Three underwater museums set to launch

The wreck of a Byzantine merchant ship that sunk off the islet of Kikinthos, off the coast of Volos in Thessaly, in the 11th or 12th century is among three new underwater museums that will open to scuba fans and archaeology buffs by the end of the month.

Part of Greece’s ongoing drive to tap into the wealth of its underwater antiquities and make them more accessible to the public, the three new sites – which include nearby Telegrafos and Glaros – come after the successful launch three years ago of the so-called “Acropolis of wrecks,” the stunning Peristera wreck off the island of Alonnisos, named after the tiny islet where the ancient Greek ship went down in 425 BC carrying hundreds of amphorae.

The Peristera underwater museum is expected to open this coming weekend.