Excursions in the most beautiful spots of Sicily
THE SEA AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE
Snorkeling Itinerary
Towards north
From Marzamemi the first simple place with a beautiful view of the sea bottom is the dam (diga), that is the rocky part of the coast in front of the old fishermen’s houses. It is called dam (diga) because this natural rocks stop the water, and they were once used as quarry (latomie) to build different sites.
Going towards Vendicari, in front of Marzamemi (so you need a boat) you will find an archeological site called Greek-Roman columns, which is the result of a greek shipwreck from 2300 years ago. Here you can find a lot of damselfishes, which are little black fishes with a pointy tail, and attached to the columns you can see a lot of black stains, which are sea sponges. Other kind of fishes are sea breams, pinfishes and so on.
Proceeding on that direction, the natural reserve of Vendicari offers different spots to do snorkeling, that are the “ninth road” also called Cittadella, the first entrance to Vendicari from Marzamemi, than the Tonnara of Vendicari, where there is a long rocky coast perfect for snorkeling.
Calamosche beach, inside the reserve, is not to be missed, you may struggle a bit to get there because you have to walk for about 20 minutes (we recommend when it’s not too hot) but your effort will be paid back from the beauty of this beach, encrusted between some rocks and with white subtle sand. It is surely very crowded during the high season due to its tightness.
Another beautiful spot which is not so reachable by land is the coast next to the mouth of the river Cassibile, where we can find some rocks at the surface and an underwater source of fresh water. To go there by land you have to follow the ss 115 and between Avola and Cassibile you will find the indication to “Pineta del Gelsomineto”.
Another spot proceeding towards north Syracuse is Ognina with the island of the same name, where we can also find a natural touristic port. The little island is perfect to do snorkeling.
Right after, we have the big protected area of Plemmirio where you will find different spots, and because it is a sea protected area you will surely find a more fishes than in other places. In the sea bottom of this area you will find the wreck of an ancient statue representing a mermaid. You need to be careful though, because the red areas are banned from every activity in exception of a special authorization.
Towards South
Leaving from Marzamemi towards south, that is towards Isola di Capo Passero, you will find “Acqua delle Colombe”, so called because there is a source of fresh water on the riff and doves drink it to cool off. It is also the spot where a lot of years ago pirates landed to take fresh water. It is reachable by land through Morghella or through the little beach called “Scalo Mandria” in Portopalo. But the best idea is to do this excursion with a boat.
Right after you will find Isola di Capo Passero, the entire island has many spots to do snorkeling, like: i “ruttazzi”, the northern point of the island right under the spanish fort where there are different little caves with a decreasing sea bottom and where you can find different types of fishes, like “donzella”, sea breams, damselfishes, octopuses, staggers, but there’s also an historical wreck: an ancient anchor under the lighthouse of the fort.
Along the rest of the island the sea bottoms are perfect to do snorkeling, like in Capo Musso, Grotta del Popolo, Scoglio Maltese e Punta del Travo, where there is also a shoal where unfortunately sometimes boats aground.
Proceeding on this direction we find Isola delle Correnti, so called due to the presence of various sea flows, and here the Ionian Sea and the Strait of Sicily meet with each other. The bay of the island is characterized from sand dunes and the sea bottom is mostly sandy, except from the wreck which we find at the center of the bay, 50mt away from the coast. It is a maltese merchant ship that drowned about 30 years ago because of a fire on board. A mile away from the coast there is a 4mt shoal with a unique sea bottom, but because of the distance from the coast we recommend you to do the excursion on a boat.
We’re already in the Strait of Sicily and going on we find Punta delle Formiche, so called because the rocks at the surface, from far away, resemble some ants. Near to this we find the Grotte dei Sospiri, so called because the gurgling of water sounds like a whisper. This area is also named Concerie due to the presence of ancient tanneries dug on the rocks.
Getting over the big beach of Granelle, about 5km, you will come across Porto Ulisse and Punta Castellazzo, that together with Cirica and Punta Cirica represent the end for snorkeling because, right after these, we find along the coast only big beaches.
Between Porto Ulisse and Cirica there are two rocks: Iannazzo and Iannazzieddu, the latter just a little at the surface. These are anyway to important spots to do snorkeling but in this case too we recommend you to reach them on a boat.
At the entrance of Pozzallo, as a last bastion of ancient times, there is Isola dei Porri, so called because here it’s where wild leek used to grow. This island, once a lot bigger, now is just a little bigger than a rock due to the sea erosion. But you need to be careful because the island and all the 100mt around it are banned from every activity because it’s a reserve. Looking from the island to the land, there are some shoals called “secche di Circe”, goal of a lot of scuba divers due to the presence of amberjacks, groupers, octopuses and so on.
Right after you will find Isola di Capo Passero, the entire island has many spots to do snorkeling, like: i “ruttazzi”, the northern point of the island right under the spanish fort where there are different little caves with a decreasing sea bottom and where you can find different types of fishes, like “donzella”, sea breams, damselfishes, octopuses, staggers, but there’s also an historical wreck: an ancient anchor under the lighthouse of the fort.
Along the rest of the island the sea bottoms are perfect to do snorkeling, like in Capo Musso, Grotta del Popolo, Scoglio Maltese e Punta del Travo, where there is also a shoal where unfortunately sometimes boats aground.
Proceeding on this direction we find Isola delle Correnti, so called due to the presence of various sea flows, and here the Ionian Sea and the Strait of Sicily meet with each other. The bay of the island is characterized from sand dunes and the sea bottom is mostly sandy, except from the wreck which we find at the center of the bay, 50mt away from the coast. It is a maltese merchant ship that drowned about 30 years ago because of a fire on board. A mile away from the coast there is a 4mt shoal with a unique sea bottom, but because of the distance from the coast we recommend you to do the excursion on a boat.
We’re already in the Strait of Sicily and going on we find Punta delle Formiche, so called because the rocks at the surface, from far away, resemble some ants. Near to this we find the Grotte dei Sospiri, so called because the gurgling of water sounds like a whisper. This area is also named Concerie due to the presence of ancient tanneries dug on the rocks.
Getting over the big beach of Granelle, about 5km, you will come across Porto Ulisse and Punta Castellazzo, that together with Cirica and Punta Cirica represent the end for snorkeling because, right after these, we find along the coast only big beaches.
Between Porto Ulisse and Cirica there are two rocks: Iannazzo and Iannazzieddu, the latter just a little at the surface. These are anyway to important spots to do snorkeling but in this case too we recommend you to reach them on a boat.
At the entrance of Pozzallo, as a last bastion of ancient times, there is Isola dei Porri, so called because here it’s where wild leek used to grow. This island, once a lot bigger, now is just a little bigger than a rock due to the sea erosion. But you need to be careful because the island and all the 100mt around it are banned from every activity because it’s a reserve. Looking from the island to the land, there are some shoals called “secche di Circe”, goal of a lot of scuba divers due to the presence of amberjacks, groupers, octopuses and so on.
