# Snorkelling and diving from a charter boat in Italy > Italy: snorkel and dive sites by boat, park fees, anchoring rules, sea temperature by month (NOAA) and wetsuit advice. Sourced. URL: https://catamaranindex.com/snorkel-dive/italy/ Last updated: 2026-10-28 Author: Catamaran Index editorial team Yes, but check each marine protected area first: Italy's environment ministry says Zone A is closed to any activity that may harm the marine environment and each area sets its own rules, and at La Maddalena a summer ordinance allows anchoring only on sand or mud (news report, April 2026). The sea averages 13.5 °C in February and 25.0 °C in August (NOAA, 1991–2020 mean at our reference point); by our rule of thumb August is the month at 24 °C or more, when a 3 mm shorty is enough, while February calls for a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving. *Checked 28 Oct 2026 against 2 official and 1 secondary source; sea temperature from NOAA ([sources](#sources)). Anything we could not confirm is labelled ([how to read the labels](#labels)). Park rules change: check before you go.* ## Snorkel and dive sites you can reach by charter boat in Italy | Site | Type | Where | What the source says | |---|---|---|---| | **Marine protected areas (aree marine protette)** | protected areas | All Italian coasts | Zone A (integral reserve) is closed to every activity that may harm or disturb the marine environment; in Zone B (general reserve) activities are allowed and often regulated by the managing body; Zone C (partial reserve) allows recreational and sustainable use of modest impact. The detailed rules are in each area's decree and regulation. ([MASE (Italian Ministry of the Environment)](https://www.mase.gov.it/portale/aree-marine-protette-2)) | | **La Maddalena Archipelago National Park** | national park | North-east Sardinia | **[Secondary source]** L'Unione Sarda reported in April 2026 a harbour-office ordinance, drawn up with the park, in force from 1 June to 30 September each year: 7 knots within 500 m of the coast, 10 knots between 500 and 1,000 m, anchoring only on sandy or muddy seabeds, and no anchoring at all in some areas (not named in the report). ([L'Unione Sarda (newspaper)](https://www.unionesarda.it/news-sardegna/gallura/la-maddalena-stretta-su-navigazione-e-ancoraggi-per-tutelare-lambiente-marino-aks58wdj)) | These are the sites we could document from official or labelled sources, not a full list. Fishing is a separate question: [fishing rules in Italy](https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/italy/). ## Sea temperature in Italy by month The sea is warmest in August (25.0 °C) and coolest in February (13.5 °C). ● marks our warm-water months (24 °C or more): August. | Month | Sea surface (NOAA) | Air (NASA POWER) | Our wetsuit rule of thumb | Catamaran, avg per week (12 Knots) | |---|---:|---:|---|---:| | January | 13.8 °C | 9.9 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,209 | | February | 13.5 °C | 10.6 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,230 | | March | 13.8 °C | 11.8 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,223 | | April | 14.8 °C | 14.4 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,263 | | May | 17.4 °C | 18.0 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,960 | | June | 20.9 °C | 23.5 °C | 5 mm full wetsuit | €7,929 | | July | 23.8 °C | 26.6 °C | 3 mm full wetsuit | €9,569 | | August | 25.0 °C ● | 26.6 °C | 3 mm shorty | €9,633 | | September | 22.9 °C | 22.8 °C | 3 mm full wetsuit | €7,084 | | October | 20.2 °C | 18.9 °C | 5 mm full wetsuit | €5,276 | | November | 17.4 °C | 14.3 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,082 | | December | 14.8 °C | 11.3 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | €5,214 | Of the months at 24 °C or more, the cheapest on 12 Knots' average weekly catamaran price is **August** at €9,633 per week ([12 Knots](https://12knots.com/en/yacht-charter/countries/italy/catamaran-charter/), checked 27 Oct 2026), with the sea at 25.0 °C (our comparison). Sea surface: NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly mean for the 1/4° cell centred on 41.375° N, 9.625° E (Off La Maddalena, north-east Sardinia) ([NOAA PSL (NOAA/NCEI OISST v2.1)](https://psl.noaa.gov/thredds/catalog/Datasets/noaa.oisst.v2.highres/catalog.html), checked 28 Oct 2026); the sites above may be warmer or cooler, and shallow bays warm up faster. Air: our 10-year NASA POWER mean at Portisco, Sardinia ([NASA POWER](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/docs/services/api/temporal/monthly/), checked 28 Oct 2026). Prices are asking prices that mix bareboat and crewed listings. ## Mooring, anchoring and park rules for your boat - In every marine protected area, Zone A is closed to activities that may harm or disturb the marine environment; check the area's own regulation for anchoring and buoys. ([MASE (Italian Ministry of the Environment)](https://www.mase.gov.it/portale/aree-marine-protette-2)) - **[Secondary source]** La Maddalena (1 June–30 September): anchoring only on sand or mud, banned outright in some areas; 7 knots within 500 m of the coast (L'Unione Sarda, April 2026). ([L'Unione Sarda (newspaper)](https://www.unionesarda.it/news-sardegna/gallura/la-maddalena-stretta-su-navigazione-e-ancoraggi-per-tutelare-lambiente-marino-aks58wdj)) ## Can I scuba dive from the boat? Permits and dive centres - Diving rules differ by protected area: they are set in each area's decree and regulation. ([MASE (Italian Ministry of the Environment)](https://www.mase.gov.it/portale/aree-marine-protette-2)) - **[Not verified]** Whether visitors must dive with an authorised centre in La Maddalena or Tavolara: not verified. ## Park and mooring fees | Fee | Amount | Status | Source | |---|---|---|---| | La Maddalena park permit for a charter boat | Not verified *(The park's site refused our connection.)* | not verified | – | ## Underwater visibility **[Not verified]** We found no official or survey source for underwater visibility, so we give no figure. Ask the local dive centre on the day. ## What wetsuit do I need in Italy? From August's 25.0 °C our rule of thumb gives a **3 mm shorty**; in February (13.5 °C) a **7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving**. The month-by-month column is in the [table above](#sea-temperature). Our rule of thumb for snorkelling, applied to the monthly mean: 28 °C or more: swimsuit or rash vest; 26–28 °C: rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty; 24–26 °C: 3 mm shorty; 21–24 °C: 3 mm full wetsuit; 18–21 °C: 5 mm full wetsuit; below 18 °C: 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving. Divers lose heat faster and meet cooler water at depth: go one band thicker. People feel cold differently; this is a guide, not a source's advice. | Mean sea temperature | Our rule of thumb for snorkelling | |---|---| | 28 °C or more | swimsuit or rash vest | | 26–28 °C | rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty | | 24–26 °C | 3 mm shorty | | 21–24 °C | 3 mm full wetsuit | | 18–21 °C | 5 mm full wetsuit | | Below 18 °C | 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving | ## See boats in Italy **[See catamarans for rent in Italy on SamBoat](https://catamaranindex.com/go/samboat?dest=italy&pos=snorkel)** Check the park rules above and the boat's own kit (snorkel gear, dinghy, dive-ladder) with the operator before you book; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you ([disclosure](https://catamaranindex.com/affiliate-disclosure/)). ## What we could not verify - La Maddalena's permit prices and the bays where anchoring is banned outright (the park's site refused our connection). - Tavolara, Egadi and other protected areas' snorkelling and diving rules (we did not read their regulations). - Underwater visibility. ## How to read the labels - **[Secondary source]**: From a newspaper, NGO, guide or tour operator; not official. - **[Not verified]**: We could not confirm it. We leave it open rather than guess. - No label: Read in an official text: government, park authority, ministry or official tourism board. Sea temperatures are NOAA's; the wetsuit column, the 24 °C warm-water mark and any sum or comparison are ours and say so. Park rules change and some are seasonal: check with the park, your charter base or a local dive centre before you go. ## Sources - [MASE (Italian Ministry of the Environment): Aree marine protette](https://www.mase.gov.it/portale/aree-marine-protette-2) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [L'Unione Sarda (newspaper): La Maddalena, stretta su navigazione e ancoraggi per tutelare l'ambiente marino](https://www.unionesarda.it/news-sardegna/gallura/la-maddalena-stretta-su-navigazione-e-ancoraggi-per-tutelare-lambiente-marino-aks58wdj) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [NOAA PSL (NOAA/NCEI OISST v2.1): NOAA High-resolution Blended Analysis: OISST v2.1 long-term mean monthly sea surface temperature, 1991–2020 (sst.mon.ltm.1991-2020.nc)](https://psl.noaa.gov/thredds/catalog/Datasets/noaa.oisst.v2.highres/catalog.html) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [NASA POWER: Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources: Monthly API (T2M, WS10M)](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/docs/services/api/temporal/monthly/) (official), air temperature, pulled 28 Oct 2026. - [12 Knots: Catamaran charter in Italy](https://12knots.com/en/yacht-charter/countries/italy/catamaran-charter/) (secondary, prices), checked 27 Oct 2026. Method: [methodology](https://catamaranindex.com/methodology/#snorkel). Data: [JSON](https://catamaranindex.com/api/snorkel-dive/italy.json). ## More on Italy - [Snorkelling and diving by charter boat: every destination compared](https://catamaranindex.com/snorkel-dive/) - [Italy yacht and catamaran charter: prices, season and licence](https://catamaranindex.com/italy/) - [Best time to charter in Italy](https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/italy/) - [Fishing rules in Italy](https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/italy/) - [Do I need a licence to rent a boat in Italy?](https://catamaranindex.com/licence-by-country/italy/) - [True cost of a week in Italy: per person, all extras](https://catamaranindex.com/true-cost/italy/) ## FAQ ### Can you snorkel and dive from a charter boat in Italy? Yes, but check each marine protected area first: Italy's environment ministry says Zone A is closed to any activity that may harm the marine environment and each area sets its own rules, and at La Maddalena a summer ordinance allows anchoring only on sand or mud (news report, April 2026). The sea averages 13.5 °C in February and 25.0 °C in August (NOAA, 1991–2020 mean at our reference point); by our rule of thumb August is the month at 24 °C or more, when a 3 mm shorty is enough, while February calls for a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving. ### How warm is the sea in Italy? By NOAA's 1991–2020 averages at our reference point (Off La Maddalena, north-east Sardinia), the sea surface is warmest in August at 25.0 °C and coolest in February at 13.5 °C. Months at 24 °C or more: August. ### Do I need a wetsuit to snorkel in Italy? By our rule of thumb (not a source's advice): a 3 mm shorty in August and a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving in February; divers should go one band thicker. ### Do I need a dive centre to scuba dive in Italy? Diving rules differ by protected area: they are set in each area's decree and regulation. Not verified: Whether visitors must dive with an authorised centre in La Maddalena or Tavolara: not verified. ### Are there park fees or mooring rules for boats in Italy? In every marine protected area, Zone A is closed to activities that may harm or disturb the marine environment; check the area's own regulation for anchoring and buoys. Secondary source: La Maddalena (1 June–30 September): anchoring only on sand or mud, banned outright in some areas; 7 knots within 500 m of the coast (L'Unione Sarda, April 2026). Fees: not verified. --- Affiliate disclosure: some links are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See /affiliate-disclosure/.