Diving in Barcelona: discover Barcelona... underwater!

The city of Barcelona, capital of Spain's Catalan region, is best known for its soccer team and its nightlife! Of course, the city is also known as an incredible vacation spot, as well as a charming city with much to offer locals and travelers alike. And locals and more sporty travelers alike know Barcelona for the sports resorts along the coast at Barceloneta and numerous scuba diving spots of the surrounding area! Barcelona and the Costa Brava offer some of the most beautiful diving sites in Europe!

Where to dive in Barcelona

There are many great scuba diving spots right around Barcelona, and even more along the Costa Brava. Generally speaking, diving in the Barcelona area is very interesting, as the crossroads between cold and temperate waters brings a surprising variety of marine life! What's more, there are numerous marine reserves along the coast!

First of all, at Barcelona Even so, there are several sites accessible to divers of all levels. Places like the Port Olimpico of Barcelona are perfect for taking your first certification course, before moving on to offshore diving! In fact, the sites near the port and in the more enclosed areas are great for getting your first bubbles, or regaining your confidence after a long period without diving. Then, still in the vicinity of Barcelona's Olympic Port, there are sites as deep as 30 meters! These are only a short boat ride away, and will delight divers with their abundant marine life.

About a 40-minute drive south of Barcelona lies Costes del Garraf. The road is panoramic for much of the coast, and the steep cliffs of the region end in a real underwater playground! Indeed, divers will find numerous sites, some accessible from the port of Vilanova and others by boat. There are fascinating underwater mountains, wrecks, caverns and rocky reefs to explore.

Then we move north to Costa del MaresmeThe Costa del Maresme is the name given to the stretch of coast between Barcelona and the start of the Costa Brava. The Costa del Maresme offers numerous wreck, cave and rock diving sites.

Finally, the Costa Bravais 160 kilometers of beach directly on the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal region stretches from the town of Blanes, some 60 km from Barcelona, to the French border. Scuba diving on the Costa Brava will appeal to all divers, thanks to a variety of dive sites and several marine reserves. The Medes Islands are a fine example of a marine reserve where flora and fauna proliferate and diving is a pleasure. On the Costa Brava's many dive sites, you can expect to dive in caves and caverns, on various shipwrecks, on reefs and even in gorgonian gardens. The marine fauna can range from small, colorful fish to schools of large groupers, and even rays!

When to dive in Barcelona

Diving in the Barcelona area is most popular in summer, although it's possible all year round. In fact, some of the more touristy clubs will simply close in autumn and resume their activities in spring. So, the best time to dive on the Costa Brava and around Barcelona is between the months of May and September.

Generally speaking, the scuba diving in Spain is done in warm or temperate water; this is also the case around Barcelona! What's more, visibility is often very good, at around 30 meters. Then, during the summer months, the water temperature averages 24°C/75°F. Diving conditions vary according to the location of the sites, but for the Barcelona area, they are mostly calm, with few marine currents.

On the other hand, if you're visiting Barcelona outside the summer season and would like to go diving, that's also possible. The water temperature drops by several degrees and conditions may be a little different, but the winter diving in Barcelona is still very beautiful! You'll need to equip yourself with a thicker wetsuit, or even a waterproof one, depending on the conditions. Check with local scuba diving clubs to prepare for your diving adventure in Barcelona!