Excursions in the most beautiful spots of Sicily
THE SEA AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE
Beaches Itinerary
Leaving from north to south, so from Syracuse to Marzamemi.
- In the protected area of Plemmirio you find different merges on the sea. The most beautiful are: Punta Castelluccio, also called “Minareto” beach, Spiaggia della Finanza and Spiaggia del Faro Massolivieri.
- Right after the protected area of Plemmirio we find Arenella beach and the tourist resort with the same name, but it is very crowded during high season.
- Some kilometers away proceeding towards south the white beach and the crystal clear sea enriches a natural amphitheater, also called Fontane Bianche due to the presence of a fresh water aquifer in front of the beach.
- The beach of Avola is very beautiful and crowded, a well known town thanks to the production of its almond; “Lido di Avola” is an equipped beach with showers and beach clubs in the center of the town.
- “Lido di Noto” is the seaside of the city of Noto, very crowded during high season and the weekends, equipped with beach clubs and showers and various tourist accommodations.
- Eloro is the first beach of the natural reserve of Vendicari. You will find a big expanse of sandy dunes, crystal clear water and a white and subtle sand, all surrounded by the mediterranean forest and morasses.
- Following there is Marianelli. Marianelli beach is an isolated, wild and uncontaminated beach, placed among almond groves, lemon groves and sandy dunes enriched by a unique flora. Marianelli it’s in the northern area of the reserve between Eloro and Calamosche. It has a low sea bottom, crystal clear sea and (in August) warm waters. It is a bit difficult to reach because it is secluded and wild, in fact people who go there are usually tranquillity and privacy lovers.
- Proceeding in that direction there is Calamosche, also known by the locals as “Funni Musca”, it is a sandy cove that is 200mt long, defined by two rocky promontory that repair the beach from the sea flows, so as a result the sea is always calm and clear, except from when there’s north-east wind and east wind. It is a natural pool perfect to do snorkeling. Swimming towards the reef, where the sea bottom is deeper, there are caves, caverns and ravines host a various sea fauna. You need about 20 minutes by feet to arrive so it’s better to go when it’s not too hot; also during high season and the weekends it’s very crowded, and you won’t find any toilet or facility because it’s a natural reserve. For this reason it’s better to bring everything you need from home and, of course, to keep the place clean.
- Proceeding towards south you will find the beach of Vendicari which is one of the most fascinating coasts of the reserve. It is located in the south side, between Calamosche and San Lorenzo, the beach that marks the limits of the reserve. It has a long sandy coast with a low sea bottom that downgrades little by little towards the open sea. The main characteristic of this area is the presence of the leaves of the plant “Posidonia Oceanica”. Next to the beach there is the old Tonnara and the ancient “Torre Sveva”.
- Going out of the reserve of Vendicari, going towards San Lorenzo and Pachino, you will find the “ninth street” also called Cittadella. The characteristic of this beach are the white subtle sand, the crystal clear sea, various fish species and (except from August) a lot of tranquillity because the beach is right before Vendicari and it’s the first entrance to the reserve coming from Marzamemi.
- Near the area there is San Lorenzo. It is a fascinating coast characterized by big beaches and little coves. The subtle sand is accompanied by a crystal clear and turquoise sea with a decreasing sea bottom, which allows children to enjoy the sea in full tranquillity. The big coast represents an uncontaminated patrimony of big beaches and little coves. It is situated right outside the limits of Vendicari but it has the same natural characteristics of the reserve. The coast is well equipped, with some facilities that guarantee true relax, but it is very crowded during summer so it’s recommended the reservation if you want to book beach umbrellas and beach chair.
- From Marzamemi to Portopalo you will find Morghella beach, very recognizable because on the left side of the street you will see the beach and on the right side you will see the old “saline” (salt pan). It is a big beach where you can also do snorkeling on the south side. From here you can already look at the lava flow of the old volcano of Pachino, extinguished about 80 millions years ago.
- Proceeding towards Portopalo di Capo Passero, interchanging sand and reefs, the Scalo Mandrie beach is surely one of the most evocatives, with the Tonnara of Portopalo and the Tafuri Castle on one side and the natural jewel of Isola di Capo Passero on the other. The characteristic of this beach is that the sand is black because it derives from volcanic rocks. The sea is crystal clear with a rocky and sandy sea bottom towards the Isola di Capo Passero, which is right in front of the beach and that was attached to the land until half past ‘700 through a block of sand that then the flow has removed, making Capo Passero an island.
- Getting over Portopalo and going towards Isola delle Correnti we find a lot of greenhouses used to cultivate the “ciliegino di Pachino”. It is in fact cultivated on sand and irrigated with salty water, which gives it that particular taste. Isola delle Correnti is where the Ionian Sea meets the Strait of Sicily, in fact the name derives from the flows of the two different seas. Looking at the island, on the left we find the last beach of the Ionian Sea called “Pipitunia” due to the name of the street, while on the right we have the bay of the island with Punto Rio beach and Punta delle Formiche beach with their characteristic sandy dunes. The latter is located 7km away from the center of Portopalo and has crystal clear waters, low sea bottom and a very long golden beach. It is a sort of natural pool perfect for children. The weather characteristic of this side of the coast that goes from Isola delle Correnti to Punto Rio are appropriate for windsurf: it is not so rare to see a lot of sails even in winter.
- Granelle beach, 5km long, is one of the most beautiful and calm ever, in fact there are no beach clubs and some areas are unreachable due to the greenhouses.
- Going towards Pozzallo, Porto Ulisse beach and Cirica beach are not to miss, both very beautiful and relaxing, the latter reachable only by sea.
