Description of the attraction
The Zingaro Nature Reserve, spread over an area of 1,650 hectares in the Sicilian province of Trapani, is a true paradise for nature lovers: here the high indented cliffs of the seashore alternate with small bays, rocky gorges and caves. The peaks of the park range from 610 meters (Pizzo Passo del Lupo peak) to 913 meters (Monte Speziale mountain).
The coast of the reserve, stretching for 7 km from Scopello to San Vito lo Capo, is characterized by limestone cliffs that were formed in the Mesozoic era. The soil here was formed as a result of the interaction of natural processes and human activity - just a few years ago, every piece of local land was cultivated for agricultural purposes.
The flora of "Zingaro" is represented mainly by holly, which occupies the northern slopes of Pizzo Passo di Lupo, as well as the territories of Acchi and Uzzo, the peak of Pizzo Aquila and the coast of the Calo del Varo Bay. Also here you can find white ash, wild asparagus, butcher's broom, some liana-like species - common tamus, bindweed and ivy, as well as ferns. And the symbol of the reserve is the dwarf palm - an extremely rare species. In open spaces, where steep slopes and rock ridges dominate, reptiles live - small geckos and other lizards that can climb steep walls. The avifauna is represented by 39 species of birds, including peregrine falcons.
Traces of human activity are found everywhere in the reserve, even if at first glance this place seems to be a kingdom of untouched wilderness. There are many hiking trails here, the most popular of which runs along the coast. Having set off along it, you can go through a tunnel - part of an abandoned road construction project, and after about 100 meters you go to a picnic area. A little further, there is the visitor center of the reserve with a small Museum of Nature, and even further the trail leads to the bay of Punta Capreria with two rocky beaches.
On the shores of the Cala del Varo Bay, there is a small guest house, open to tourists only in summer. Nearby is the territory of Jingaro, which forms the core of the reserve, - it is overgrown with shrubs and dwarf palms, among which there are old village buildings here and there. Then the trail leads to Contrada Marinella with a wonderful bay of the same name and Contrada Uzzo with a sandy beach. The Uzzo Grotto is of archaeological interest, and 300 meters from it there is the Museum of Peasant Culture with exhibits describing the techniques of growing grain and weaving fibers.
