Have you heard of the Zingaro Nature Reserve and its coves? The northern coast of Sicily hides one of those natural gems that are impossible to forget.
We were looking to combine our passion for hiking, nature, and panoramic views. But we had no idea we’d leave a piece of our hearts in the blue waters of its beaches.
Visiting Sicily? Near Palermo, you’ll find one of those places that, once you see it, makes you wonder how on earth you didn't know about it before getting there.
See it for yourself.
The ‘Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro’
Opening hours and prices
Standard daily admission is €5/person and the park is open from 07:00 to 19:00, every day of the week.
Trails
Inside the park, there are 2 main paths:
- The most popular one among tourists and locals is the coastal trail, offering access to museums, breathtaking views, and the kind of coves you picture when dreaming of Mediterranean islands… Pure bliss! You can also visit the Grotta dell’Uzzo from this path.
- One that runs higher up the mountain, taking you away from the sea and giving you access to the mountain shelters located inside. You can use them if you book in advance and pay €10 per person per night. If you’re interested, I'll leave the direct link to the booking form at the end of this post.
We only did the coastal trail, so I’ll only tell you about that one… but I promise you won't be disappointed. 😉
The coastal route
Technical details
- Difficulty: low.
- Distance: 6.2 km one way (12.4 km round trip).
- Duration: 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.
- Finish: You must return to the starting point if you arrived by car.
- Date taken (photos): April, 2014.
Our experience
The hike time I mentioned above is ‘theoretical’.
What do I mean?
Once you catch a glimpse of the color of the water in its coves from the main path, it's impossible to resist heading down to them. They're magnetic. I had a really hard time keeping myself from sprinting down the stairs or trail every time a new one popped up on the horizon (I must confess, I rarely managed to resist…). 😉
Plus, if you're traveling with a photography lover (check!) or you're a nature lover (check!), you'll enjoy the walk so much that it'll take you twice as long to finish. You’ll stop a thousand times to admire the textured flowers, the view, the rocks, or those cheeky lizards darting across the path and eyeing the wide variety of local insects (butterflies, bees, dragonflies, ladybugs…).
So we enjoyed the day to the fullest, but we didn’t walk the entire path.
- We entered through the north gate and hiked part of the coastal trail, resisting the temptation to head down to the coves.
- We visited the cave and checked out some of the museums open to the public.
- We passed the Manna Museum to see the end of the park from a distance, and…
- We turned around right there to spend a sunny beach afternoon at the ones we liked most: Cala della Disa and Cala dell’Uzzo.
Even though it was freezing (in the middle of April… what did I expect?), the color of the water pulled you right in. Plus, it was clean and 100% crystal clear. Swimming in the Zingaro Nature Reserve was an absolute delight.
Confession:
In October 2016, I went back to Sicily to attend a conference with my coworkers at the time, and I convinced them to visit the Zingaro Reserve again.
Cala dell’Uzzo all to ourselves… No wonder they fell in love with the place and were blown away by my tour guide skills. Especially considering they were all Italian and I was the only Spaniard. 😉
When to go
ALWAYS.
Don't miss it, no matter the season.
If possible, avoid holidays, weekends, and peak season (July and August). But whatever you do, don't miss out on Zingaro Nature Reserve.
How to get there
By land
You can drive your rental car to either of the 2 park entrances, north or south, and leave your vehicle in the designated parking area (in 2014 and 2016 it was free on the north side).
High season or weekend? Wake up early, or you won't find a parking spot.
Sea
We saw several private boats and a few tour boats getting close to the coves, but I recommend you visit the Zingaro Nature Reserve on foot.
Not only is it more eco-friendly (you avoid adding fuel pollution to the sea and support the park's conservation with your entrance fee), but you will also enjoy it more. The hike is easy, pleasant, and more gorgeous than you can imagine.
And you don't have to take my word for it. Just take a look at the photos. 😉
What to bring
- Food: at the north entrance, you'll probably spot a food-truck caravan that makes delicious tomato and fresh mozzarella sandwiches. The south entrance is right next to the village of Scopello, so there will be more dining options if you enter from that side.
- Water: you'll only find drinking water at the south entrance, so remember to bring enough with you.
- A bag: to collect all the trash you produce. Please, don't leave any garbage in this paradise.
- Sun protection: sunscreen, a cap, sunglasses... the usual essentials.
- Comfortable shoes: hiking boots or, failing that, sneakers that give your feet good support. Even though the trail is easy, getting down to the coves isn't exactly ‘flip-flop friendly’. 😉
- Swimsuit: no matter what time of year you visit the Zingaro Nature Reserve. Make sure you pack a swimsuit in your backpack because once you see the sea along this coast, it will be hard to resist taking a dip.
Where to sleep
There are plenty of places to spend the night around Trapani and the Zingaro Nature Reserve.
Specifically, I can share first-hand details about 2 of them:
Villa Relais Le Nereidi
When I was in Sicily for work in 2016, I spent a couple of nights at Villa Relais Le Nereidi, just outside San Vito lo Capo—the last town you pass through before reaching the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro.
Even though the town gets super touristy in summer, this hotel is pretty peaceful, featuring a pool, terrace, and gardens where you can unwind.
Plus, it's tucked away on a residential street where it's really easy to find parking.
Any downsides? Maybe the fact that it's a 20-minute walk from the town center (uphill walk included).
But that's precisely what makes it such an idyllic spot.
In high season, it costs around €70 – €80 per person per night in a double room, but on weekdays in late September, you can stay there for around €50 a night (give or take).
Villa Delle Palme Delfina
Another great option is Villa Delle Palme Delfina, which was our base camp for a week back in 2014.
It's a gorgeous B&B on the outskirts of Trapani, super well-kept and comfortable.
In our case, we enjoyed a private terrace area right next to our room, and they even gifted us a photo book of the area and a bottle of Sicilian wine that was absolutely delicious.
On top of that, the breakfast included in the price was spectacular. They didn't miss a single detail.
The only minor downside (if we had to name one) was that kitchen noises woke us up earlier than we would have liked in the morning, and breakfast was served around a huge round table with all the other guests and Antonio, our host.
If you're the type who likes waking up slowly without making small talk, you might want to time it so you go down once everyone else is done (we did that a couple of times to enjoy a quieter breakfast).
We spent 7 nights there for €541 in a double room (€77/night, €39 per person).
Useful links
- Official website of the park.
- Form to book a shelter.
- 5% discount when booking your adventure travel insurance with IATI.
- Hotel deals around the Zingaro Nature Reserve.
- Flights to Italy: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo, and Vueling.
And if you're road-tripping through western Sicily, don't miss:
- Complete 7-day road trip through Sicily.
- Discover the Segesta temple and a Greek theater with sea views in Sicily.
- Discover Erice: a medieval village high up in Sicily.
- Biking around the island of Favignana.
- Hiking in Sicily: circling Mount Cofano.
Tell me, have I convinced you to visit the Zingaro Nature Reserve in Sicily?