Nature trails
- Visit natural environments with rich flora and fauna
- Immerse yourself in the marine beauty of the Val di Noto
- Discover naturalistic archaeological areas
#1
From the beach of Morghella to the island of Capo Passero
- Morghella Salt Flats: A must stop for bird-watching and nature photography enthusiasts.
- Morghella: Location prized by tourists for its golden sand and clear water.
- Capo Passero Island: The largest islet in southeastern Sicily.
For more information visit naturasicula.it
Starting from Marzamemi and driving along the coastal road (SP84) that connects the village to Portopalo di Capo Passero, after about 4 km, at the point of intersection with SP97, there are large rectangular pools, the ancient salt pans of Morghella (36°42’13.25″; 15°07’12.45″).
They were demarcated in what was originally a quagmire, a natural depression in the ground.
The salt marshes, decommissioned around the middle of the last century, are now a lure for many waterfowl, the same ones that stop at Vendicari or nearby marshes.
They are a must stop for bird-watching and nature photography enthusiasts, so they are part of the established regional nature reserve “Pantani della Sicilia sud orientale.”
From the salt pans, descending toward the sea, one arrives at the wonderful beach of Morghella, much appreciated by tourists for its golden sand and clear waters.
We are only 2.5 kilometers away from theisland of Capo Passero. The latter, seen from a distance, looks like a 35-hectare raft with a kind of castle on the highest point.
It is the largest islet in southeastern Sicily.
In the summer months it is easily reached by a private boat service that picks up visitors at Scalo Mandrie, next to the Madonnina Stella Maris (36°41’11.63″; 15°88’15.85″).
When you reach the island, you descend to Balata, the only possible landing place.
Attached to the mainland until the 1700s, the island appears as a large limestone plate resting on a base of volcanites.
The oldest rocks outcrop along the coast between the balata and the fortress, and are submarine lavas about 84-71 million years old.
Numerous and extraordinary in the limestone reef is the presence of fossil rudists.
These are bivalve mollusks with an irregular shell, which became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period.
To date, the natural heritage has been well preserved due to the sparse anthropization represented only by the Spanish fortress, the tuna fishery buildings and the two stone quarries located along the northern coast.
For this reason, the island is scheduled to become a regional nature reserve, and its area is listed in the Natura 2000 Network as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Although there is no fresh water and it is located in one of the driest areas in Sicily, the island of Capo Passero has a noteworthy botanical heritage: 269 species of vascular plants, 149 of which are annuals, some endemic to the Hyblaean coast, such as Limonium of Syracuse, and others rare, such as Spiny Chicory, distributed only in eastern Sicily.
The undisputed star of the flora is the Dwarf Palm, which occupies, along with Spinaporci and Lentiscus, the central part of the island.
In the southern part rise the sand dunes in which psammophilous (sand-dwelling) species such as Beach Spearweed and Sea Lily are observed.
In relation to vertebrate fauna, the bird class is the richest, followed by the reptile class.
The island is frequented by numerous species of non-water migratory birds that use the area for foraging, resting or wintering.
Among the reptiles, the presence of the Lizard, the Common Gecko and the Biacco is certain.
The Wild Rabbit is the only mammal present.
The buildings of the old tonnara (Varcarizzu) are located at the Balata (where the boats land) and were built in the late 1700s by Don Corradino Nicolaci, Prince of Villadorata and gabelloto of the tonnara.
They were used as a shelter for the boats, workshops for the caulkers and the keeper’s house.
From the balata begins a path that leads to the 17th-century fortress, built by the Spanish government to defend against the constant raids of pirates and privateers.
The Fort of Capo Passero has a square plan and is about 15 meters high on two levels.
Access was provided by a long L-shaped staircase that ended a couple of meters before the entrance portal.
It was connected by a drawbridge whose chains or wooden planks that supported the walkway were set in the two long wall cuts on either side of the coat of arms placed above the portal.
The interior of the fortress features a square central courtyard.
In the center is the cistern, to collect rainwater from the terrace by means of terracotta gutters.
Surrounding the court, on both the first and second levels, are a series of rooms, often communicating with each other.
The first level also contains the Chapel of the Annunciation and the sacristy.
The fort maintained its defensive function until 1830.
In that year the French conquered Algiers and finally defeated the pirates and privateers who had sowed terror in the Mediterranean for many centuries.
From that time the Fort of Capo Passero was abandoned, but it became inhabited again in 1871, when a lighthouse was placed that required Navy personnel to be present to provide night lighting.
This was maintained until the late 1950s, when the lighthouse was fully automated.
Since then the island has been uninhabited.
Discover the bicycle touring routes
How is the weather today in the Val di Noto?
#2
The reserve of Vendicari
- Vendicari: Start your trip at Vendicari, famous for its nature reserve and ancient tuna fishery.
- The three sloughs: Zone wetlands that facilitated staging and nesting for more than 250 species of birds.
- Tower: It was built to defend the cargo port from pirate raids.
- Beaches: One of the most famous is Calamosche beach.
For more information visit naturasicula.it
The Vendicari reserve is one of the natural wonders of eastern Sicily, a mandatory stop in all seasons for those exploring southeastern Sicily.
The oasis is one of the first nature reserves to be established in Sicily (it was 1984), in order to allow for the staging and nesting of fauna and the restoration of psammophilous and Mediterranean vegetation, and the preservation of the dune system.
Naturalistically, it is a bird hotel, but it is also a place rich in history, where you can breathe an air laden with saltiness and where you can imagine the voices of salt miners, farmers, tuna fishermen, and quarrymen intent on their work.
The oasis is a place that stirs emotions.
And like everything that excites, it also makes one grow inwardly.
Rocks, sand, flora and fauna, with their own peculiarities, hand down, in its most natural balance, a natural environment that elsewhere has been destroyed or irreparably altered by human action.
The reserve falls within the territory of Noto, and protects 8 km of coastline miraculously rescued from concrete and so much other speculation.
We are along the 36th parallel, latitude further south than Tunis.
The reserve is managed by the former Azienda foreste demaniali of the Sicilian Region, now the Regional Department for Rural and Territorial Development.
Three marshes, or depressions rich in brackish water, fall within the reserve.
They are the Pantano Piccolo, the Pantano Grande and the Pantano di Vendicari (or Pantano Roveto), very important wetlands that facilitated resting and nesting for more than 250 species of birds, including the elegant Pink Flamingos.
Vendicari has five entrances.
The main one (36°48’18.63″; 15°05’30.76″) leads to the marshes, the beach, the tower, the tuna fishery, the dunes, the ancient harbor, and the observation huts.
Another entrance is to the famous Calamosche beach (36°49’07.30″; 15°05’50.91″).
The tower seems to come straight out of the sea.
It is so low that it had to be protected from storm surges with breakwater boulders.
In truth it was lowered due to bradyseism.
It was built to defend the cargo port from pirate raids.
From this port in fact all the wheat, barley and legumes grown on the plains of Noto were embarked.
The tower communicated visually with the Capo Passero Fortress to the south, the ancient Noto Castle to the west, and the Stampace Tower to the north.
Access was by means of a drawbridge leading to a doorway set almost 5 m high.
Above it are visible the openings for maneuvering the bolzoni of the drawbridge.
The buildings that precede the tower are those of the Vendicari tuna fishery.
The oldest evidence of the tonnara dates back to the seventeenth century, but the buildings present were rebuilt in the early twentieth century.
The loggia area, where tuna were hung and bled before cooking, has the air of a sacred place, an open-air place of prayer.
They used the salt they grew in the nearby salt marsh to preserve the product.
Between 1940 and 1943, due to World War II, the tuna fishery became less fishy and was often abandoned for months because it was too exposed to bombing.
After the Allied landings (July 9-10, 1943) the tonnara was abandoned and looted.
In 1944 the owners temporarily entrusted it to another party who, following a meager haul of only 60-70 tuna, did not want to repeat the experience.
Since then the tuna fishery was permanently closed.
It has recently undergone a conservative restoration that allows it to be admired in all its splendor.
In the summer, visitors’ attention is often caught by a small white black-capped gull that, after a short stationary flight, swoops into the water of the marshes or the sea to catch some small fish.
It is the Fraticello (Sterna albifrons), a migratory and partially breeding species in Sicily.
Since 1989, 30-40 pairs have been breeding at Vendicari, which has now grown to 50-80.
It is the largest known colony in Sicily.
#3
Ancient Noto and Cava Carosello
- Ancient Noto: Extremely important archaeological area and nature site.
- Prehistoric Tombs: Tearliest estimonization of the city dating back to the Iron Age.
- Carousel Quarry: Ewas the industrial area of the city with the famous tanneries.
For more information visit naturasicula.it
The city of Noto, famous for its Baroque architecture, has been on its present site for only 3 centuries.
For 2,000 years, until the 1693 earthquake destroyed it, it was located 12 km away on Mount Alveria.
Today the ancient site is an extremely important archaeological area, complementary to the Baroque site, but it is also a naturalistic site of great value because it is surrounded by three wonderful valleys.
In ancient Noto one can still find the walls that encircled the town, the Norman castle, the remains of many churches, convents, noble palaces, humble houses but also Greek structures such as the Heroa and the Gymnasium.
Two hundred meters before arriving, the first thing that jumps to the visitor’s attention is the presence of many quadrangular holes on the limestone walls of the valley.
These are prehistoric tombs, the oldest evidence of the city dating back to the Iron Age, that is, to before Syracuse was founded by the Greeks.
The archaeological site is accessed through the northern gate called Porta della Montagna (36°56’47.61″; 15°01?23.14″), where embrasures for large artillery pieces and arquebuses can still be seen.
The moat below, now partially filled in, forced the use of the drawbridge.
From here begins a trail that, between outward and return, takes you about 8 km with 150 m of elevation gain.
This is a particularly engaging trail because of the variety of points of interest.
Having passed through the Mountain Gate, the most important monuments are found.
Over all dominates the Norman Castle, with the main tower, the prisons, the small church.
Numerous plants of Sicilian Sommacco grow wild among the rubble, a remnant of ancient crops useful for obtaining the tannin powder they used in tanneries.
When you reach Piazza Maggiore, you can descend to the western valley called Cava Carosello (36°56’20.01″; 15°01?13.53″).
It is not a nature reserve, but it is as if it were.
It is a forest domain and a Special Area of Conservation of the Natura 2000 Network.
Peregrine falcon, Leopard Coluber, Tortoise, and Rock Carnation are the animal and plant species specifically protected by the SAC under the 1979 and 1992 EU Directives.
The Carosello Quarry was the city’s industrial zone.
Tanneries predominated among the factories, so much so that the valley had the largest tanning industry in the entire Val di Noto, much more than Vizzini.
The tanneries, the result of negative architecture, that is, carved out of soft limestone, are in the valley bottom.
Some can be visited.
They functioned thanks to the clear waters of the Asinaro River.
The skins obtained were transported to the Vendicari tannery to take the sea route.
Though the river’s flow has been greatly reduced, it is able to feed a series of small lakes in which it is possible, in the warm months, to take a cooling and invigorating bath, in some cases in the shade of willows and poplars.
In the small quarry of S. Calogero, on the hydrographical right of the Asinaro River, the excavated rock yielded a place of worship, the rock church of S. Giuliano, presumably from the late Middle Ages, in which a fresco, two altars, sacristy, and subsellium are still recognizable.
#4
Ispica Quarry
- The quarry: È about 13 km long and is the longest Iblean valley.
- Prehistoric villages: There are several prehistoric villages, with associated necropolises, from the Early Bronze Age and Late Roman periods in the quarry.
- Castle of Ispica: Crupestrian dwelling complex on 5 overlapping levels.
For more information visit naturasicula.it
The valley owes its notoriety to foreign travelers who visited it and were fascinated by its natural and archaeological heritage (Jean Hoüel visited in 1777).
A Special Area of Conservation of the Natura 2000 Network, the quarry is about 13 km long and is the longest Iblean valley (Cavagrande del Cassibile 10 km).
It is in a hilly position, about 300 m above sea level.
In some places it is about 100 m deep and more than half a kilometer wide.
The valley floor is entirely passable, but the most rewarding and beautiful section is the upper half, from the mock-pillar tomb of Baravitalla to the Castle of Ispica.
A linear route that, between round trip, will take you about 8 km and about 100 m of elevation gain.
The most upstream part is in Modica territory, about 400 m above sea level, and is the swallow-tailed impluvium called Baravitalla; the downstream part is the Parco Forza di Ispica (120 m).
The Ispica stream, which during the last glaciation incised the valley, no longer flows.
It resurfaces only in particularly rainy months.
The mouth is located along the beach of Porto Ulisse.
Several prehistoric villages, with associated necropolises, from the ancient Bronze Age are attested in the quarry(Baravitalla, Cozzo Grotte cadute, Calicantone, Forza).
Other villages date from the late Roman age.
The cemeteries of Larderia, Camposanto and S. Marco refer to scattered groups of Christian communities.
We recommend starting your excursion from the mock-pillar tomb of Baravitalla (36°51?35.73″; 14°49’49.37″), one of the most beautiful and significant prehistoric monumental elevation tombs in Sicily.
The façade, slightly concave, is adorned with several lesène (false pillars), highlighted by grooves.
Descending the valley, after about 500 m you come to the Grotta dei Santi, an artificial cavity named for the presence of 33 wall frescoes depicting saints and bishops.
Another 500 m and you pass the Cavallo di Ispica mill.
Decommissioned in 1956, it has been monumentalized by its owners, who put it in operation for tourists for demonstration purposes.
It is the first of six mills located along the quarry and operated year-round.
The mill is followed by an archaeological area (36°51’00.43″; 14°50’16.46″) that is fenced off and can be visited during opening hours.
It is here that the Fallen Caves, the Spezieria, and the Larderia are located, and it is from here that the valley begins to recede and feature typical riparian forest trees and shrubs, from the eastern plane tree to the elder, from the pedicellate willow to the black poplar.
Oaks are much less present than in any other Hyblean valley.
In many places the valley floor is planted with walnut, medlar of Japan, carob, olive, lode, pomegranate, orange, and tangerine trees.
Descending the valley floor, after a couple of kilometers you come to a hamlet of well-preserved, multi-level stone houses.
One of them is an old, now disused mill.
We are in a rocky area called Pernamazzone, full of troglodytic dwellings abandoned only since the 1950s.
The last house was left in the 1970s. The most downstream part of the rock village includes the so-called “Castle of Ispica.”
Despite its name, it has nothing to do with actual castles.
It is a rock dwelling complex, Byzantine for Paolo Orsi, Arab according to Aldo Messina and the archaeologists of the last generation.
It consists of five levels on top of each other, and is completely isolated on three sides.
Communication between floors is provided by circular section tunnels with handholds and rungs.
Between the penultimate and the last floor, communication is enabled by a short, high shaft with a rectangular cross-section, equipped with notches, on which a ladder must be rested.
On the right edge of the Ispica quarry, at 362 m a.s.l., above Ispica Castle, is the Calicantone necropolis (36°50’02.95″; 14°50°35.18″), in which 91 artificial cave tombs, all violated, dating from the Early Bronze Age have been surveyed.
The graves, including one with a pillar pavilion, three with thin pilasters and one with a triple cornice, are located on a system of crags and attest to the ancient presence of a large village on the plateau above, which is now used for agriculture and where clay material and worked flint can be found.
#5
From the island of currents to Ulysses Harbor
- Island of Currents: A 24-hectare limestone islet that acts as a watershed between the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
- Golden beaches: Proceeding westward, one comes to a series of bright, golden beaches with a sea of surprising transparency.
- Longarini and Cuba marshes: Fort naturalistic attractions as thousands of birds stop there.
- Ulysses Harbor: Legendary place where Ulysses landed during his wanderings around the Mediterranean Sea.
For more information visit naturasicula.it
It is a coastal excursion of about 10 km (20 if you go round trip), bordering the territories of Pachino (SR) and Ispica (RG).
From Punta delle Correnti to Ulysses Harbor the continuity of wide golden beaches is interspersed only by three rocky promontories of tender marl: Punta Castellazzo, Punta Grotticelle, Punta delle Formiche.
In the Concerie district, erosion has transformed the marls into cliffs, caves and arches with original and striking shapes.
Historically, the Hispanic and Pachinese coastline is remembered as the one where the British allied troops began to land on July 9, 1943, beginning the liberation of Europe.
The route inevitably begins at theIsola delle Correnti (36°38’45.88″; 15°04’40.61″), a 24-hectare limestone islet that acts as a watershed between the Ionian and Mediterranean seas.
It reaches a maximum height of 9 m and is just under 100 from the Sicilian coast, to which it has been repeatedly connected by a concrete footbridge.
Built as early as the second half of the 19th century to facilitate access to the lighthouse (which is now automated), the footbridge has been destroyed in places by storm surges, but in summer one can proceed well on foot as the islet is separated from the Sicilian coast by an arm of sea about 1 meter deep.
Owned by the State Property Office, the islet is Special Area of Conservation called “Isola Correnti, Pantani di Punta Pilieri, Chiusa dell’Alga and Parrino.”
The area is further restricted as it is included in the Regional Plan of Reserves.
The nineteenth-century lighthouse has some buildings at its base that were the lodgings of the farists.
Another building, located northwest of the lighthouse, was once used as a bakery.
Because of its modest size and short distance from the mainland, the island is mainly a staging point for birds foraging on the main island.
From the island, proceeding westward, one crosses a series of bright, golden beaches, with a sea of astonishing transparency in whose depths are extensive prairies of Posidonia oceanica, litmus tests of clean, oxygenated seas.
On the backshore dominate the scene the dunes, extraordinary and rare ecosystems consisting of sea balls layered with sand.
On the dunes, up to 4-5 m high, lives much psammophilous or more generically halophilous vegetation, such as sea lily, pamper juniper, and ephedra fragile.
Enemies of the dunes are undoubtedly roads, cottages and equipped lidos.
Here the beaches are long and wide.
Let it be clear, however, that excluding the one in front of the island, the huge beaches of Marza, Granelli and Costa dell’Ambra are not for those who prefer nature adapted to man and the comforts of equipped lidos, but for those who love the scent and music of the sea, free spaces, golden sand reminiscent of desert colors, deep green crystal clear water, salt spray on the skin, flamingos in flight.
North of the cliff of Punta della Formiche are a dozen rectangular pools, carved into the rock, that are part of an ancient tannery, now semi-eroded by the sea.
The westernmost beach is that of Marza, whose boundary with the neighboring beach of Granelli is represented by the mouth of the Favara stream (the one that eroded the Cava Ispica to be clear), which is often dry, and whose waters feed the natural depressions of the hinterland, namely the Longarini quagmire, cut in two by Provincial Road 44, and the Cuba quagmire.
These wetlands are a strong naturalistic attraction as thousands of birds stop there.
The marsh complex is close to becoming a nature reserve: part of it has been purchased by a German nonprofit foundation that is making up for the regulatory backlog where possible.
The Cuba and Longarini marshes form the main nucleus of a coastal wetland complex that stretches along the coast between Ispica, Pachino and Marzamemi and constitute the largest and most representative portion of its various habitats and ecosystems.
They constitute the first port of call for many species of migratory birds that use the central Mediterranean route during their movements between Africa and Europe-a very important stopover and nesting site.
A territory historically subject to indiscriminate hunting and vicious poaching, this strip of Sicily is home to some rare species, including the Tabaccata Duck and the Marbled Duck.
Throughout the course of the year, it offers ideal conditions for the stopover, feeding and reproduction of an incredible number of animal species: more than 250 species of birds, but also 21 species of Dragonflies, and hundreds of species of insects.
The bay that is created here is called Ulysses Harbor.
Mentioned by Cicero, Pliny and Ptolemy, the bay of Port Ulysses is renowned as a legendary place where the Homeric hero landed during his wanderings around the Mediterranean Sea.
Consisting of a sandy inlet, it is bordered by the rocky promontory of Punta Castellazzo, where in ancient times a large fortress was built to defend the hinterland and the port.
Archaeologists have identified Apolline there, a Roman station where it was possible to pull boats dry.
Several artifacts have been found, including silted fragments of a 6th-century Byzantine ship found in 1960 about 500 meters from the coast.
In Roman and Byzantine times the port of Ulysses Harbor was a trading port of call on routes from Greece and Egypt to Rome.
#6
Marzamemi to Vendicari
- Spinazza: It starts from Spinazza beach in Marzamemi on a path alternating between beaches and cliffs.
- Archaeological area: Behind the Citadel Houses begins a path that leads to thearchaeological area, where there are the remains of a Byzantine city from the 5th-6th centuries AD.
- Dunes: Juniper emerges from the dunes and finds favorable living conditions inland.
For more information visit naturasicula.it
Free of elevation gain, the trail is coastal and connects the village of Marzamemi with the southern part of the Vendicari nature reserve, the part affected by the remains of a Byzantine citadel and a beautiful golden sandy beach where the Caretta caretta sea turtle nests.
The one-way trail is 7 kilometers long; because of the high temperatures, we recommend walking it from autumn to spring.
It starts from Marzamemi, from the long beach of Spinazza (36°44’40.29″; 15°06’51.51″) where there are often large deposits of Posidonia oceanica that slow coastal erosion and ensure clear, well-oxygenated waters.
The path is an alternation of beaches and cliffs.
The first strip parallel to the shoreline is initially free of vegetation, then a few halophilous (salt-friendly) and/or psammophilous (sand-friendly) species of the so-called “cakileto” are planted.
These are species with long roots to reach the moisture underneath, provided with thorns or with fat leaves or covered with dense down, such as Maritime Ravastrello, Maritime Violet, Beach Cornflower, Sea Lucerne, Thorny Carrot, Maritime Calcatreppola, and Maritime Euphorbia.
The latter often has its leaves pierced by the sphinx larva of the Euphorbia.
In summer, the beach in contrada S. Lorenzo is occupied by the umbrellas and sunbeds of some of the equipped lidos, which makes it possible to cross the beach without being able to stop.
Sandwiched between Spinazza and S. Lorenzo beaches is the reef of Punta Bove Marino, whose name recalls that in the past the sea in front of it was frequented by the monk seal.
S. Lorenzo beach ends about a kilometer later when it meets the Costa Reitani reef .
A horseshoe-shaped cove (36°46’22.19″; 15°05’53.61″) with a small gray sand beach opens in the center of the coast.
The waters are shallow, suitable for children.
The hinterland is largely occupied by second homes, many belonging to the so-called S. Lorenzo tourist village, later converted into condominiums.
The agricultural vocation is the production of melons and watermelons, both in greenhouses and outdoors.
Having reached the reserve area, on the relief near the beach, a large L-shaped rural building can be seen.
These are the Citadel Houses (36°46’42.29″; 15°05’35.80″).
On one side are former dwellings converted into guest quarters and garages, and on the other the former millstone adapted into a conference room and wine museum.
In the corner, a turret intended for fire-fighting service.
A large beam with central well dominates the exterior scene.
The ground floor, covered in spring with purple papery flowers, those of the Statice sinuata (Limonium sinuatum), slopes gently up to a rocky crag from which there is a breathtaking viewpoint that sweeps from the Avola Mountains to the village of Marzamemi.
Behind the Case Cittadella houses begins a path that leads to thearchaeological area, where there are the remains of a Byzantine city from the 5th-6th centuries AD.
Of the small city, there remain a church(the Trigona), the basement parts of some poor houses and tombs.
On either side of the Trigona are leaning other buildings from a century ago.
Regarding the necropolis, the small town shows three types of burials, which are still evident: catacombs, aedicule tombs, and pit tombs.
There are three catacombs that can be visited, one next to the other, and they are encountered by going from Trigona toward the reserve exit, following the tourist signs.
Excavated in the rock, they contain several sarcophagi distributed inside cross-shaped arcosols.
A little further south, descending slightly to the left, one encounters at ground level some simple bell-shaped pits.
They were intended for the common people.
A few more steps and you encounter an aedicule tomb.
Originally covered by a barrel vault, it had a window and a very low door that forced the visitor to stoop and crawl in.
The floor is occupied by two pit tombs.
Along the coast of Cittadella, the stars of the scene are the Snuggling Juniper and the dunes.
The Snuggle Juniper finds favorable living conditions in the part of the dunes facing inland, where sufficient protection from the action of the sea is provided.
Shrubby in habit, sometimes slightly prostrate, Juniper is represented by sometimes very old individuals that, as a result of siltation, emerge from the dune, covering the entire relief with their branches.
In places where Juniper entirely covers the part of the dunes facing the sea, halophilous and psammophilous species regress.
Because of the height and robustness it has attained, the Citadel Juniper grove has been declared a monumental one because it represents a rare botanical condition.
#7
Nature "Pantani Cuba and Longarini"
- Duration: variable, depending on the visitor’s time availability and the season (from 3 hours to full day).
Easy and flat routes. - Aimed at: nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers, nature photographers.
- Guide: Italian, English.
- Reservation: minimum two days in advance at 3312298636 – 3663644611 – [email protected] – [email protected]
For more information visit naturasicula.it
The Bruno and Longarini marshes are located at the southern end of the Ispica municipal territory and are brackish water lakes separated from the sea only by sand dunes.
They are habitats for Mediterranean scrub and host stopovers for migrating birds, such as moorhens and mallards and others.
Depending on the seasons, it is possible to observe Turkish warblers, foragers, marsh reed warblers and sometimes specimens of herons, storks and flamingos.
Discovering the spectacle of variety of shapes and colors offered by the biodiversity within the private reserve “Cuba and Longarini Marshes.”
Expert guides will accompany you with appropriate optical means to observe Flamingos, Herons, Storks and the other bird species among the more than 240 that frequent the area, as well as wild orchids, butterflies, dragonflies and much more: an exclusive experience inside one of the most important wetlands in Sicily for bird migration.
