The beaches of the Vendicari Oriented Reserve: Tonnara di Vendicari

The Tonnara di Vendicari Beach is located in the southern part of the Reserve of the same name, between the beaches of Calamosche, and S. Lorenzo. It is accessed from the main entrance of the Reserve and you walk along a path near which, you will find a paid parking lot where you can leave your car or motorcycle. To reach the coast you will walk along a path bordered in the first part by eucalyptus trees, then by marshes surrounded by lush reeds with sinuous feathery plumes, where migratory birds of various species stop. At the end of the path a wooden footbridge will lead you directly to this pristine beach whose shoreline,
for many periods of the year, is covered by the Posidonia oceanica. Questa, scambiata spesso per un’alga, è in realtà una pianta acquatica che svolge funzioni importantissime per l’ecosistema marino, ospitando nelle sue praterie sottomarine molte specie ittiche e vegetali, preservando i litorali dall’erosione; essa inoltre costituisce la principale fonte di ossigeno per l’ambiente marino. La presenza della Posidonia sul litorale di questa spiaggia può sembrarti fastidiosa, ma sappi che è del tutto innocua e stai certo che, se ti inoltri di qualche metro, scoprirai un mare cristallino, di uno splendido colore verde-smeraldo e con un fondale, sabbioso e sicuro, assai adatto per i bambini. Subito di fronte si staglia la sagoma dell’ isolotto di Vendicari con un’unica casa in muratura, probabilmente dell’antico proprietario della Tonnara, oggi del tutto disabitato.

On the northern side of the beach, the remains of the Tonnara di Vendicari dominate the shoreline, dating from the 1700s, with its tall pillars and the ruins of fishermen’s houses., a ‘fascinating example of industrial architecture in use until the mid-20th century.

Near the Tonnara is an older archaeological site, that of the Swabian Tower from the 1400s, which, like so many others built strategically along the coast of Sicily, served as a lookout point against pirate raids, which were very frequent at the time.

Not far from the Tower, which has been the location of a number of film shoots related to the well-known Commissario Montalbano series, one can see, finally, carved into the rock, some tanks from the Hellenistic age that were used for tuna processing and the production of garum, the typical sauce of fish entrails that the Romans used.

On the northern side, toward Tonnara and the Tower, the coastline becomes rocky: here small inlets alternate, with a deep seabed that reveals bewitching marine scenery to snorkelers.

The beach is not equipped, has no bathing establishments, and offers no food services, but this certainly adds to the wild and unspoiled charm of this shoreline.

Useful information:

At the entrance immediately after the parking lot, you will find a small wooden house where Forestry staff will provide you, for a fee, with a ticket to access the beach, the use of which respects the hours of the Reserve: generally, According to the seasons, from the early morning hours until sunset.