The Zenobia, Cyprus's most famous wreck

The Zenobia is the reason many divers come to Cyprus, and some return every year. I haven’t dived her myself, so I’ll tell you what the official sources say and what’s worth knowing before you book.

A ferry lost on her maiden voyage

The tourist board of Larnaca explains that the Zenobia was a Swedish ferry launched in 1979 that capsized on her maiden voyage, on 7 June 1980, and sank off the city’s coast. She is 172 m long and lies on her port side at 42 m, with her highest point at 18 m. Most striking of all, her cargo, lorries and vehicles included, is still aboard.

Why she’s so famous

The board considers her the best dive site in Cyprus and one of the world’s top ten wreck dives. In good weather visibility reaches 30 m, and currents are low all year, so almost any qualified diver can manage her. To go inside, though, you need wreck penetration experience. Exploring every compartment takes several dives.

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Marine life

The area around the wreck has been a marine protected area for years, with no fishing within 3 miles. So, depending on the season, you’ll see big dusky groupers, schools of barracuda, moray eels, damselfish, parrotfish, lionfish, nudibranchs and starfish, as well as large turtles patrolling the ship and, now and then, dolphins. The hull is covered in corals, sponges and other invertebrates. The photos on this page show a group of divers by the hull and the remains of the cargo on deck.

The practical side

You get there by boat. The board places the wreck in Larnaca Bay, 3.7 km offshore, and asks for Advanced Open Water, with a medium to advanced difficulty rating. The water ranges from about 16 °C in February to 28 °C in August and September. Dive trips to the Zenobia leave from the city’s fishing harbour, next to Kastella beach. I have no official prices for dives, which depend on each centre.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Zenobia wreck on GetYourGuide.

Larnaca’s other wrecks

The board’s diving page adds some curious details. It calls the Zenobia «the Titanic of the Mediterranean», says she was carrying 108 articulated lorries and gives her length as 165 m, a different figure from her profile page. It also describes other ships scuttled as artificial reefs in the Voroklini marine protected area. The MV Elpida, 63 m long, has rested at 28 m since December 2019. The LEF1, 15.5 m long and at 13 m, is the island’s only artificial reef suitable for snorkellers. And the tug Lambousa II was sunk in February 2025 at 20 m. The board points out that diving has strict rules and that the official dive centres appear on the list by the Cyprus Dive Centre Association.

Combining it

If you’re diving for several days, I’d stay in Larnaca near the fishing harbour and keep the afternoons for the Finikoudes promenade or Mackenzie beach. The other beaches and the coast are in Larnaca beaches. The island’s other dive sites are covered in diving in Cyprus.

If you would rather go at your own pace, see the car hire deals in Larnaca: the earlier you book, the more cars are left to choose from.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Larnaca for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.