Plemmirio

One of these is the Plemmirio Nature Reserve, in the municipality of Syracuse, which extends along 12 km of coastline and includes the stretch of sea in front of the eastern part of the Maddalena Peninsula, between Capo Castelluccio and Capo Murro di Porco. Just 10 km from the city, it offers unspoiled marine nature, characterized by coves, small beaches, caves, and rock formations of extraordinary beauty, such as the Arches and the Giant’s Tongue.

Its waters, ranging from emerald green to turquoise in the deeper spots, host a rich and captivating marine biodiversity, making it a popular destination for those who enjoy scuba diving.

But the scenery is also unique from land, with a distinctive vegetation capable of resisting salt and sea spray, such as the Salicornia glauca shrub, and the garrigue with dwarf palms that stretches for almost one square kilometer, a concentration that can only be observed in very few other areas of the Mediterranean. The natural beauties to visit include the Plemmirio and Capo Meli caves, La Fanusa, an unspoiled little beach with golden sand, and the Costa Bianca, a rocky area with crystal-clear waters.

The marine fauna includes numerous crustaceans and mollusks: lobster, mechanical shrimp, spiny lobster, hermit crab, magnosella, sea ear, porcelain crab, eye of Saint Lucia, sea hare, octopus, date shell, and the noble pen shell, the largest bivalve in the Mediterranean, which can reach sizes exceeding 80 cm.

The Plemmirio Marine Park has been a protected oasis since 2005, the year the Plemmirio Marine Protected Area was established, which has since made the fish fauna of this stretch of coastline very rich. Those who dive into these waters may encounter scorpionfish, grouper, red mullet, dentex, saddled bream, damselfish, barracuda, and moray eels. In the area, it is also possible to observe large pelagic fish such as tuna, amberjack, and marine mammals like dolphins, sperm whales, and whales.

The terrestrial fauna features the Wagler’s lizard, the whip snake, the painted frog, the porcupine, the fox, and the weasel. The birdlife, both resident and migratory, includes numerous species, making the Maddalena Peninsula a nationally important observation point for migratory passerines and seabirds.

There are several sea access points along the entire stretch of the Plemmirio coastline, including for people with disabilities.

The institutional headquarters of the Plemmirio Marine Protected Area is located within the monumental site in the picturesque area of Castello Maniace, the heart of Ortigia, the historic center of Syracuse.