Is Portofino & San Fruttuoso good for beginner divers?

Yes, partly: 1 of the 1 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Christ of the Abyss (Cristo degli Abissi), San Fruttuoso. The others need more experience or a higher certification.

What is the water temperature in Portofino & San Fruttuoso?

The water is usually between 15 °C and 27 °C over the year.

What marine life can you see in Portofino & San Fruttuoso?

Divers regularly see barracuda, crustaceans, octopus, scorpionfish, groupers and moray eels.

Portofino & San Fruttuoso

Diving in Italy

Known for barracuda, crustaceans and octopus.

Good months: All year
Water: 15–27 °C
Levels: Open Water

When to go

Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.

Pick a month

Best
Good
Possible
Closed
Not documented yet

Portofino & San Fruttuoso in October

Good season

Sea: 21 °C; at the surface
Air: 21 °C; 15 °C at night
Rain: 280 mm; one of the wettest months
Wind: 8 km/h; on average

Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind) and 2023–2025 (sea), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.

PADI describes Portofino diving as rewarding throughout the year; no source gives best months or closures. Every month is shown as good, reflecting year-round diving only. Water is coolest in winter/spring (~15 °C) and warmest late Aug–early Sep (26–27 °C).

Source: travel.padi.com

The dive

Open Water friendly

usual dive down to 18 m1 site

The Christ of the Abyss statue, San Fruttuoso

Christ of the Abyss (Cristo degli Abissi), San Fruttuoso

A bronze Christ placed in 1954 on the floor of San Fruttuoso bay, inside the Portofino Marine Protected Area.

Open Water

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

Reported here, season not documented yet:

Barracuda
Crustaceans
Octopus
Scorpionfish
Groupers
Moray eels
Snappers
Corals
Dolphins
Tuna

Where is Portofino & San Fruttuoso?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Portofino (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth

Portofino & San Fruttuoso: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Portofino & San Fruttuoso?: Portofino & San Fruttuoso can be dived all year round. PADI describes Portofino diving as rewarding throughout the year; no source gives best months or closures. Every month is shown as good, reflecting year-round diving only. Water is coolest in winter/spring (~15 °C) and warmest late Aug–early Sep (26–27 °C).
Is Portofino & San Fruttuoso good for beginner divers?: Yes, partly: 1 of the 1 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Christ of the Abyss (Cristo degli Abissi), San Fruttuoso. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
What is the water temperature in Portofino & San Fruttuoso?: The water is usually between 15 °C and 27 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Portofino & San Fruttuoso?: Divers regularly see barracuda, crustaceans, octopus, scorpionfish, groupers and moray eels.

About this page

Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.

All destinations

Your next dive is somewhere out there.

Find my next dive trip

Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash

Photo credits

The Christ of the Abyss statue, San Fruttuoso, Lucianoro1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash