Best places for scuba diving in Europe

I'm currently planning my summer vacation and looking for some incredible scuba diving spots within Europe. I have my Advanced Open Water certification and am hoping to find destinations with crystal clear water, vibrant marine life, and maybe a few interesting wrecks. Where would you recommend for an unforgettable diving experience?

Malta is honestly hard to beat for an Advanced Open Water diver! The wreck diving around Valletta and Gozo is world-class, and the visibility in the summer is usually incredible.

You should definitely look into Gozo, Malta. The Blue Hole and the Inland Sea offer breathtaking topography, crystal clear water, and plenty of marine life to explore at deeper levels.

If you want dramatic underwater landscapes and amazing wrecks, check out the Zenobia wreck in Larnaca, Cyprus. It's consistently rated one of the best dive sites in the Mediterranean.

Croatia is another fantastic option, especially around the Vis Island area. There are amazing military wrecks and WWII airplane ruins that fit your certification level perfectly.

For crystal clear water and volcanic underwater geography, I can't recommend the Canary Islands enough. El Hierro has a protected marine reserve with unbelievable biodiversity.

Make sure to check out the Medes Islands off the coast of Catalonia, Spain. The grouper population there is massive, and the underwater tunnels make for an unforgettable dive.

If your summer trip allows you to combine diving with a bit of inland exploration, taking one of the best road trips in Europe for nature lovers to reach the coast is an amazing way to travel.

Zakynthos in Greece has some stunning caves and drop-offs. The water is so blue and clear it almost feels like you're floating in mid-air.

Sardinia, Italy, specifically around the Capo Caccia marine area, offers incredible cave diving and vertical walls that will definitely test and reward your advanced skills.

Iceland's Silfra fissure is a totally different kind of diving, but with your certification, you can dive between two tectonic plates in water that is filtered for decades.

Montenegro is a rising star in the European diving scene. The wreck of the patrol boat Tihat near Petrovac is a really fun penetration dive for advanced divers.

After a long week of diving and exploring local coastal towns, you might want to check out some top European cities with the best street food to satisfy your post-dive cravings.

Crete has some wonderful wall dives and WWII wrecks. The visibility during the summer months is often well over 30 meters.

Turkey's Turquoise Coast, particularly around Fethiye and Kas, offers warm water, great visibility, and even an underwater sculpture park alongside ancient ruins.

Corsica in France has stunning granite reefs and crystal clear waters teeming with barracuda and eagle rays. Highly recommend checking out the Scandola Nature Reserve.