A Villa in Scopello, Sicily: a Pearl in Zingaro Reserve

On the 6th of May 1981, the Zingaro Nature Reserve became the first protected natural area in Sicily. With the aim of preventing the build-up of the coastal road connecting the two towns of Scopello and San Vito Lo Capo, two thousand environmentalists marched impeding the cementing of this part of the Sicilian coast and protecting (hopefully forever) one of the richest natural ecosystems in the Mediterranean. We can hence consider ourselves lucky that today we get to spend our holiday in this amazing land, sitting on a terrace of our holiday villa in Scopello, Sicily, sipping wine, overlooking the Faraglioni and thinking about the magnificence of nature.

The Gipsy Reserve: a Not-so-Common Name in a Piece of Paradise

The Riserva dello Zingaro (literally translated as Gypsy Reserve) is in Sicily, between San Vito Lo Capo and Castellamare del Golfo. Calcareous rocks sloping down into a clear turquoise sea, small inlets and white cobblestone beaches, gorges and caves inhabited since the Upper Palaeolithic, such as the important prehistoric site of the cave of Uzzo, and then the dwarf palms (the symbol of Zingaro) that grow between the garrigue and the Mediterranean, year after year, despite numerous fires. Today, to explore the Reserve by land, you can only walk.

The Reserve Saw By Foot

Of the five routes, all well signposted and walkable with hiking boots and a good dose of drinking water, the easiest and most beaten follows the coast for seven kilometers (calculate about 2 hours, only for the outward journey), from the south entrance (in Scopello) to the north entrance (in San Vito Lo Capo) and is the ideal choice for easy access to the most spectacular coves such as Cala Capreria, Cala Disa, Cala Beretta, Cala Marinella, Cala Torre dell’ Uzzo and Cala Tonnarella dell’ Uzzo (the beautiful Cala Varo, however, can only be reached by sea).

Scopello – photo by dottorpeni on Flickr CC

Birdwatching and Tunas: The Activities you Didn’t Expect

Between one swim and the other, you can spend a few more hours to visit the Environmental Education Centre, that includes five museums dedicated to different topics, from tuna fishing to the Museum of maritime activities, from wheat processing to the Museum of rural civilization and finally, the fauna and flora at the Naturalistic Museum where, among other curiosities on display, it is exposed that in the skies of the Zingaro, along with the many birds of prey, also flies the rare eagle of Bonelli.

But bird-watching aside, the real and undisputed star of the Reserve and more generally of the west coast of Sicily remains the Tonnara di Scopello. Chosen as the film location of Ocean’s Twelve, this ancient building used for tuna fishing, running from the eighteenth century until the eighties of the twentieth century is now used as a museum: it offers an incomparable natural scenery as it is in between the high Faraglione that sprout majestically from the water.

Riserva del Zingaro – photo by sikeliakali on FLickr CC

The Coves of the Zingaro

As we were saying earlier, the Zingaro reserve is composed of many coves, each different and astonishing. Here is the list:

Cala Tonnarella dell’ Uzzo

This is the closest cove to the north entrance. It is often included in the list of the most beautiful beaches in Italy and is the largest and most visited beach in the Reserve. In the path that leads to the cove, there is also the above mentioned, Museum of Maritime Activities.

Cala dell’ Uzzo

Sometimes confused with the most famous beach of Tonnarella, Cala dell’ Uzzo is located a short walk from the cove of the same name, which is one of the most exciting tourist attractions of the Reserve.

Cala Marinella

Beautiful but impervious, Cala Marinella is considered by tourists the most difficult to reach.

Cala Beretta

Located in the central part of the Zingaro Nature Reserve, the bay offers a fantastic view where you can relax and sunbathe on its small pebble beach.

Cala Della Disa

More south of Cala Beretta, there is Cala Della Disa, considered by tourists a small corner of Paradise on Earth. The cove is about 300 meters from Cala Beretta (5 min walk) and 800 meters from Cala del Varo

Cala del Varo

About a quarter of an hour’s walk from Cala Della Disa, continuing in a southerly direction, we find the “wild” Cala del Varo: a corner of peace and tranquility conquered after a beautiful but challenging trekking session. Nearby is a refuge open only in the summer months.

Cala Capreria

We could call it the Sicilian version of the Caribbean beaches. Cala Capreria conquers everyone for its “virginity”: beach, sea, flora and fauna, everything appears to the eyes of the visitor as a small, large bay to be discovered.

What do you want more than exciting on the terrace of a beautiful Villa in Scopello? Do not hesitate to book your stay in a villa in Scopello!

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