A trip to Baie, Italy, reveals a sunken Roman city and a landscape dominated by volcanic activity. Story by Karen Moule of Milton Keynes SAC
UKDIVING TRAVELSPECIAL
One of the statues at Terme Del Lacus
PHOTOS BY SARAH COOPER
Modern trip to ancient times
A trip to Baie, Italy, reveals a sunken Roman city and a landscape dominated by volcanic activity. Story by Karen Moule of Milton Keynes SAC
Baie, a town in the suburbs of Naples, Italy, is the home of a 2,000-year-old sunken city where wealthy Romans would holiday and entertain. Like the Las Vegas of its day, Romans came to enjoy the lavish parties as well as relax in the city’ s volcanic hot springs. But it was the seismic phenomenon known as Bradyseism – the slow subsidence or uplift of the Earth’ s surface, due to the emptying or filling of an underground magma chamber – which made the sea level rise approximately six metres and sink the city.
An added attraction of Baie is that all the dive sites in the Archaeological Park are very shallow, making them accessible to all. And whether you’ re new to diving or very experienced, diving on the sites at Baie is a truly unique experience that transports you back in time.
Having visited Baie in 2024 as a guest with Mid Herts SAC, I thought my fellow club divers with the Nautical Archaeology Society SAC would find this trip interesting – given their interest in sunken settlements, as well as historic shipwrecks. Also being a member with
About the Author
Karen Moule is a member with the Nautical Archaeology Society dive club and the Milton Keynes dive club. She’ s been diving since 1989 and is an Open Water Instructor. She likes organising trips, getting involved in club events and writing about both clubs’ exploits for blogs, articles and newsletters.
Interactive map
( l-r) Huw Roberts, Jon Parlour and Ian James prepare for a unique dive http:// bit. ly / 45gFzXq
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