Greece’s Ministry of Culture is establishing two new visitable underwater archaeological sites in the Fournoi island complex in the North Aegean, strengthening protection and public access to the country’s rich maritime heritage.
The sites are located at Akra Fygou (Aspros Kavos) on Fournoi and Vathylakas on Thymaina. The Ministry is preparing operational regulations for each site, defining safety requirements, protection measures for antiquities and conditions for recreational diving.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to protect and promote Greece’s underwater cultural heritage, which includes a large number of archaeological sites and shipwrecks spanning many historical periods.
She said the creation of organised underwater archaeological parks in the Fournoi area represents a significant step towards sustainable development of cultural diving tourism, combining scientific research, heritage protection and controlled visitor access.
The Fournoi archipelago, located near Ikaria, has emerged as one of the most important underwater archaeological regions in the Mediterranean. Systematic research by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities has uncovered dozens of shipwrecks dating from the 6th century BC to modern times, demonstrating the area’s long-standing role in maritime trade routes across the Aegean.
Underwater surveys began in 2014 as a research programme of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, supported by the RPM Nautical Foundation. Between 2015 and 2025, extensive fieldwork documented 62 shipwrecks across the coastal zones of Fournoi, Thymaina and Agios Minas, highlighting the region’s historical importance for navigation and commerce.
In 2025, authorities designated and delineated 24 underwater archaeological sites in the Fournoi archipelago, ensuring institutional protection for the area’s archaeological remains.
Akra Fygou underwater archaeological site
The Akra Fygou site includes seven shipwreck locations and features four designated diving routes with maximum depths ranging from 23 to 41 metres. The site contains shipwrecks from different historical periods, including amphora cargoes, anchors and scattered ceramic remains.
Among the most significant finds is Shipwreck No. 15 (5th–6th century AD), located at depths between 43 and 49 metres. The cargo includes amphorae originating from regions around the Black Sea, including Crimea, Sinope and Heraclea Pontica, providing evidence of extensive trade networks.
Shipwreck No. 13, dating to the first half of the 6th century BC, is the oldest discovered in the Fournoi area and contains Samian amphorae, making it unique in the Aegean.
Vathylakas underwater archaeological site
The second site lies within the bay of Vathylakas on Thymaina and includes three documented shipwrecks dating from the Hellenistic to Roman periods. The area contains amphora cargoes from regions including Kos, Ephesus, southern Spain and North Africa, illustrating extensive Mediterranean trade routes.
Four diving routes are planned at depths ranging from 32 to 70 metres, alongside the installation of mooring points and marker buoys to ensure safe visitor access.
The Ministry said the initiative enhances Greece’s international profile as a leading destination for cultural diving tourism, while supporting sustainable local development through the protection and promotion of underwater heritage.
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