A Guide to Zingaro Nature Reserve in Sicily

Riserva dello Zingaro, or Zingaro Nature Reserve, is Sicily’s very first nature reserve and boasts the best coastal walk and some of the best beaches on the island. An exceptionally beautiful part of Sicily, this is my guide to Zingaro Nature Reserve.

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Approximately halfway between Palermo and Trapani lies Sicily’s most beautiful stretch of real wilderness; the Zingaro Nature Reserve. The reserve should be, without doubt, a key part of any itinerary to visit the west of Sicily; perfect for a day trip. Zingaro Nature Reserve is Sicily’s first and original natural reserve and is home to one of the island’s best hikes, endless green scrubland, glistening turquoise waters and plenty of gorgeous coves to enjoy. This is Sicily as nature intended.

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A GUIDE TO ZINGARO NATURE RESERVE

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF ZINGARO NATURE RESERVE

As I alluded to above, Zingaro Nature Reserve was the very first of the 70+ natural reserves in Sicily and we all have a group of Sicilians to be eternally grateful to. If it wasn’t for their actions, there would be a coastal highway linking Castellammare del Golfo with San Vito Lo Capo via Scopello and this untouched landscape would not exist as it does today. Thousands protested, successfully blocking the construction and lead to the creation of the natural reserve in 1981.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Stretching across 7km of pristine coastline, the Zingaro Nature Reserve manages to pack a punch with unforgettable views from the coastal path along with six stunning coves. There are no cars, no modern day amenities, just a simple landscape with full of dwarf palms, olive trees and Mediterranean scrub. This is a day trip that will leave you both speechless and perhaps just a little tired.

There are three hiking routes to choose from; the popular 7km (one way) coastal path, the Half-Way Path and the High Path. The latter two should only really be attempted by seasoned and experienced hikers; they’re challenging that’s for sure. The Half-Way Path is a 9km loop taking you into the upper section of the reserve whilst the High Path is 17km and reaches almost 915 metres above sea level. If you plan on doing either of these, please plan ahead, be careful and certainly avoid the summer heat!

With two entrances to the reserve, one north and one south, it’s not too difficult to plan a day trip from wherever you’re staying in Sicily. The south entrance is the more popular access point with plenty of car parking space and an interesting museum a short walk away.

THE COASTAL PATH

The 7km coastal path is the most popular trail in the reserve and stretches the entire length from the north to the south entrances. The hike isn’t too bad on relatively good ground though does get steep in places and, for those like me that aren’t great with heights, I’d recommend not thinking about how close to the edge of the cliff you might be!

I visited Zingaro Nature Reserve as part of a press trip organised by Visit Sicily so we were joined by an official guide for our walk along the coast. Our walk therefore featured plenty of informative stops to learn about the natural flora and fauna, watch everyday household items be made by hand from the palm leaves, admire the unspoilt views, spot animals in the rocks ground down from years of erosion (it took me a while but yes there are a few rocks that make up the shape of a lion) and to chill in one of the many coves. With smooth pebble beaches and crystal clear water, you’re spoilt by choice really though we only managed time for a few photos at each before spending time at just one cove as quite a few Sicilians were too. The coves are, from south to north, Cala Capreria, Cala del Varo, Cala della Disa, Cala Berretta, Cala Marinella, Cala dell’Uzzo and Cala Tonnarella dell’Uzzo.

We visited at the end of September and let me tell you that the Sicilian heat was still such that made us struggle. There’s little shade so make sure you’ve got a hat, you’ve got suncream and you’ve got plenty of water.

If you were doing this hike by yourself, and you certainly don’t need a guide, you can expect it to take approximately 2.5 hours one-way. We didn’t walk the full 14km return but still ended up spending a good half a day in the reserve.

Lunch was also arranged for us in the picnic area near the south entrance and we were treated to a Sicilian specialty, Pane Cunzatu (no anchovies for me so cheese and tomato in fresh bread), prickly pears and wine; the produce and wine all locally made and grown from Solea in Scopello.

KEY INFORMATION

Whether you enter the reserve via the north or south entrance, it will cost €5 per person to visit the Zingaro Nature Reserve though €3 for children aged 11 to 14 and free for those under 11. The cost includes all-day parking. Tickets are purchased from the cabins and, whilst it is possible to pay with card, just bring cash with you as it’s much easier.

In the warmer months, April to September, the opening hours are 7am to 7pm whereas between October and March it’s only 8am to 4pm.

You’ll need sturdy footwear to hike the coastal path though not necessarily hiking boots – I just wore my normal Nike SB trainers. It’s prohibited to wear flip flops. Make sure you bring plenty of water as well as a hat, sunglasses, swimming shorts/bikini and a towel! Despite there being limited shade in the reserve, parasols are now prohibited too if you planned on taking your own as many locals used to.

There are no bins whatsoever in the reserve so please make sure you take absolutely everything back out with you.

HOW TO GET TO ZINGARO NATURE RESERVE

The best way to get to Zingaro Nature Reserve is certainly by car (honestly, it’s not as bad as you think to drive around Sicily) and it took us around 1.5 hours from Palermo to get to the southern entrance. It’s less than an hour from Trapani so, whatever stage you are at on your Sicilian trip, Zingaro Nature Reserve makes a perfect day trip.

If you are not planning to rent a car in Sicily, you can thankfully rely upon a new public bus service that runs along the coast from Scopello (10 minutes, €1.90) or Castellammere del Golfo (30 minutes, €3.20) to the southern entrance of Zingaro Nature Reserve.

WHERE NEXT?

11 GREAT PLACES TO EAT IN PALERMO
PALERMO CITY GUIDE: 17 THINGS TO DO IN PALERMO
A GUIDE TO MAZARA DEL VALLO
ON THE STREETS: MAZARA DEL VALLO
ON THE STREETS: PALERMO
THE 10 BEST BARS IN PALERMO
THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN TRAPANI
A GUIDE TO VISITING SELINUNTE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
EXPLORE ‘IL GRANDE CRETTO’ IN GIBELLINA
A SICILIAN FOOD GUIDE: WHAT TO EAT IN SICILY

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