude of fish, including pike, eel, carp, trout, perch, chub, sun fish and many others.

Here are some of Lake Garda’s best dive sites

Porto San Nicolò – Silent Christ: in Riva del Garda, right in front of our Residence, there is one of the best known and most interesting dive sites. The site is protected by buoys, which allow you to easily and safely reach the famous statue of the Silent Christ, and discover the unique seabed – with algae-covered slopes on one side, between 3 and 15 meters depth, dropping down to 40 meters on the other, with vertical walls. This is undoubtedly a fun dive, suitable for divers of all levels. The main feature is the Silent Christ, a metal statue over 3 meters high, positioned 15 meters below the waves.

Punta Vo – Madonnina dei sub: in the waters of Desenzano, there’s another dive featuring a statue. In this case, we are talking about the Madonnina dei sub, a small statue of the Virgin Mary holding a cylinder in her hands. The statue is known as the protector of scuba divers, and since 1971 it can be found at 8 meters depth.

Malcesine – Delsy Wreck: a dive to discover the Delsy, one of the most beautiful wrecks in Lake Garda. The trawler sank in 1991, and it is at 40 meters depth – it is easy to identify its position thanks to a blue fender on the surface, about 50 meters from the shore.

Lazise – Venetian Galea: at a depth of around 25 meters, 500 meters from the port of Lazise, an ancient wreck was discovered in the 1960s, This is a unique opportunity to see an ancient hull, about 30 meters long. Definitely fascinating!

Torri del Benaco – Presepe: there are many places where one would never expect to find a presepe, a Nativity scene. One of these is certainly the bottom of Lake Garda. Yet, you can indeed see one by diving into the Veronese shore of Lake Garda! The Nativity is at 24 meters depth, not too far from the shore, near an overhang.

These are just some of the many, many dives you can experience in Lake Garda. Our Residence Centro Vela will help you make your diving experience perfect, with many special services for divers. We have special agreements with clubs for discounts, a storage room for equipment, a room specially designed to dry wetsuits during the winter season, free parking and much more. And you will be just a few steps – and a few strokes – away from the Silent Christ!