Territory&Excursions

This beautiful and strictly protected land is a true paradise for migrating birds. From the observation huts you can admire the birds from close range, without disturbing them. You will not find any chair, shower or fast food, but rather wild, pure nature that will surround you in all its beauty. A walk through fields of thyme, oregano and rosemary will bring you to the beautiful beach of Vendicari, where even the Caretta Caretta turtle finds its home to nest every year. The reserve is also very close to the old fishermen villages of Marzamemi and Capo Passero, allowing you to live both a naturalistic and cultural experience within the same day.

It is a Roman villa that extends over an area of ​​about 6 thousand square meters. Now renovated and open to the public, the Villa owes its importance to the stunning mosaics in a perfect state of conservation, which mostly depict hunting scenes, Homeric representations and geometric-themed decorations. The ancient vineyard from which some of the region’s most popular wines are still produced is also still in existence.

An area rich in natural and archaeological beauty, the reserve extends along the course of the Cassibile river, from the municipality of Avola to the Ionian coast. Numerous archaeological finds date back to the Bronze Age, such as burial niches and ancient houses, but you can also find some ruins of Byzantine origin as well as others from more recent historical periods. The fauna and flora of the Cava Grande Reserve are also objects of interest, and so are the geomorphological characteristics of the environment, with its rocky walls and erosive phenomena that give rise to pools of crystal clear water where you can cool off at the end of the walk. The types of excursion in this area can vary according to your preferences and the level of difficulty you want to face: in fact, there are different types of routes and access to the reserve that will ask you to climb a rocky wall or walk with a slight slope easily affordable to everyone.

A few kilometers far from Noto, on Mount Alveria, we find the ruins of the ancient city of Noto, inhabited since prehistoric times and then abandoned after a violent earthquake which hit south-eastern Sicily in 1693. The old town of Noto stands on a hill surrounded by two deep clefts, where it is still easy to see the rests of walls and fortifications, as well as churches, houses carved into the rock and vestiges dating back to the Greek era.

Case Don Ignazio is the perfect starting point to also visit the many art cities characteristic of the famous Sicilian Baroque, recognized by UNESCO as an artistic heritage of humanity.

Scicli, Modica and Ragusa Ibla are three small jewels set in the rugged landscape characterized by the natural quarries of the Ragusa area. The three cities extend into a maze of alleys and stairways that climb up and down hiding amazing squares and spectacular views, surrounded by churches and historic buildings of rare beauty.

The small town of Noto, rebuilt in the midst of the Baroque era after a disastrous earthquake, has been redesigned following the dictates of this artistic current: the cathedral, the theater and other majestic buildings beautifully preserved overlook the main street creating a true set design.

Case Don Ignazio is perfectly placed to easily reach both the Ionian and Mediterranean coasts. Just 8 km far from us is the splendid Vendicari Oasis, a complex of coves, cliffs and beaches that goes for 1500 hectares along a stretch of the Ionian coast, offering shelter and accommodation to an entire protected ecosystem. Precious birds such as herons, flamingos and storks find their home among dense layers of vegetation and wide swamps, while an old disused tonnara offers fascinating glimpses for a walk along the many paths of the reserve. One must enter this naturalistic paradise with respect and devotion, observing the rules and behaviors required not to damage the numerous creatures that inhabit it.

A little further south, the small village of Marzamemi will fill you with its typicality and its colors of an ancient fishing village, now transformed in a welcoming tourist town where you can refresh and relax among local craft shops and delicious restaurants. This little pearl is definitely unmissable during the expolation of this stretch of coast.

Going further, Portopalo di Capo Passero and Isola delle Correnti offer a unique perspective to admire the encounter of the two seas. The Ionian Sea with its wild and cold waters by one side, and the comfortable and warm Mediterranean on the other one, will make you really feel at the center of the world, surrounded by nature and beauty of these uncontaminated coasts.

Moving then on the Mediterranean shore, you will find a landscape scattered with beaches not yet reached by mass tourism: long stretches of golden sand in front of an open and generous sea. Among the most beautiful bays we certainly find Cirica and Porto Ulisse, while the large beach of Santa Maria del Focallo, further on, is perfect for long walks and relaxing sunny days.