ATHINA PALILOAS - Alonissos Marine Park

The Athina Paliloas offers a proper shipwreck dive, even at its shallow eight-meter depth. We love this site for its accessibility and the sheer volume of history you can absorb without needing deep diving certification. What you’ll find here is the bow section of a much larger cargo ship, remarkably intact and lying on its side. Swimming along its length, you can peer into what used to be cargo holds, now home to clouds of small damselfish. Look for the large groupers that often lurk in the shadows, particularly towards the deeper edges of the wreck. It’s a photographer’s dream on a sunny day, with light filtering through the clear Aegean water, illuminating the rust-coloured metal and the vibrant sponge growth. The Athina Paliloas is a standout for anyone keen to explore a piece of maritime history, especially if you’re newer to wreck diving or just want a relaxed, rewarding second dive.

Location
Alonissos Marine Park, Greece, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
37.934113, 23.568500
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
8m

Wreck History - ATHINA PALILOAS

Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
grounding

Resting in the crystalline waters of the Alonissos Marine Park, the ATHINA PALILOAS is a colossal modern freighter that met its end after running aground. At an incredible 190 meters long, this wreck is a giant playground for divers, made even more remarkable by its exceptionally shallow depth. The top of the wreck sits at just 8 meters, with parts of its superstructure breaking the surface on calm days, making it an accessible and awe-inspiring sight for divers of all certification levels.

Exploring the ATHINA PALILOAS offers a surreal contrast between a massive, contemporary steel structure and the ancient, protected marine environment that surrounds it. Divers can swim along its vast hull, peer into cargo holds, and navigate around the bridge and deck machinery, which have become a habitat for schools of fish and other Mediterranean marine life. Its sheer size and easy accessibility make it a standout dive in a region more famous for its ancient amphorae wrecks.

Marine Protected Area: NISIDES SARONIKOU KOLPOU KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI

Best Time to Dive in Alonissos Marine Park

The warmest water temperatures in Alonissos Marine Park occur in August, averaging 27.2°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 13.9°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 14.5°C
  • February: 13.9°C
  • March: 14.2°C
  • April: 15.4°C
  • May: 18.7°C
  • June: 23.5°C
  • July: 26.5°C
  • August: 27.2°C
  • September: 25.3°C
  • October: 22.8°C
  • November: 19.9°C
  • December: 16.9°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Alonissos Marine Park

Nearest Dive Centres to ATHINA PALILOAS

Marine Life in Alonissos Marine Park

Home to 16 recorded species including 3 whales & dolphins, 3 reef fish, 2 other, 2 hard corals, 2 crabs & lobsters, 1 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for ATHINA PALILOAS

Based on average water temperature of 19.9°C, currents 3 cm/s.

  • Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 20°C water
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories