Take a dive into the Mediterranean's most ancient shipwreck
Alonnisos holds a unique place on the world map of diving tourism thanks to the Peristera Underwater Museum, the first underwater museum in Greece and one of the few of its kind internationally. It was inaugurated in 2020 and serves as a model of an experiential cultural experience that combines archaeology, marine tourism, and technology.
The Museum has been created around the impressive ancient shipwreck of Peristera, discovered near the western coasts of the island in 1985 by a fisherman. It is a commercial ship from the 5th century BC, approximately 30 metres long, which sank while transporting more than 3,000 wine amphorae from Mende or Skopelos to the Peloponnese and Italy. It is considered the oldest known shipwreck of a large merchant ship found in the Mediterranean, offering valuable information about the trade and navigation of the classical era.
The Underwater Museum is open for diving. With the accompaniment of certified guides, you can dive to a depth of 25 metres and navigate among the ancient amphorae, which remain intact. An essential prerequisite for those wishing to dive is possession of the second level diving certification, ‘Advanced Open Water Diver’.
If you do not wish to dive, you can experience the alternative of a virtual tour (virtual dive) at the Visitor Information Centre in Patitiri, where modern augmented reality media recreate the shipwreck with impressive accuracy.
The Underwater Museum has contributed significantly to the emergence of Alonnisos as an international destination for cultural tourism, uniting cultural heritage with marine exploration. The experience of diving in the waters of Peristera offers a truly unique spectacle, filling visitors with awe and respect for the history hidden in the depths of the Aegean.
The Museum has been created around the impressive ancient shipwreck of Peristera, discovered near the western coasts of the island in 1985 by a fisherman. It is a commercial ship from the 5th century BC, approximately 30 metres long, which sank while transporting more than 3,000 wine amphorae from Mende or Skopelos to the Peloponnese and Italy. It is considered the oldest known shipwreck of a large merchant ship found in the Mediterranean, offering valuable information about the trade and navigation of the classical era.
The Underwater Museum is open for diving. With the accompaniment of certified guides, you can dive to a depth of 25 metres and navigate among the ancient amphorae, which remain intact. An essential prerequisite for those wishing to dive is possession of the second level diving certification, ‘Advanced Open Water Diver’.
If you do not wish to dive, you can experience the alternative of a virtual tour (virtual dive) at the Visitor Information Centre in Patitiri, where modern augmented reality media recreate the shipwreck with impressive accuracy.
The Underwater Museum has contributed significantly to the emergence of Alonnisos as an international destination for cultural tourism, uniting cultural heritage with marine exploration. The experience of diving in the waters of Peristera offers a truly unique spectacle, filling visitors with awe and respect for the history hidden in the depths of the Aegean.
