Scuba diving in Portugal is perhaps a discipline on its own. If your experience so far is with warm waters, endless visibility and soft currents, the Atlantic offers a completely different world. 

I personally find that very attractive, as the more difficult the conditions, the smaller the number of people who’ve done it. 

At the end of the day, that is what an adventure is all about. Going outside of your comfort zone and experiencing something challenging will make the experience even more rewarding in the end. 

Hopefully, by now you got the message. Diving in Portugal isn’t for the faint of heart, but on the flip side, you will discover an underworld in perhaps its rawest format.

Table of Contents

Lagos & Alvor: A Soft Entry Into the Atlantic

For many beginners, Lagos is the easiest place to experience scuba diving in Portugal without jumping straight into rough Atlantic conditions. Nothing too extreme here, just rocky reefs, gentle slopes, and that first moment where you realise the ocean feels different on this side of Europe. The currents move more slowly, and you have plenty of space to move around. That being said, the temperature is very likely colder than you’re used to. 

What to expect

Reefs sit shallow, usually between 8 and 18 meters. Visibility is very moody. Some days you get 10–15 meters, other days you might not be able to see your own feet. Water swings around 19–22°C in summer, which feels colder at first but becomes part of the experience.

Marine life you are likely to encounter:  octopus, cuttlefish, wrasse, morays, spider crabs, and the occasional nudibranch hiding in the reef.

Practical notes

• Suitable for beginners and newly certified divers
• Diveable all year; best window is June–October
• 5mm wetsuit works fine in summer
• Short boat rides from both marinas

Sagres & Cabo de São Vicente: Raw Atlantic Walls and Caves

Sagres is where Europe ends, and the Atlantic shows its real personality. The ocean feels wilder, colder, more open, and more unpredictable, but that’s also what makes it one of the most memorable places you can dive in Portugal. On the right day, Sagres gives you steep walls, scattered boulders, tight passages, and sudden flashes of life drifting in from the offshore currents. It’s raw, but in the best possible way.

What to expect

Depths usually fall between 16 and 28 meters. You’ll feel more movement here: gentle surges along the rock faces, sharper drops in temperature, and occasional currents around the headlands. Visibility can shift, but when it clears, it reveals a completely different mood underwater.

Sites worth mentioning

• Ponta da Atalaia:  a dramatic wall sliding into darker water
• Baleeira:  a calmer reef that still has plenty going on
• Cathedral:  cave-like structures lit by clean overhead beams
• The Arch:  a natural swim-through that feels surprisingly cinematic

Who it’s for

Divers who want to step up. Sagres rewards patience and control; it punishes rushing. It’s the bridge between easy reef diving and the heavier, more demanding wreck sites along the coast.

Practical notes

• Best for intermediate divers with solid buoyancy
• Highly weather-dependent; winter cancellations are normal
• Expect cooler water year-round
• Strongly recommended to dive with local guides, they know how this corner of the Atlantic behaves

Portimão: Wreck Diving at the Ocean Revival Park

Wreck lovers often say that scuba diving in Portugal reaches its peak in Portimão thanks to the Ocean Revival park.

If Lagos is gentle and Sagres is raw, Portimão is where everything shifts again. Just offshore sits the Ocean Revival Underwater Park, four naval vessels deliberately sunk to form one of Europe’s largest artificial reefs. These aren’t scattered remains; they’re full ships. Long decks, tall structures, corridors where light fades into blue. Dropping onto them feels less like visiting a dive site and more like arriving in another world entirely.

The Wrecks of Portimão

The main vessels in the park include:

• Hermenegildo Capelo (Frigate)
• Oliveira e Carmo (Frigate)
• Zambeze (Patrol vessel)
• Almeida Carvalho (Hydrographic vessel)

Each lies at its own angle, spread between 15 and 32 meters. Conditions can swing from calm and open to dense and particulate, depending on tides and swell. Visibility sits in the familiar Algarve range of 5 to 15 meters.

The wrecks are big enough to feel imposing but still friendly to Open Water divers as long as you stay outside. Anything involving penetration requires proper training and patience.

What makes these wrecks special

Because they don’t reveal themselves at once. Even on days with average visibility, that moment when the shape of the ship starts emerging from the blue is impossible to forget. It’s slow, dramatic in its own quiet way, and always worth the descent.

My Dive: An unexpected delight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpzuTXC2EaE&pp=ygUVUG9ydGltYW8gd3JlY2sgZGl2aW5n2AayBg%3D%3D

After living for about 2 years in Portimão, I was still completely unaware of the rich underwater world in our region. In my defence, at the time, I wasn’t even scuba certified, hence that could, in some manner, justify my ignorance. 

For as long as I can remember, I enjoyed exploring abandoned sites and had on my bucket list a shipwreck dive. That ended up being stuck in the “one day” bucket for about 17 years until one day the opportunity reached me, although I wasn’t directly looking for it. 

Long story short (the longer version is in the video), I connected with a local instructor, did my PADI training, got my dives up, and got to the point where I was ready for the wreck dive.

The experience was mesmerising. I got quite melancholic watching an old ship resting on the bottom of the ocean. It reminded me that everything that is now will pass and eventually be reclaimed by nature. 

If I have one advice for someone eager to try this experience, that is simply to take your time and enjoy it. I was a bit rushed, trying to see everything at once and forgot to take a bit of reflecting time and enjoy the view. Now with the training out of the way, the next time could be sooner than later. Maybe we can go diving together – who knows? 

If you’re planning to try scuba diving in Portugal for the first time, the Algarve is the easiest starting point.

Practical notes

• Depths: 15: 32 meters
• Currents: mild to moderate
• Visibility: 5: 15 meters
• Skill level: Open Water (external only); Advanced for deeper profiles; speciality required for penetration
• Best season: June: October

Tips for Diving in the Algarve

Choose your season wisely

Summer and early autumn offer the best combination of temperature and visibility.

Expect colder water than you think

If you’re new to scuba diving in Portugal, expect colder water and shifting visibility as part of the normal experience.

Don’t judge the dive by the surface

 The Atlantic can look rough above and calm below – or the opposite.

Respect Sagres’ conditions

Wind and swell can shift quickly.

Wrecks reward composure

 Take your time, descend slowly, and give your eyes a moment to adjust to the scale.

FAQ:

Is Portugal good for scuba diving?

Yes. It offers reefs, walls, caves, and one of Europe’s largest wreck parks.

Can beginners dive in Portugal?

Absolutely. Lagos and Alvor reefs are ideal for first ocean dives.

How much does scuba diving cost in Portugal?

Fun dives: €50 – €75
Open Water courses: €380 – €500
Advanced courses: €350 – €450

Is the water warm in Portugal?

Not tropical. Expect 18 – 23°C in summer, cooler outside peak season.