Cristo degli Abissi
Portofino · Italy
The celebrated bronze statue of Christ the Abyssal, placed on the seabed at 17 metres in 1954, has become a pilgrimage site for divers and a reef in its own right. Sponges, bryozoans, and encrusting corals have colonised every surface of the 2.5-metre figure, while moray eels and ornate wrasse patrol the rocks at its base. The San Fruttuoso bay setting — flanked by a medieval abbey visible from the surface — makes this one of the most atmospheric dives in Europe.
Conditions
Depth
10 to 20 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
13 to 27°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 14 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Common Wall Lizard
Last confirmed Jul 3, 2026 · 142 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Ornate Wrasse
Last confirmed Jul 1, 2026 · 19 records
Very likely
Most dives
Mallard
Last confirmed Jun 13, 2026 · 39 records
Very likely
Most dives
Eurasian Blackbird
Last confirmed Jun 29, 2026 · 33 records
Very likely
Most dives
Mediterranean Moray
Last confirmed Jun 11, 2026 · 6 records
Very likely
Most dives
Dusky Grouper
Last confirmed Jul 1, 2026 · 27 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Scorpionfish
Last confirmed Jun 16, 2026 · 2 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Gear