Must-do diving in Europe

[aquaregia]

I'm in Stuttgart until September and would hate to miss out on any must-do diving in the area. I'm from California, so "the Stuttgart area" could be fairly large, as far as I'm concerned. My main restriction is that I only have weekends available, with a few chances for a 3-day weekend, so anywhere I have to fly to (or cross large mountains) is going to be a pretty expensive 1-day of diving. I'd be willing to dive 6-8hrs.

I don't have any post-recreational training, but I wouldn't mind getting some if there was a good instructor or site. I would need to rent/beg/borrow most of the gear as I only brought a singles setup with me.

 

[iztok]

Adventurers Dive Log:The Shipwreck Baron Gautsch, by Herwig Strauss

 

[iztok]

Zenobia - Diving Cyprus, dive site directory

 

[globalbabe]

Another recommendation for the Zenobia in Larnaca, Cyprus - it's an exceptional diving experience. And Dive Inn is a really great operation to dive the Zenobia with (I did my Wreck, Deep and Nitrox certifications with them last summer).

 

[aquaregia]

I'm guessing there's no way to get from Germany to the Mediterranean without going over a fairly high mountain pass?

 

[iztok]

Yes it is. There are tunnels. Go from Stuttgart to Munich then to Saltzburg and to Ljubljana. You should cross the Alps by now. Then to Istria (where first mentioned wreck is) is just a short stretch.

Ljubljana is a nice place to stop and enjoy some good food. (Went to University there as I grew up in Slovenia.)

Video of the wreck dive:

 

[Mod63]

Hi,

a) Bodensee, about 2 to 3 hours drive from Stuttgart. Nice fresh water diving, a good first dive site would be "Tennisplätze" in Überlingen
b) Starnberger See close to Munich, usually a 2:30 hour drive. Dive site "Seeburg" on the eastern shore
c) Attersee in Austria. Depending on traffic you should be able to get there in 4 hours. Around 30 marked dives sites with maps, many nice and friendly places to stay. "Kohlbauernaufsatz" and "Twin Towers" spring to mind.

For some acclimatization dives you can head to Plittersdorf near Rastatt.

 

[Mod63]

.....

 

[BodenseeDiver]

yep, Lake of constanz, 2h from Stuttgart
tell me when do you dive in the Lake

 

[aquaregia]

Is there a place down there with tank rentals? What sort of diving's available?