Italy has a stunning underwater landscape that's home to a fascinating variety underwater life. Beneath its crystal clear blue waters you'll see huge drop-offs, colorful sponges, soft coral, along with all kinds of weird and wonderful life forms, including: conger and moray eels, starfish, octopus and many, many more.

Some of the best dive sites in Italy include: Cinque Terre, the Garda Lake and the Grottoes of Giusti in Monsummano area. Then there are the islands of Tremiti and Sardinia.

Cinque Terre is close to the border of Toskana, Baia. The main dive sites here are at: Golf of Neapel, Amalfitana and Giglio. There's a very diverse range of life and the visibility is excellent. You can dive here all year around, as it never gets unbearably cold. The best time is from April to October; for snorkeling it's May to September.

The Garda Lake is the largest in Italy. It's located between Lombardy and Venetia. There's some excellent fresh water diving here with plenty of grottoes, dramatic overhangs and a wide selection of marine life.

The Grottoes of Giusti in Monsummano, Tuscany has some fascinating caves and grottoes beneath the crystal clear water. The water is heated to a balmy 34C (93F) by a series of underwater springs. It's a classic 'cave dive' location and full training can be obtained from the local dive centre.