On the way to the nature reserve Vendicari

Written for b&b Syracuse, beach resort Fontane Bianche, East Sicily, Italy

Vendicari stands for spacious beaches, marsh landscapes, and historical signs of ancient Sicilian inhabitants.
On the first day, we visited the northern part of the park. By going on road Sp 19 from Noto to Pacchino and turning right at the first sign to Vendicari, we reached the parking of the main entrance. For three Euros one can leave his/her car there for the whole day and use the showers after swimming. The showers though are the only facility for beach guests because Vendicari is mainly a nature reservation. Consequently, parasols and catering must be brought.
After a 5-minute walk to the beach we established a small encampment and enjoyed the clean water. A little later, we left our fort in order to explore the reservation. On gravel paths and footbridges we walked through the mixed salt- and sweet-water marshes. Repeatedly, we discovered traces of antique saltwater basins. The water was populated by wading birds as spoonbills whose calls could be heard from afar

On the way in the northern direction we reached the remains of an old tuna factory where already the ancient Greeks have processed tuna and which was shut down in the 1940’s. Nearby we found the Vendicari tourist centre with restrooms and additional information on the reserve. Additionally, the Torre di Vendicari, the most important landmark, which was built in the 1500’s can be found here.

Unfortunately, we did not see any pelicans, flamingos or terrapins. Next time we will bring field glasses to be able to watch animals further afar because they seem to avoid the area around the official pathways.

On our second attempt to visit Vendicari we decided to take the turn further southward. After passing the supposed entrance sign and driving around the corner, we already saw the beach. There, we easily found a parking lot at the side of the road. When we walked to the southern end of the beach, we passed a memorial for African refugees who drowned on the shore in 2007. Right away we noticed how solitary this beach was compared to the one in the north.

On branched pathways we walked to the chapel, then to some of the bird huts and had a rest at one of the ancient neglected farms, which can be as old as 300 years. And still we found unkempt olive plantations or carob trees. The most interesting sights for us were the Byzantine tombs. Unfortunately, their entrances were blocked with garbage, which is why it was not always possible to have a good look at the branched aisles with the tombs.
Altogether, we enjoyed Vendicari very much because of the spacious beaches and the untouched landscape interspersed with archaeological traces of old Sicily.
Antje and Nicolas, July 2011
Written for b&b Syracuse, beach resort Fontane Bianche, East Sicily, Italy