A seaside village with a charm that has remained unchanged over time and which in recent years has been attracting thousands of tourists, not only from Italy but also from the rest of Europe. We are talking about Marzamemi, a small hamlet of Pachino, in the province of Syracuse, in the extreme south-east of Sicily.
The buildings and the islands
The name of Marzamemi derives from the Arabic etymology "Marsà al hamem" which would mean for some "Rada of turtledoves", due to the many species of birds that cross it during the spring, for others "Small bay". The nerve center of the village, also positioned under the parallel that touches Tunis, is the Queen Margaret square. Here in 1752 the palace of the Prince of Villadorata, owner of the historic center of Marzamemi, and the church of the Tonnara were built. The tonnara is even more ancient in construction, dating back to the XNUMXth century by the Arabs.
All around the square are the ancient fishermen's houses, part of them now transformed into characteristic cafes, shops and restaurants, and the two churches both dedicated to San Francesco di Paola, the patron saint of the town: the old one (now deconsecrated) built in sandstone and heavily damaged following the Second World War, and the new one (erected after the war) in neo-Gothic style with a large rose window in the central part.
Just off the two marinas, the balata and the fossa, you can admire the two islands of Marzamemi: the large and small islands, also known as Brancati islet, because of the suggestive red villa that dominates it, owned by the family of the doctor Raffaele Brancati, cousin of the Pachinese writer Vitaliano Brancati, author of the novels "Il bell'Antonio" and "Don Giovanni in Sicilia".
The Vendicari nature reserve
The seaside village has beaches sandy and shallow waters such as that of San Lorenzo and those of Calamosche (awarded in 2005 by the Blue Guide of Legambiente as the most beautiful beach in Italy) and Vendicari, within the fascinating Vendicari nature reserve, a jewel from a naturalistic, ornithological and faunal point of view. Here, in addition to appreciating the ancient tonnara and the Sveva tower (XNUMXth century), it will be possible to immerse yourself in the wildest nature and go birdwatching. In fact, depending on the season, inside the oasis it is possible to come across various species of birds, from coots to flamingos.
We conclude with the culinary goodness possible to taste. Thanks to the tradition of fishing, dishes based on bottarga and bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean will satisfy the palate. The Pachino IGP tomato is also very present in the kitchen of the village. Marzamemi is a corner of Sicily full of centuries-old traditions, colors and scents, suitable for a relaxing and cultural holiday, a village with which it is impossible not to fall in love at first sight.
