Riserva dello Zingaro
Things to do, attractions, interesting facts
State: TP - Area: Trapani surroundings
The Zingaro Nature Reserve is a succession of dream beaches and coves.
It extends along a stretch of dolomitic limestone rocks, in the western part of the Gulf of Castellammare, along the eastern side of the Capo San Vito peninsula overlooking on the Tyrrhenian Sea.
There are two main entrances to access the Reserve: the north side, from San Vito Lo Capo, and the south side from Scopello, Castellammare del Golfo.
Inside the park, seven coves spread out along the seven kilometers of coastline open onto the rocky and jagged coast, which can only be reached on foot or by boat. Starting from the north entrance, you will find: Cala Tonnarella dell’Uzzo; Cala dell’Uzzo; Cala Marinella; Cala della Disa; Cala Berretta; Cala del Varo; and Cala Caprera.
Inside the reserve there are five museums that tell the link between man and nature. Starting from the North entrance, we find: The Museum of Marine Activities; The Museum of Peasant Civilization; the Museum of Weaving; the Museum of Manna; and the Naturalistic Museum.
The caves in the Zingaro Nature Reserve are of great importance.
In the heart of the reserve there is also the Borgo Cusenza: a rural agglomeration clinging to the mountain, now abandoned.
The reserve is characterized by a luxuriant Mediterranean scrub, where the Dwarf Palm reigns, which has been elected as the symbol of the reserve. The skies of the reserve are dominated by Bonelli's Eagle which lays its eggs, punctually, guaranteeing itself new lively generations.
The reserve offers 3 paths with different peculiarities:
The coastal path, the simplest, which covers a distance , one way, of about 7 km, which can be covered in about 2 hours;
The mid-slope path, of medium difficulty, of about 8.5 km for a duration of about 4 hours. It is the most scenic of the trails and leads to the upper part of the reserve. You reach Borgo Cusenza and Contrada Sughero, where there are shelters for bivouacs (subject to authorization from the reserve);
The high route, the most demanding, covers a distance of 17 km with a travel time of about 7 hours . It crosses, from north to south, the peaks of Monte Passo del Lupo, Monte Speziale and Monte Scardina.
What is the best time to visit Riserva dello Zingaro?
Riserva dello Zingaro can be visited all year round: the welcome and warmth of the Sicilians will amaze you. But for an unforgettable experience, admiring the colors, tasting the flavors and fully experiencing the traditions, it is advisable to plan a visit on the days of one of the festivals that take place in Riserva dello Zingaro during the year.
What to see
Cala Berretta in Riserva dello Zingaro
Cala Capreria of Riserva dello Zingaro
Cala del Varo in Riserva dello Zingaro
Cala della Disa in Riserva dello Zingaro
Cala dell'Uzzo in Riserva dello Zingaro
Cala Marinella in Riserva dello Zingaro
Cala Tonnarella dell'Uzzo in Riserva dello Zingaro
Caves of Riserva dello Zingaro
Museum of Peasant Civilization in the Zingaro Reserve
Museum of Manna of the Zingaro Reserve
Museum of Marine Activities in Riserva dello Zingaro
Museum of Weaving of Riserva dello Zingaro
Naturalistic Museum of the Zingaro Reserve
What to eat
Typical food, local wines and drinks, traditional dish to taste in Riserva dello Zingaro
You can obviously taste all the typical products of Sicilian cuisine, the most well-known ones, such as cannoli, Sicilian cassata, arancini, etc. But there are some specialties typical of this area that are more difficult to find in other areas of Sicily.
