Mediterranean · Italy
Polignano a Mare & Monopoli
Sea caves and sheer walls in the shore coves between the two towns
Polignano a Mare and Monopoli face the Adriatic on the coast of Puglia, and the local centres dive the shore between them as one stretch: sheer walls, sea caves and underwater passages in coves such as Cala Incina and Cala Paura, reached from shore or by RIB. Just off the coast, the islet of San Paolo, known as Scoglio dell'Eremita, drops away in a wall, while Secca dell'ancora and the Penelope cargo wreck sit deeper still. The rocky seabed has been included among Puglia's regional protected areas.
About diving in Polignano a Mare & Monopoli
Most diving happens along the shoreline between Polignano and Monopoli, in coves dived from shore, some of them deep enough to reach 24 m. A RIB takes divers further out, to the islet of San Paolo, to other points where walls drop beyond 35 m, and to the wreck of the Gulten Islamoglu. Guided outings run about three hours.
The seabed is rock riddled with crevices, cracks and submerged grottoes. Cala Incina has sheer faces with caves and caverns that are easy to enter, Cala Paura hides several caves and underwater passages, and the islet wall is full of clefts. Octopus, cuttlefish, moray eels, scorpionfish and hermit crabs turn up along this coast, with colourful nudibranchs and sponges on the rock.
The coast suits divers who want caves, swim-throughs and walls within reach of the shore. It also works for those still building confidence: divers back after a long break can do a refresh session with an instructor before rejoining the guided dives, and those with no certification can try a guided dive to 5 m with a dedicated instructor.
Best time to dive Polignano a Mare & Monopoli
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair |
September is the pick, with the sea at 24–25 °C and the summer crowds gone; May and June are quiet too, and the water bottoms out near 14 °C in midwinter.
Dive types & marine life
Conger eels, octopus, lobsters, big white sea bream and brown meagre (corvina) shelter in the holes and cracks along the wall of Scoglio dell'Eremita, where congers, octopus and corvina are residents. The gentler slope at the islet's outer end carries a dense stand of Axinella cannabina sponges.
- Cave & cavern
- Wall
- Wreck
- Night
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Polignano a Mare & Monopoli
- 1
Cala Incina
Sheltered inlet on the Monopoli–Polignano boundary, with a Madonna statue in a cave at 14 m; 18 m max.
- 2
Cala Paura
Small cove north of Polignano with caves and passages in about 16 m, a relaxed night dive.
- 3
Scoglio dell'Eremita
Islet wall falling to 24 m on its north side, then 250 m along to the outer point at 32 m.
- 4
Grotta delle Corvine
Coralligenous wall dive from 12 to 22 m, built around the single cave that opens in the rock face.
- 5
Secca dell'ancora
Offshore wall off Monopoli starting at 28 m and running down to 49 m.
- 6
Relitto Penelope
Old cargo ship lying off Polignano between 50 and 65 m.
Site guides
A statue of the Madonna placed inside a cave at 14 m
Wall
Grottoes and underwater passages reached straight from a beach
One cave with two wide mouths set in a coralligenous wall
Sponge-lined grottoes outside an old fishermen's cove
Wreck
An old cargo ship resting in deep water off Polignano
A long swim along the north wall to the islet's outer point
A deep offshore wall on a shoal off Monopoli
How to get to Polignano a Mare & Monopoli
Bari airport is 48 km from Polignano a Mare. From the airport, a shuttle or light metro reaches Bari central station in about 30 minutes, and the train from Bari to Monopoli takes about 30 minutes more.
Questions divers ask
Are the dives at Polignano a Mare and Monopoli from shore or by boat?+
Both. Cala Incina, Cala Paura and Grotta delle Corvine are shore dives, while Secca dell'ancora and the Penelope wreck are reached by RIB. Scoglio dell'Eremita, a few tens of metres off the south edge of Polignano, is dived both ways; from shore the swim out crosses a bottom of about 6 to 7 m.
Is there night diving around Polignano a Mare?+
Yes. Guided night dives run on this coast for Advanced-certified divers, and Cala Paura is the cove suited to an easy night dive.
Can Polignano and Monopoli be dived on one trip?+
Yes. The towns are 8 km and a 10-minute train ride apart, and the centres dive the shore between them as one coast; Cala Incina sits on the boundary between the two.
Sources
- Immersioni - Diving Subinastinenza — Diving Subinastinenza
- Dive Blu Monopoli — Dive Blu Monopoli
- Diving | Dive Blu Monopoli — Dive Blu Monopoli
- escursioni subacquee - La Scuola del Mare — La Scuola del Mare
- La costa di Polignano a Mare — Immersion Bisceglie
- Monopoli average sea temperatures — seatemperature.org
- Monopoli vs Polignano a Mare — La Terra di Puglia
- Monopoli – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Polignano a Mare – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
Embed
Run a dive centre, club or blog? Embed this map of 4 dive sites near Polignano a Mare & Monopoli on your own page.
Similar destinations
A 40 m wall under the monastery filmed in The Big Blue
A cluster of cavern dives at Paleokastritsa, wrecks and reefs off the north-east coast
Tunnels, walls and a shallow wreck under the Montgrí cliffs, dived from L'Escala
Three seamounts, a navy-tug wreck and gorgonian walls between Palamós and Cap de Begur