THE MOST EXCITING DIVE DESTINATION IN EUROPE

Along the Atlantic coast of Portugal, wreck lovers can explore exciting sunken ships. And fans of pelagics will love Madeira and the Azores for their diving spots in the open ocean, where whales and sharks await you.

Portugal is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state in mainland Europe, being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain.

Divers who want to explore the underwater world of Europe definitely need to put Portugal on their list. Portugals long Atlantic coastline offers many great dive spots from the Algarve up to Porto, especially for wreck lovers. The country has a long maritime history and for that reason, many sunken ships and even submarines can be discovered.

Portugal is also the best country in Europe to encounter pelagics like whales and sharks in the open Atlantic ocean.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT PORTUGAL?

The best time to visit Portugal is between April and October. At this time it´s European summer and the temperatures are mild to warm. The sea is calm and it´s also the best chance to see the pelagics off the coast of Madeira and the Azores. The average water temperature in the summer is around 23 degrees.

WHAT ARE THE BEST DIVE SPOTS IN PORTUGAL?

As we mentioned already, the islands Madeira and the Azores off the coast of Portugal are the best dive spots in the country. Their exposed location in the open Atlantic makes encounters with whales, sharks, mantas and mobulas possible. On the Azores, you also can dive with blue sharks from June to October.

But the mainland of Portugal also has some great dive spots to offer. The best diving is considered to be in the Algarve. Around Porto, you can explore two sunken wrecks, the U-boat U1277 and the Tiber. On top of that, there is a high chance to see turtles, as the coast is an important pathway for loggerhead and leatherback turtles.

LIVEABOARDS IN PORTUGAL

The best destination in Portugal for a dive safari is the Azores. As the Azores are 7 islands, you can cruise around to explore more great dive destinations than you would explore in a day trip. Also, many dive spots are far out in the ocean, like Princess Alice Bank, where you can see the blue sharks.