Olous Snorkeling: Sunken Minoan City with Guide

Swim above Minoan ruins and learn their history from the water

This guided snorkeling trip takes you to Olous, a sunken Minoan city off the coast of Crete, where ruins lie shallow enough to explore without scuba certification. A professional snorkel guide leads you through the site, explains its history, and teaches snorkeling technique as you move through the remains. The excursion includes a presentation on Olous before you enter the water, all snorkeling gear, and transport from the diving center in Elounda.

The Experience

The ruins of Olous sit 50 to 80 centimeters below the surface—deep enough to feel submerged, shallow enough that you can explore them on breath-held snorkeling alone. Blue Dolphin Diving Center has been running organized trips to this site for over five years, and it's the only outfit offering regular access to it. Before you get in the water, the guide walks you through a presentation on Minoan history and what you're about to see, so the stones and structures make sense when you're looking at them from below.

Once in the water, a professional guide leads you through the site at a pace that lets you take it in. The guide can teach you snorkeling technique as you go—how to breathe, how to move, how to stay comfortable—so even if you're new to it, you're learning in real time. The shallow depth means you're never far from air, and the quiet of the site itself is part of what makes it work: no crowds, no noise, just the sound of your own breathing and the shape of an ancient city below you.

The trip runs about two and a half hours total, including the presentation and the time in the water. You get fins, mask, snorkel and a wetsuit; transport leaves from the diving center in Elounda and brings you back there when you're done. The guide speaks English, Spanish, French, German and one additional language, so if your group has a language preference, mention it when you book.

What’s included

• Snorkeling equipment (fins, mask, snorkel, wetsuit).
• professional guide leading you through the ruins.
• history presentation on Olous before entering the water.
• transport from Blue Dolphin Diving Center in Elounda to the site and back.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Diving Center Blue Dolphin Elounda

Is this one for you?The guide speaks your language—English, Spanish, French, German or another option—so the history and technique come through clearly as you move through the site. Book this if you want the story of what you're looking at, not just the view.

Traveler reviews

4.66★★★★★★★★★★

35 verified traveler reviews

5 ★27

4 ★6

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What exactly am I looking at when I snorkel Olous?

Olous was one of the most important cities in Minoan history, and its ruins—walls, structures, and archaeological remains—lie on the seafloor at 50 to 80 centimeters deep. The shallow depth keeps the site accessible to snorkelers while the water clarity lets you see the detail of what's there; the guide explains what each part of the site was and how it fits into Minoan civilization.

Do I need scuba certification to snorkel Olous?

No. Olous is designed for snorkeling, not scuba diving. The ruins sit shallow enough that you can explore them on the surface, holding your breath and diving down for short periods—no certification needed, and no heavy equipment required.

What's included in the snorkeling trip?

The trip includes a history presentation before you enter the water; transport from the diving center in Elounda to the site and back; a professional guide leading you through the ruins; and all snorkeling equipment—fins, mask, snorkel and wetsuit.

How long does the whole excursion take?

The trip runs about two and a half hours from start to finish, including the presentation, transport, and time in the water exploring the site.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide offers commentary in English, Spanish, French, German and one additional language. Let the operator know your language preference when you book so they can arrange the right guide for your group.