After the main entrance, at the first junction we find on the left the observation shed overlooking the [1] old salt pans now abandoned that host different species of birds both migratory and sedentary. If equipped with binoculars it is possible to observe different species of birds including pink flamingos.

Back at the junction continue along the path that arrives at the main intersection: in front of you the access to the beach of Vendicari where you can swim with a view of the Tonnara, on the right the path 2, on the left the path of the Tonnara.

Continuing along the path that leads us to the suggestive ruins of the [2]Tonnara, we have on our left the Pantano Grande, a freshwater basin very important for the coexistence and refreshment of many species, which make the ecosystem rich and lively.

After the Tonnara we meet the [3]Swabian Watchtower and the [4] Hellenistic tanks , cavities dug directly into the rocks for different uses, including that of fish preparation and "garum" fish-based seasoning.

We can only vaguely imagine the appearance of the place in the Greco-Roman age. We can certainly understand the reasons why this place has never ceased to be enormously fascinating for man.

Continuing our walk we skirt on one side still the rich and wide Big Quagmire up to Pantano Piccolo and on the other the rocky coast of the sea that accompanies us throughout this stretch, giving us a vast and rich panorama where we can be lucky enough to look at birds or other animals in their habitat.

We arrive at the famous [5] Calamosche Beach , characteristic for being a sandy basin closed by the rocky coast. Mixing, the coast and sand, the coast is enriched with marine species that we can admire by diving. A perfect place for snorkeling.

We continue our walk to the nudist beach of [6] Marianelli going up the rocky shore opposite to the one from which we descended to reach the Calamosche Beach.

Reached the Marianelli beach, continuing our itinerary you have to overcome the lower mouth of the river Tellaro to reach the beach [7]Eloro-Tellaro , where the presence of fresh water increases the environmental value of the place. Here it will be possible to see parts of the walls and architecture of the ancient Greek city of Eloros, currently closed to visitors.

On the promontory there are the remains of the ancient Syracusan colony [8]Heloros , to reach it you have to leave the reserve and follow the dirt path always keeping to the right.

Beyond the promontory is the beach of [9]Eloro-Pizzuta , to reach it you have to leave the reserve and follow the dirt path always keeping to the right.

Finally the [10] Pizzuta Column , a monument dating back to the Greek period can be reached from the main road.

The first information about the existence of the salt pans of Vendicari date back to the fifteenth century, probably the area of the marsh was used even in Greek times, since nearby there are remains of tanks for the processing of salted fish.

The salt pans were an important resource for the area, they fed the salt market that was transported by sailing boats "varchi 'i sali".

The work of the salt pans was typically seasonal from March to August. A typical day of the salt workers began in the morning at dawn and continued until 11:00, thus avoiding the scorching midday heat. He resumed work in the early afternoon until around 5:00 p.m.

The salt pans were closed in 1951 following a flood that had caused much damage to the area. Today the salt pans are used by birds as an oasis of refreshment and are one of the most important attractions of the reserve.

A wonder to visit dating back to the eighteenth century, is the Tonnara di Vendicari: also called Bafutu.

The construction of the Tonnara dates back to the eighteenth century, the activity developed thanks to the presence of the nearby salt pans that allowed the extraction of salt; The tuna was caught in the waters in front and transported to the balata where it was cut and processed, then in the actual plant the tuna was cooked in the ovens and canned.

The activity of the plant has had alternating phases, flourishing periods to periods of closure based on the cost of the product and the competition of the nearby traps of Marzamemi, Avola, Noto and Syracuse.

In 1943, following the landing of the Allies, but also due to a poor economic yield of the tuna trade, the plant was closed.

Today it remains a testimony of the ancient Sicilian tradition of tuna traps.

In 1970 Vendicari risked becoming an industrial area, fortunately the monstrous project failed.

Dating back to medieval times, the Swabian Tower was most likely built by Peter of Aragon, Count of Alburquerque and Duke of Noto (1406-1438) to signal and repel the attacks of Saracen and Barbareschi pirates.

The date of foundation of this tower remains uncertain. The oldest source that mentions the existence of the building is by Tommaso Fazello, a Sicilian historian, who indicated the construction of the tower precisely at the behest of Pietro D'Aragona.

The construction of this tower was necessary to guard and defend the loaders the warehouses where foodstuffs were stored for trade; the area that corresponds to the current Vendicari reserve, in fact, has presumably been a port center for rural communities since late antiquity. This ancient commercial function has been prolonged over time, as evidenced by a document of 1396, which grants the city of noto the commercial activity through the Vendicari airport.

The military activity of the Swabian Tower, despite the collapses and alterations that have occurred since the sixteenth century and the devastating earthquake of 1693 that seriously damaged it, officially continued until 1867, when the Italian government counted it among the military buildings to be abandoned due to ceased functionality.

Compared to the original structure, the tower today appears almost halved in height due to the lack of the top floor (present only in the north wall), the vaults of roofs and the terrace.

On the north-east side there is one of the entrances, a rectangular door with a massive monolithic architrave. In this prospectus we can see on the floor one of the original windows of the structure.
On the tops of the south and west corners, there are corbels dating back to the sixteenth century, which served as a support to large balconies that housed lookouts, cannons and garrisons in countershoe.

In the north-east façade, at a height of 5 meters, we can see an arched door with a slightly lowered sixth, visibly "recessed" with respect to the façade. This was the entrance to the drawbridge.

After passing the Swabian tower you reach the storage tanks of an ancient hellenistic establishment used for the processing of tuna and the production of garum; next to the tanks was also discovered a small necropolis.

Garum is a liquid sauce of fish entrails and salted fish that the ancient Greeks added as a condiment to many first and second courses.

Garum derived from the Greek name garos or garon (γάρον), which was the name of the fish whose intestines were originally used in the production of condiments. It is thought that the Garum was similar to the anchovy paste or the liquid of the brine of salted anchovies, which on the Amalfi coast and in particular in Cetara can be enjoyed even today with the name of "colatura".

In the Geoponiche, of unknown author and era, we read: "The so-called 'liquamen' is produced as follows: pour into a container the entrails of the fish and then salt; pour small fish, especially dairy, or small red mullet, or menole, or anchovies, or whatever small fish there is, all to be salted equally, to be left to mature in the sun and turn constantly.

After they have seasoned in the heat, the garum is drawn from them; a large basket is inserted into the full cavity of the above small fish: the garum will flow into the basket; what is poured through it, called "liquamen", will be collected.

Some also add two sextarians of old wine for each fish sextary. If you need to use the garum immediately, do not keep it so much in the sun, but boil it, doing so:

take the brine so concentrated that an egg can float there (if it sinks there is not enough salt), place the fish in it in another pot, add oregano and put it on the fire until boiling, that is, until it has reduced enough volume. Once cooled, place in a sieve a second and a third time, until it is clear. After putting the lid on, put it back on.

The flower of the garum, however, called aimàtion (from the Greek αἰμάτιον, "blood, blood"), is obtained as follows: take the entrails of the tuna together with the gills, the serum and the blood, on top spread salt and macerate for two months. The container is then perforated, the garum called aimation will come out of it".

Probably the most famous of the beaches of Vendicari is Calamosche, a ravine of extreme beauty destination of many of the tourists who visit this part of Sicily, a masterpiece of mother nature.

For those wishing to reach the beach of Calamosche directly, the paid parking is 1.2 km away on foot. Click on the P to get the navigation directions. Parking 3,5-5 €/day; 9-19 ; 7/7. Admission 3,5 €.

🚍 Bus Noto-Lido di Noto. Bus Stop Hotel Helios, then hiking of 4 km you reach the beach of Pizzuta, Eloro, Marianelli and Calamosche.

Natural beach in the name of freedom is Marianelli, a splendid ravine destination for naturists who love nudism and gayfriendly beach.
The sand is always golden and the sea has an impeccable clarity.

Arriving by car, the car park is about 750 meters from the beach.

🚍 Bus Noto-Lido di Noto. Bus Stop Hotel Helios, then hiking 2.5 km on the sand you reach the beach of Pizzuta then Eloro and then Marianelli.

Attention: due to what has just been described, this particular destination lends itself to a narrow target of users and much less to families.

Continuing south on the paths above the dunes you reach the beautiful Calamosche at about 800 meters.

South of the archaeological park (Heloros) Eloro is the second of the 4 beautiful natural beaches that are located north of Vendicari, with soft golden sand is bordered by dunes and Mediterranean vegetation.

Crossing the river Tellaro, at the south end of the beach, beyond the promontory you arrive at the beach of Marianelli.
There are no structures inside, only nature.

By car you can park at about 300 meters. Admission 3.5€.

🚍 Bus Noto-Lido di Noto. Bus Stop Hotel Helios, then hiking 1.5 km you reach the beach of Pizzuta and then the beach Eloro.

It is a coastal city - along the Via Elorina - founded at the end of the seventh century BC.C., important because it represented the extension of the power of Syracuse to the south.

The city was always faithful to the motherland until the fall into Roman hands which however allowed its continuity and productivity until the dismantling and destruction in Arab times.

Further traces of the exploitation of the place are the presence of some latomie (stone quarries) of the fifth century BC.C used in the ancient Greek city, for the construction of temples and monuments, which later became catacombs in the early Christian era.

The city walls, dated to the sixth century BC.C. in their original phase, were later rebuilt over the remains of the oldest ones, perhaps in the second half of the fourth century BC.C.

The most important sanctuary was located outside the walls: it was dedicated to Demeter and Kore and perhaps takes up an older indigenous Sicilian cult. It was located outside the walls and consisted of several rooms.

The portico was also connected with the agora, of which only the cisterns dug into the rock to collect rainwater remain visible. From the square a street headed towards the sea to the south-east: together with another street in a north-south direction it defined the axes of the urban structure of the city.

A sanctuary perhaps dedicated to the god Asclepius, of the fourth century BC.C., consisted of a courtyard surrounded by arcades, where the sick stopped and slept waiting for the visit in a dream of the god, which would lead to healing.

Nearby there was a small thesauròs, that is a building in the shape of a small temple in antis, intended to house the votive offerings and dated to the second half of the fourth century.

To the south, on the slopes of the hill, there is a Greek theater, partly carved into the rock and partly built, dating back to the late fourth - early third century BC.C., partly affected by a reclamation canal built in the thirties.

To the north-west was the Pizzuta Column, a funerary monument, consisting of a colossal column in limestone rocchi (diameter of 3.80 m and height reconstructable in about 10 m). Nearby there is an hypogeum carved into the rock, datable to the second half of the third century BC.C., already seen in the excavations of Orsi in 1899 and subsequently reburied.

The last of the beautiful natural beaches of the Vendicari reserve on path 1, this beach was a place of parties and games of virility of the ancient inhabitants. The sea is clear blue and crystal clear, there are no equipped facilities, the beaches are connected by paths. This delightful place is ideal for nature lovers looking for peace and tranquility close to the sea, very popular on weekends in July and August.

NOTE: to reach the Eloro beach coming from the Tellaro beach you must leave the reserve and return later following the dirt road.

The parking area is free and is about 200 meters from the entrance of the beach.

🚍 Bus Noto-Lido di Noto. Bus Stop Hotel Helios, then hiking 1 km you reach the beach of Pizzuta.

The column can be reached from the main road

☞ (click here for directions)
is a short stop for a short path that takes us to the Pizzuta Column, a path to an isolated archaeological find in this pre-reserve agricultural area.

It is a column probably dating back to the third century BC.C. which apparently seemed to be part of a celebratory monument. Only in the inspections carried out by Paolo Orsi it emerged that in reality it is a commemorative funeral monument, under which a stuccoed hypogeum compartment was found and adorned with two warriors, one of whom was regent a shield adorned with stylistic features dating back to the time of Hieron II. From this the alleged dating was deduced.

The term Pizzuta is probably due to its emergence isolated from the surrounding environment, or probably to the precious type of almond that populates that area, called "pizzuta".

Damaged by the terrible earthquake of 1693, it was qualified as a valuable find and restored in 1793 at the behest of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, as reported by a marble plaque set in it.

Note: Those coming from Tellaro beach must go outside the reserve to reach the column.