Salento · about 3 km from Castro
Grotta Zinzulusa
Closed to divers
Only the first ~150 m can be visited with a guide. The flooded parts (Cocito and beyond) are closed to protect the unique cave fauna; diving there is for research only.
- CertificationFull cave
Diving and fills
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Fills nearby
- Fill stationScuba Diving OtrantoAir; ask about nitrox and trimixRoute ↗
- Fill stationCosta del Sud Diving ServiceAir, nitrox, trimix, oxygen, argonRoute ↗
Now at Grotta Zinzulusa
What it looks like
IMMERSIONE ALLA ZINZULUSA Puglia, Grotta Zinzulusa, free diving 13,7 m deep Immersione Apnea 2 - Grotta Zinzulusa -20mt Video esplorazione della parte sommersa della Grotta della Zinzulusa.
All 4 videos and posts
Videos and posts
From other divers, via YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. They only load when you click; after that, Google's or Meta's privacy rules apply.
IMMERSIONE ALLA ZINZULUSA Puglia, Grotta Zinzulusa, free diving 13,7 m deep Immersione Apnea 2 - Grotta Zinzulusa -20mt Video esplorazione della parte sommersa della Grotta della Zinzulusa.
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Other people's footage, not advice: how someone else dives here says nothing about what suits your team. Dive within your training.
The dive
Salento's best-known cave. At the back lies the small Cocito lake, with warm brackish water below cold fresh water. Research dives found blind shrimps (Typhlocaris salentina) and an endemic sponge there.
Profile and sections
Salento's best-known cave. At the back lies the small Cocito lake, with warm brackish water below cold fresh water. Research dives found blind shrimps (Typhlocaris salentina) and an endemic sponge there.
Practical: a good outing for a rest day.
- Depth and profile
- Show section ~150 m; flooded basins explored to ~260 m from the entrance
- Configuration
- Not applicable: diving is not allowed
- DPV: Not DPV-suitable (estimate)
- Not applicable (closed)
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Configuration unknown — research beforehand
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
Show cave on the sea between Castro and Santa Cesarea Terme: by boat from Castro Marina harbour or overland; guided tours only (~1 hour), open all year.
Around Grotta Zinzulusa
Fills2 fill stations · nearest 16 km
Scuba Diving Otranto
Via del Porto 1, 73028 Otranto (LE)
Air; ask about nitrox and trimix
Open all year according to a listing; ask
SSI centre at the harbour with daily day and night dives from three RIBs (2× 7.4 m, 1× 10 m); technical training incl. trimix and rebreather. Lists caves among its dive sites — ask which.
Costa del Sud Diving Service
Lungomare Santa Caterina 6, 73050 Santa Caterina di Nardò (LE)
Air, nitrox, trimix, oxygen, argon
Daily 7:30–20:30 according to its SSI listing; ask outside the summer season
SSI Instructor Training Center with rebreather and XR training; rents drysuits and scooters among other gear; boat and shore dives. Dives the Porto Selvaggio and Santa Caterina caves and reports being authorised for the AMP Porto Cesareo and the Porto Selvaggio park. Fills for visitors and sofnolime: ask.
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