Archi E Grotte

About this dive site

This dive site is located in Catania, on one of the most beautiful coastal areas of Sicily. The name derives from the morphology of the seabed created by ancient lava flows, the last of which reached the sea approximately 6000 years ago. Despite its relatively shallow depths, this remains a particularly attractive dive, enjoyed even by experienced divers. Its uniqueness lies in the alternating arches and caves, their walls adorned with Astroides calycularis (Orange Brain Coral) and Parazoanthus axinellae (Sea Urchin). The dive begins at the bay beneath Diving, around 6 meters deep, on a flat seabed covered with large rocks called ‘Cutilisci.’ From there, a walk through several suggestive lava arches is undertaken, creating intense light games and hiding octopus dens. Various caves are explored along this route, including the Jonica Cave, named after the proximity to the Jonio Pro-Dive Catania dive center, and the Secret Cave, which can even lead to air bubbles where you’ll be amazed by the varied seabed morphology and vibrant colors, with Astroides Calycularis (Orange Brain Coral) and Parazoanthus Axinellae (Sea Urchin) as main protagonists. During the journey, encounters are common with groups of Saragus (Diplodus), Salpe (Sarpa Salpa), a few Epinephelinae (Cerniotto), and on the seabed you can easily find various small nudibranchs such as Flabellina affinis (Pink Flabellina) and Cratena peregrina (Pilgrim Nudibranch).