Have you heard about the nature reserve of the Zingaro and its coves? The northern coast of Sicily hides one of those jewels of nature impossible to forget.
We were looking to combine our passion for hiking, nature and panoramic views. But we had no idea that we would leave a little piece of ourselves in the blue water of its beaches.
Visiting Sicily? Near Palermo you will find one of those places that, when you get to know it, you wonder how it is possible that you didn't know about it before you got there.
Judge it with your own eyes.
The 'Reserva Naturale dello Zingaro'.
Schedules and pricing
The normal daily entrance fee is 5€/person and the park is open from 07.00 to 19.00 hours, every day of the week.
Trails
Within the park there are 2 main roads:
- The most frequented by tourists and locals is the one that runs along the coast offering access to museums, breathtaking views and the kind of coves you imagine when you think of Mediterranean islands... How wonderful! From it you can also visit the grotta dell'Uzzo.
- One that runs at a higher altitude over the mountain, away from the sea and giving you access to the shelters that exist in its interior. You can use them if you make a reservation in advance and pay 10€ per person per night. If you are interested, I leave the direct link to the booking form at the end of this post.
We only visited the coastal trail, so I'll only tell you about it... but I promise you, you won't miss it 😉.
The coastal route
Technical specifications
- Difficulty: low.
- Distance: 6.2 km one way (12.4 km round trip).
- Travel time: 1.5 to 2 hours one way (3-4 hours round trip).
- Elevation gain: 100 m.
- Start: North entrance (in our case) or south entrance.
- End: You must return to the starting point if you have arrived there by car.
- Date of realization (photographs): April, 2014.
Our experience
The travel time quoted above is 'theoretical'.
What do I mean?
It is impossible that when you see from the main road the color of the water in its coves, you can't resist going down to them. They are magnetic. I had a hard time controlling myself not to run down the stairs or down the path every time one appeared on the horizon (I must confess that I managed to do it a few times...). 😉
Plus, if you're traveling with a photography buff(check!) or are a nature lover(check!) you'll enjoy the walking tour so much that it will take you twice as long to complete it. You will stop a thousand times to observe the textured flowers, the view, the rocks or those cheeky lizards that cross and look with desire at the great variety of insects of the place (butterflies, bees, dragonflies, lady bugs...).
So we enjoyed the day to the fullest but did not go the whole way.
- We entered through the north gate and did part of the coastal path resisting the temptation to go down to the coves.
- We visited the grotto and entered one of the museums open to the public.
- We crossed the Manna Museum to see from a distance the end of the park and...
- We turned around at that point to spend the afternoon of sun and beach in the ones we had liked the most: Cala della Disa y Cala dell'Uzzo.
Despite being very cold (in the middle of April... what did I expect?), the color of the water attracted you to it without remedy. It was also clean and 100% transparent. It was a delight to swim in the Zingaro nature reserve.
Confession:
In October 2016 I returned to Sicily to attend a conference with my colleagues at the time and convinced them to visit the Zingaro reserve again.
The cove of Cala dell'Uzzo all to ourselves... No wonder they were so taken by that place and impressed with my skills as a tour guide. Especially since they were all Italians and I was the only Spaniard 😉.
When to go
ALWAYS.
Don't miss it, whatever the season.
If possible, avoid holidays, weekends and high season (July and August). But don't miss the Zingaro nature reserve.
Directions
Earth
You can approach with your rental car to either of the 2 entrances to the park, north or south, and leave your vehicle parked in the designated parking area (in 2014 and 2016 it was free on the north side).
High season or weekend? Get up early or you won't find a parking space.
Sea
We saw several private boats and some tourist boats approaching the coves, although I recommend that you visit the Zíngaro reserve on foot.
Not only is it more ecologically responsible (you avoid adding fuel pollution to the sea and participate in the conservation of the park by paying the entrance fee), but you will also enjoy it more. The walk is easy, pleasant and beautiful to points you can't even imagine.
And you don't have to blindly believe me. Just look at the pictures 😉.
What to bring
- Food: at the north entrance you are likely to see a restaurant-caravan that makes good tomato and fresh mozzarella sandwiches. The south gate is next to the village of Scopello, so there will be a wider choice of restaurants if you enter from that side.
- Water: you will only find drinking water at the south entrance, so remember to bring enough with you.
- A bag: to collect all the waste you generate. Please do not leave trash in this paradise.
- Sun protection: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses... The usual.
- Comfortable footwear: hiking boots or, failing that, sneakers that grip your foot well. Even if the path is easy, the access to the coves is not what you would call 'toe friendly sandals' 😉.
- Swimsuit: no matter what time of the year you visit the Zingaro nature reserve. Be sure to pack a swimsuit in your backpack because when you see the sea off this coast you will find it hard to resist a dip.
Where to stay
There are many options for overnight stays in the vicinity of Trapani and the Zingaro reserve.
In particular, I can tell you first hand about 2 of them:
Villa Relais Le Nereidi
When I was in Sicily in 2016 for work, I spent a couple of nights at Villa Relais Le Nereidi, just outside San Vito lo Capo, the last town you must pass through before reaching the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro.
Although the town is very touristy in summer, this hotel is quite quiet, with a swimming pool, terrace and gardens to relax.
It is also located on a residential street where parking is easy to find.
Any negative points? Perhaps that it is a 20 minute walk from the center of town (including the hill).
But this is exactly what makes it such an idyllic place.
In high season it costs between 70€ - 80€ per person per night in a double room, but during the week at the end of September you can sleep there for about 50€ per night (approximately).
Villa Delle Palme Delfina
Another good alternative is Villa Delle Palme Delfina, our base camp for a week in 2014.
It is a beautiful B&B on the outskirts of Trapani, very well kept and comfortable.
In our case we enjoyed a terrace area next to the room for exclusive use and we were given a photographic book of the area and a bottle of Sicilian wine that was delicious.
In addition, the breakfast included in the price was spectacular. Not a single detail was missing.
The only downside (to name a few) is that in the morning the noises from the kitchen woke us up earlier than we wanted and that breakfast was served at a huge round table, with the rest of the guests and Antonio, our host.
If you like to wake up slowly and without much conversation, you may have to calculate at what time the others have finished (we did it on occasion to have breakfast more quietly).
We spent 7 nights for 541€. in a double room (77€/night, 39€ per person).
Useful Links
- Official website of the park.
- Form to reserve a shelter.
- 5% discount when you take out your adventure travel insurance with IATI.
- Hotel offers in the surroundings of the Zíngaro natural reserve.
- Flights to Italy:Trabber,eDreams,Momondo, andVueling.
And if you are on route in the west of Sicily do not miss it:
- Complete 7-day tour of Sicily.
- Discover the temple of Segesta and a Greek theater overlooking the sea in Sicily.
- Discover Erice: a medieval village on the heights of Sicily.
- Bike tour to the island of Favignana.
- Trekking in Sicily: around Mount Cofano.
Tell me, have I convinced you to visit the Zingaro nature reserve in Sicily?