Diving in Sorrento

This could well be one of the most picturesque and famous coastlines in the world. Sheer cliffs plunge vertically into clear blue Mediterranean waters, interrupted only by idyllic little beaches and impossibly beautiful coastal villages. Magnificent villas, vineyards and citrus groves, carved over the centuries into the cliff walls, tower above the winding coast road. Southern Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula pierces the Mediterranean, pointing straight at the legendary island of Capri and splitting the Gulf of Naples from the Bay of Salerno. Nowhere is more than an enthusiastic stone’s through from the water. It was here that the sirens of Greek mythology tempted sailors on to the rocky shore, and today, divers can still find remnants from the cargos of ancient wrecks. Diving in the region is typified by the same topography found on shore: Steep drop-offs, caves and caverns. The jewel in its crown is the protected marine area of Punta Campanella. With some 40 kilometres/25 miles of coastline, the protected area allows limited use with permission of the managing authority ensuring a healthy marine ecosystem. The protected area also covers the shore, where well-marked trails guide visitors through citrus groves, forests and ancient archaeological sites to magnificent viewpoints.