• THE STAGNONE NATURAL RESERVE

The Stagnone Reserve of the and Salt pans: To little km from the historical center in Marsala, continuing toward North, and more precisely in Trapani, we find us in a surreal landscape: the lagoon of the Stagnone.
It is a natural reserve and greater lagoon of the whole Sicily. It offers him to the visitor in all of its shine: the sea, the verdant islets, the reeds, the mills to wind, the white dunes of salt, the tiles and… sunsets that dye the sky of the colors of the purple, of the gold, of the turchino.
The characteristic of the Reserve is surely the presence of the Salt pans, artificial tubs for the extraction of the salt, create on the coast in ancient times and still today existents. Been born in fact under the Phoenician domination, alternating moments of moments prosperity of abandonment, they have come productive up to us. Now a proud but simple combination of sun, water and wind it creates a very good sea salt, worked today as once.
And the presence of the Wind Mills, restructured almost all, and of these enormous white dunes of salt it makes the landscape a picture of other times. Among the Mills, one, that of Ettore Infersa, entertains the Museum of the Salt.
And then the typical Mediterranean flora, the dwarf Palm, the colored flowers in spring, serve as frame to those that by now they are the protagonists of the Stagnone: the migratory birds. It is not in fact difficult, especially in determined periods of the year to come upon him in Italy Riders, wild Ducks, Herons and White and pink Flamingos.
At times instead in sky badminton the colored Kite, being the Lagoon an ideal zone for the one that practical Kitesurf or Windsurf, in how much water is a little deep and at the same time the Stagnone is exposed to all the winds.

Mothia: Among the low waters of the Stagnone Reserve 4 islets appear on the surface. Among these Mothia, a real museum to the open space of the punic-Phoenician civilization. They are only few hundred meters to separate the island of Mozia from the dry land. Anciently a road connected her, now this last is submerged, but still visible and practicable with the low tide.
Today Mozia is easily reached in 15 minutes with some typical barges.

When you arrive it realize that it is a small natural and archaeological miracle. The excursion is along the perimeter of the island to the discovery of boundaries afoot, rests of ancient staircases, residences, mosaics and then the Cothon, rare example of artificial punic Port, the Tophet, the sacred area of the human sacrifices. Finally the Museum Whitaker to pick up all the finds and to preserve the statue of the Stripling in Tunic: beautiful Greek statue to natural greatness, of the V sec. a.C.

The Lagoon and the Reserve are beautiful in everytime. Suggestion a walk in bicycle, if the time is beautiful, a turn in canoe and an appetizer to the sunset: the colors of this angle of sea and earth will stay in the memory and in the heart.