Up Salento Diving

Situated in the heart of Salento, UP Salento Diving provides access to some of the most distinctive underwater topography in southern Italy. The centre's operations are focused on the rugged coastline stretching between Santa Cesarea Terme, Castro, and Otranto, where the geology creates a series of striking underwater features.

You will spend your time exploring the famous sulphurous caves, such as Fetida, Gattulla, Solfurea, and Solfatara. These sites offer a unique environment for both scuba divers and snorkelers, providing a different experience compared to standard reef or wall diving.

The centre is a PADI affiliated diving operation managed by Elisa Corvaglia. They maintain a highly multilingual team, capable of providing instruction and guidance in English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, German, French, Dutch, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and Thai.

A significant aspect of their service is their commitment to accessibility. They specialise in diving for the blind and visually impaired, ensuring that the underwater world is accessible to those with different sensory needs. For those looking to start their journey, they also offer Discover Scuba Diving programmes.

UP Salento Diving offers a comprehensive curriculum of PADI courses. For those beginning their training, they provide the Open Water Diver and Advanced Diver certifications. More experienced divers can progress through the Rescue Diver and Divemaster programmes.

Specialised training is also available, including the PADI Wreck Diver course and Night Diver certification. For those interested in non-scuba exploration, they offer Snorkel Guide training.

The centre utilises gommoni (RIBs) to reach the dive sites along the coast. These boats allow for efficient transit to the various cave systems and coastal sites between Castro and Otranto. The centre provides transport from the main entrance to the embarkation point at Porto Miggiano, which is approximately 1km away.

Full equipment hire is available on-site for divers who do not wish to travel with their own kit. This includes all the necessary components for a dive, from regulators to wetsuits. For snorkelers, the centre provides masks, snorkels, fins, and wetsuits, as well as life jackets for both adults and children.

The centre is located in Santa Cesarea Terme with parking available just 50m from the entrance. They offer a pick-up service from Castro or Otranto upon request to assist with logistics.

The local marine life is diverse, with divers regularly encountering a variety of aquatic life throughout the Salento coast. During the dawn hours, you may have the chance to see tuna and dolphins passing through the area.

The underwater scenery is defined by the local aquatic life that inhabits the caves and coastal structures. You will find a variety of species that thrive in the unique environment created by the sulphurous waters and rocky outcrops.

The centre operates guided dives and snorkeling trips depending on the weather. In the event of poor weather conditions, the centre offers a policy where experiences are either postponed or fully refunded.