Riserva Naturale di Vendicari
The reserve announces itself slowly: salt flats catching the late light, a ruined tower on the horizon, and then the first flamingo — pink against grey water, improbably still. Vendicari stretches along roughly 1,500 hectares of Sicily's southeastern coast, and it asks you to slow down to its pace.
Five entrances lead into a landscape that holds Byzantine catacombs, a derelict tuna fishery, Greek stone quarries, and three beaches in the same afternoon's walk. The €3.50 entrance fee is one of the more honest transactions in Sicilian tourism.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to enter from Calamosche — the beach that took the Legambiente title in 2005 — but spend the real time on the Marianelli side, where dunes and citrus groves thin the crowds considerably. Bring more water than you think you need. There is no shade on the trails and nothing to buy inside.
The story behind Riserva Naturale di Vendicari
The land was protected by regional law in 1981, formally established as a nature reserve in 1984, and opened to the public only in 1989 — the gap between those last two dates tells you something about how hard environmental groups had to push against bureaucratic inertia to make it real.
The human layers run much deeper. The Torre Sveva was built between 1406 and 1438 under Pietro of Aragon, Count of Alburquerque and Duke of Noto, as a signal tower against coastal raids. The Tonnara — the tuna fishery complex with its brick chimney, processing warehouses, and fishermen's quarters — operated from the late 17th century under the Nicolaci family (the same family behind Palazzo Villadorata in Noto) and changed hands to Antonino Modica of San Giovanni Munafò in 1914, before Allied landings ended its working life in 1943. It was restored and reopened in 2017. Older still: the Byzantine village of Cittadella dei Maccari dates to the 6th century AD, and the latomie — stone quarries cut into the earth — fed the temples of ancient Eloro five centuries before that.
Good to know
Twenty minutes by car from Noto along the coastal road toward Pachino; parking at all five marked entrances. Plan a full day if you want more than one beach. September and October are the sweet spot — warm sea, fewer people, good birdwatching. Avoid August if crowds bother you.
Spring (March to May) brings wildflowers and mild temperatures around 15–25°C; autumn (September to October) keeps the sea warm while cooling the trails to something manageable. Summer is relentlessly sunny and exposed — 28–35°C with no shade on the paths, which is worth knowing before you set out. January and February bring flamingos gathering during migration, and the reserve is quietest in winter, with shorter opening hours.
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What travellers say about Riserva Naturale di Vendicari
We visited Vendicari Reserve to see both Calamosche Beach and Vendicari Beach. The reserve itself is attractive and worth visiting. We enjoyed the natural scenery, walking trails, coastline, wildflowers, birdlife, and the sense of being in a protected natural area. If you enjoy nature reserves, photography, or gentle walks, there is plenty to appreciate. However, the beach marketing felt overdone to us. Calamosche is described in some places with comparisons to the Caribbean, and Vendicari Beach is promoted as one of the reserve’s most fascinating coastlines. Both were pleasant, but not the spectacular turquoise-water beach experience we expected from those descriptions. However, as Australians, we found the beaches somewhat overhyped. They were pleasant, but not particularly memorable compared with Sydney beaches. Practical note: we paid €5 for parking near the Calamosche access point, which appeared separate from reserve entry. Calamosche involved about a 20-minute walk from the parking area, and we also had a longer walk to Vendicari Beach due to a road closure. Worth visiting for nature and scenery, but manage expectations if you’re going mainly for beaches.
This nature reserve is stunning, with different ecosystems fitting together like. Park the car on the side of the road before the ticket booth. Then take the raised walkway over the reed-filled wetlands. Reach the brackish water lagoons dotted with hundreds of young flamingos. The pristine bay is backed by monumental sand dunes. The remains of the tonnara and the Swabian tower add a touch of history and nostalgia. The ecology museum helps you understand the diversity of life in this sprawling nature reserve.
Very beautifull! Parking 5 eur/day(crash, vsrd). Go for some fruits in Oasi di fruta!Family ticket to enter rezerve - 7 eur (only card). Take all day for this place. Beach is perfect. Walking paths also. Come early and leave till sunset.
Bellissima ! Beautiful nature reserve. Great for a walk (short or long) and bird watching. Not a place for swimming or other water activities (it is actually not allowed). It is a natural park after all.
Absolutely beautiful reserve. Amazing bird life and very hot in summer bring water and be prepared bathrooms are more of a bush wee !! There is however along the trail the most incredible beach for swimming and just the most unbelievable beautiful clear water. Take a cozzie. And definitely wear it because there are no changing rooms.
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