Pocket Beaches in the Province of Siracusa

  • Pachino – Punta delle Formiche

Pocket beach code: SIC70SR01_02

These two Pocket Beaches (PB) are located in the south-east of Sicily, in the province of Syracuse, and more precisely in the municipality of Pachino, in the Punta delle Formiche area. The two PBs belong to the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 7, and have “Punta Braccetto” as their western limit and “Isola delle Correnti” as their eastern limit.

The PBs are delimited to the south by Punta delle Formiche and to the north by a less prominent promontory. The PBs have a cliff at the back, which reaches about 5m above sea level, and there are no waterways.

The PBs are have abundant accumulations of Posidonia.

The promontories that delimit this group of PBs consist exclusively of blue-grey marshes.

The sediments of the PBs fall granulometrically in the class of fine, moderately classified, light yellow sands, compositionally consisting predominantly of carbonate clasts.

 

 

  • Portopalo di Capo Passero – Tonnara

Pocket beach code: SIC71SR03

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in the south-eastern part of Sicily, in the municipality of Portopalo di Capo Passero (Province of Syracuse), in the locality of Tonnara. The pocket beach belongs to the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB is delimited by two moderately pronounced promontories and is located at the base of a deep valley with a difference in altitude of about 35 m above sea level. On the southern promontory one can find the Castello Tafuri.

The main outcrop that outlines the entire ridge of this coastal stretch consists of lavas from the Acqua Palomba series. There are small outcrops of recent and current alluvial deposits, especially in the area behind the PB. The entire western area, as well as the southern one, is dominated by calcirudites.

The beach is characterized by coarse pebbles of a polygenic nature.

 

 

  • Pachino – Torrefano

Pocket beach code: SIC72SR04

The Pocket Beach (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Pachino (Syracuse), in Torrefano. It belongs to the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB develops between the village of ​​Torrefano (to the south) and Morghella (tn the north), between two little pronounced promontories and without a cliff behind it. The PB features dunes and a small stream.

The PB is surrounded by an outcrop of coarse layered organogenic yellowish sands and calcarenites. To the south, there are lavas of the Acqua Palomba series, while to the west there is a predominance of alluvial deposits. Minor outcrops, located in the North-East, consist of blue-grey marls with sub-conchoidal fractures and lavas of Contrada Maltempo and Contrada Tiganello.

The beach is characterized by well-classed medium yellow sands.

 

 

  • Pachino – Acqua Azzurra

Pocket beach code: SIC73SR05

The Pocket Beach (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Pachino (Syracuse), east of the Acqua Azzurra fish farm. It is part of the PAI Physiographic Unit n. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The two promontories of this PB expose the beach only to storms coming from the East. To the west of the PB there are dunes of a considerable size. There are no streams.

From the west to the south of the beach, one finds yellowish sands and organogenic calcarenites, while in the north there are Nummulite limestone and marl breccias with closed macroforaminifers.

To the west, in addition to the sands and calcarenites, blue-grey marls with sub-conchoidal fractures emerge, as well as the Contrada Maltempo, Contrada Tiganello and lavas of the Acqua Palomba series.

The beach is organized by moderately classified medium sands, yellow in color.

 

 

  • Pachino – Grotta Calafarina

Pocket beach code: SIC74SR06

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in the south-eastern part of Sicily, in the municipality of Pachino (Syracuse). It is known by locals as ‘Calafarina beach’. The PB falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB is located at the base of an alluvial area, delimited by two promontories with a maximum height of 10 m above sea level. The beach features impressive dunes.

Behind the PB, there is a small stream, as well as recent and current alluvial deposits. The southern promontory consists of lavas from the Acqua Palomba series, while the northern promontory consists of coarse layered yellowish sands and calcarenites with crossed stratification.

Granulometrically, the sediments that make up the PB fall into the medium sand class, and have a yellowish color.

 

 

  • Pachino – Marzamemi

Pocket beach code: SIC75SR07_08

The two pocket beaches (PB) that represent this group are located in south-eastern Sicily, in the popular tourist resort of Marzamemi, in the municipality of Pachino (Syracuse). They belong to the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PBs are semi-natural due to the presence of the piers of the port of Marzamemi, that represent the southern and northern limits. At the center of the embankment is Isola Piccola.

The immediate hinterland features recent and current alluvial deposits. The northern promontory, as well as most of the hinterland, consists of outcrops of sands and coarse yellowish layered organogenic limestones, with cross stratification.

The sediments that make up the beach fall granulometrically in the fine and medium sands and are well classified.

 

 

  • Noto – Fondo Morte

Pocket beach code: SIC76SR09

The Pocket Beach (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Noto (Syracuse), and more precisely in Fondo Morte. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB, known as “Spinazza beach”, is very wide and has an extensive presence of Posidonia oceanica. It is delimited to the north-west by Capo Bove Marino and to the south-east by the promontory of Marzamemi.

The immediate hinterland is characterized by a wide plain consisting of recent and current alluvial deposits, as well as coarse stratified yellowish sands and calcarenites, cross-stratified, which are predominant on both promontories.

The beach sediments are made up of fine, medium and large yellow sands.

 

 

  • Noto – San Lorenzo Sud

Pocket beach code: SIC77SR10

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in the south-eastern part of Sicily, in the municipality of Noto (Syracuse), and precisely in San Lorenzo. It belongs to the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB is delimited by two slightly accentuated promontories. It does not have a cliff at the back and there are no water streams.

The PB is completely surrounded by coarse layered organogenic yellowish sands and calcarenites.  Over 500m from the shoreline, there are recent and current alluvial deposits and numerous salt marshes, coastal ponds and marsh deposits.

The area to the north-west and south-west of the beach features marls and marly limestones.

The beach is made up of medium, moderately classified, grey-white sands.

 

 

  • Noto – San Lorenzo Nord

Pocket beach code: SIC78SR11

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in the south-eastern part of Sicily, in the municipality of Noto (Syracuse), and precisely in Località San Lorenzo. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

It is small in size, bordered by two small promontories and with no cliff behind it. There are no streams.

The PB is completely surrounded by coarse layered organogenic yellowish sands and calcarenites. Over 500m from the shore line, there are recent and current alluvial deposits and numerous salt marshes, coastal ponds and marsh deposits.

The area to the north-west and south-west of the beach features marls and marly limestones.

The beach is characterized by yellow sands and gravels.

 

 

  • Noto – Calamosche

Pocket beach code: SIC79SR12

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in the south-eastern part of Sicily, in the municipality of Noto (Syracuse), known as “Calamosche beach”. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in the area and is part of the Vendicari Nature Reserve in Noto. This reserves was established in 1984.

The PB falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The headlands that delimit the PB are very prounounced and reach 25m above sea level. The area behind the beach features a marsh.

To the west of the PB, one may find blue-grey marls with sub-conchoidal fractures. Both to the north and to the south, the area is characterised almost exclusively by sands and coarse yellowish organogenic limestones, with cross-stratification. In the north, there are secondary outcrops of calcarenites, yellowish sands and massive organogenic calcirudites.

 

 

  • Noto – Marianelli

Pocket beach code: SIC80SR13

This Pocket Beach (PB) is is located in south-east Sicily, in the municipality of Noto (Syracuse). It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit. The beach, very popular with tourists, is part of the Vendicari Nature Reserve in Noto, established in 1984.

The PB is delimited by two fairly pronounced promontories that reach a maximum of 25m above sea level. There is no cliff at the back of the beach and no water courses flow but large recent and current alluvial deposits are present throughout the area behind the PB.

The southern part of the PB is mostly characterized by coarse layered yellowish organogenic sands and calcarenites with cross stratification, while in the north there is a predominance of calcarenites, yellowish sands and massive organogenic calcirudites.

 

 

  • Noto – Eloro

Pocket beach code: SIC81SR14

Eloro Beach, as is known by locals, is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Noto (Syracuse). It belongs to the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB is very popular among tourists and is part of the Wildlife Reserve of Vendicari, established in 1984.

The PB is delimited by two promontories that reach a height of 20m above sea level. There is no cliff behind the beach but there is the presence of the Tellaro river and the San Nicola stream, respectively to the south and north of the PB.

Large recent and current alluvial deposits are present throughout the area, as well as some dune deposits west of the PB.

More than 500m south of the PB, coarse layered yellowish organogenic sands and calcarenites emerge. In the north, there is a predominance of calcarenites, yellowish sands and massive organogenic calcirudites. Beyond  800m north-west from the coast line of the PB there are marls and marly limestone outcrops with cream-colored microforaminifers and a conchoidal fractures.

 

 

  • Noto – Pizzuta

Pocket beach code: SIC82SR15

Pizzuta beach is located in the south-east of Sicily, in the municipality of Noto (Syracuse). It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB is an important tourist destination and is part of the Oriented Wildlife Reserve “Vendicari Oasis”, established in 1984 and being 1512 hectares wide.

The PB is delimited by two moderately pronounced promontories that reach a height of 15m above sea level. There is no cliff behind it and no water courses flow.

The immediate surroundings of the beach, as well as the two promontories, are made up of calcarenites, yellowish sands and massive organogenic calcirudites. To the north-west of the PB, coarse cross-stratified organogenic sands and calcarenites emerge.

There are numerous recent and current alluvial deposits, which develop both to the north and south of the PB, while marl and marly limestones emerge with cream-white microforaminiferous and conchoidal fractures emerge beyond 800m from the shore line.

 

  • Avola – Piccìo

Pocket beach code: SIC83SR16

Piccìo beach or Calabernardo beach is located in south-east Sicily, in the municipality of Avola (Syracuse). It belongs to the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB is delimited to the north by Punta Giorgi and to the south by the promontory of the town of Calabernardo. On the beach the Asinaro river flows to the south and the Vallone Bochini stream to the north. There is no cliff behind it.

The area behind the PB mainly consists mainly of recent and current alluvial deposits. The southern promontory consists of calcarenites, yellowish sands and massive organogenic calcirudites, while the northern promontory consists of coastal deposits.

The sediments that make up the PB fall granulometrically in the class of well-classified medium sands.

 

 

  • Avola – Caponegro

Pocket beach code: SIC84SR17

The Pocket Beach (PB) of Caponegro is located in south-east Sicily, in the municipality of Avola (Syracuse). It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the “Isola delle Corrente” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB is delimited to the south by Capo Negro, a much more pronounced promontory than the north-eastern one. The promontories and the cliffs behind the beach reach a height of about 5-7m above sea level.

The inland consists of yellowish organogenic sands and calcarenites with cross-stratification, while the headlands and cliffs are composed of blue-grey marls with sub-conchoidal fractures.

The beach is made up of coarse pebbles and white blocks resulting from the dismantling of the cliff.

 

 

  • Avola – Gallina sud

Pocket beach code: SIC85SR18

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Avola (Syracuse), and precisely in Gallina. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has “Isola delle Correnti” as its southern limit and “Punta Castelluccio” as its northern limit.

The PB falls within the Cavagrande del Cassibile Oriented Nature Reserve, established in 1990 with an area of ​​2696.49 ha.

The PB is delimited to the south by Punta Gallina and to the north by a less pronounced promontory. The cliff behind and the promontories reach a height of about 10 m above sea level. There is a small stream.

Inland, mainly yellowish sands and cross-layered organogenic limestone emerge, while the promontories and the cliff behind are characterised by blue-grey marls with sub-conchoidal fracture.

The beach is made up of well-classified medium sands and very coarse pebbles deriving from the dismantling of the cliff behind it.

 

 

  • Avola – Gallina Nord

Pocket beach code: SIC86SR19

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Avola (Syracuse), precisely in Gallina. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the Isola delle Correnti as its southern limit and Punta Castelluccio as its northern limit.

The PB falls within the Cavagrande del Cassibile Oriented Nature Reserve, established in 1990 and with an area of ​​2696.49 ha. Just north-east of the beach, there are some beautiful caves and caverns.

The beach delimited by two slightly accentuated headlands; the cliff behind and the promontories reach a height of about 10m. There is also a small stream.

Inland, mainly yellowish sands and cross-layered organogenic limestone emerge, while the promontories and cliffs behind are characterized by gray-blue marls with sub-concoid fracture.

The beach is made up of coarse pebbles deriving from the cliff behind it.

 

 

  • Siracusa – Fontane Bianche sud

Pocket beach code: SIC87SR20

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Syracuse, in the Fontane Bianche area. It is part of the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has Isola delle Correnti as its southern limit and Punta Castelluccio as its northern limit.

The PB falls within the Cavagrande del Cassibile Oriented Nature Reserve, established in 1990 and with an area of ​​2696.49 ha.

The beach features two very pronounced promontories and a cliff behind it that has a height of about 10 m.

The surroundings of the PB are almost exclusively made up of outcrops of calcarenites, yellowish sands and organogenic massive or cross-stratified chalcududites. In the North of the beach holocene alluvial deposits emerge. The promontory of Punta del Cane, to the north-east, is made up of coarse yellowish organogenic sands and calcarenites. In the hinterland, from West to North, blue-gray marls with sub-concoid fracture emerge.

The PB shows a sandy beach, beige in color. In correspondence with the promontories, there are some boulders deriving from the cliff.

 

 

  • Siracusa – Fontane Bianche Nord

Pocket beach code: SIC88SR21

This Pocket Beach (PB), known as “Fontane Bianche beach”, represents one of the most beautiful and widest beaches in Sicily. It is located in the south-eastern sector of Sicily, in the municipality of Syracuse, in the Fontane Bianche area. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the Isola delle Correnti as its southern limit and Punta Castelluccio as its northern limit.

It is bordered to the south by the Punta del Cane promontory and to the north by the small harbor of Fontane Bianche. In the northern area, there is a cliff about 10 m above sea level. In the southern sector of the PB, the Cava Patidda stream flows.

The northern promontory consists of calcarenites, yellowish sands and calcyrurites, as well as calcarenites and algae calcirudites, while the southern promontory consists of coarse organogenic sands and calcarenites.

On the western side of the PB, recent and current alluvial deposits emerge. There are also blue-gray marls with sub-concoid fracture. In the area north of the PB, marls and marly limestones emerge with cream-colored microforaminiferous and with a concoid fracture.

The beach is made up of well-classed medium-sized white sand.

 

 

  • Siracusa – Minareto

Pocket beach code: SIC89SR22_23

This Pocket Beach group (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Syracuse, and precisely in Minareto. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the Isola delle Correnti as its southern limit and Punta Castelluccio as its northern limit.

The two PBs fall within the Plemmirio Marine Protected Area, established in 2004 and with an area of ​​2429 ha.

They are bounded to the west by Punta Castelluccio and to the east by Punta della Mola. The area has a very jagged coast, with cliffs that reach an altitude of 10 m above sea level. Distinctive is the presence of numerous rocks which in summer are connected by floating walkways.

The promontories and the cliff, from the lithological point of view, are characterized by limestone sands with “Aemilian Globorotalia”.

Inland, sands and coarse, yellowish, cross-layered organogeneous calcarenites and yellowish-white friable calcarenites, soft laminated calcarenites and calcareous marls emerge.

Just west of the PBs, marls and marly limestones emerge with cream-colored microforaminifera and a concoid fracture.

The beach of the eastern PB (SIC89SR22), the only one accessible, is constituted granulometrically by sands and gravels.

 

 

  • Siracusa – Panagia

Pocket beach code: SIC90SR24

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in south-eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Syracuse, and precisely in Santa Panagia. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the Isola delle Correnti as its southern limit and Punta Castelluccio as its northern limit.

The PB is located between two very pronounced promontories that reach an altitude of 15 m above sea level. There is no cliff behind the PB.

Almost exclusively gray-white calcarenites and calcirudites of algal surface emerge, irregularly stratified. To the west, there is a small outcrop of lavas, volcanoclastites and basanitic dikes of the alkaline sodium series, while to the east there are white-yellowish friable calcarenites, soft laminated limestone and limestone marl.

The sediments that make up the PB have a variable particle size from medium sands to medium-fine pebbles, from white to beige in color.

 

 

  • Augusta – Saracena Sud

Pocket beach code: SIC91SR25

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Augusta (Syracuse), and more precisely in Costa Saracena – Castelluccio. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the Isola delle Correnti as its southern limit and Punta Castelluccio as its northern limit.

It is delimited by two pronounced promontories that reach 15 m above sea level. The cliff behind it, made up of rocky outcrops on which various anthropic structures rise, reaches a maximum height of 5 -10 m above sea level. The western promontory consists of basaltic flows and calcarenites and fossiliferous yellowish sands, massive or with parallel plane stratification, while the eastern promontory presents volcanic deposits with alkaline affinity, ranging from basanites to nephelinites.

To the west, yellowish-white friable calcarenites emerge, in thin layers up to megastrates, as well as volcanoclastites with a variable particle size from blocks to ash. The hinterland is instead characterized by gray-white calcarenites and calcirudites, with lithotamni and bryozoans, alternations of yellowish-white mud and granosustained limestones, volcanoclastites of a fine-grained yellowish-brown color, breccias and lavas with pillows.

The sediments that make up the PB fall granulometrically into the classes of gravels, pebbles and boulders.

 

 

  • Augusta – Saracena Nord

Pocket beach code: SIC92SR26

This Pocket Beach (PB) is located in eastern Sicily, in the municipality of Augusta (Syracuse), and more precisely in Costa Saracena – Castelluccio. It falls within the Physiographic Unit of PAI No. 6, which has the Isola delle Correnti as its southern limit and Punta Castelluccio as its northern limit.

The PB is delimited to the west by Punta Castelluccio and to the east by a less pronounced promontory. The area behind it is characterized by the presence of numerous anthropic structures, located a few meters above sea level, while the promontories reach up to 15 meters. This PB features a small stream called Vallone San Calogero.

The promontories are characterized by outcrops of volcanic alkaline affinity lithotypes, ranging from basanites to nephelinites, as well as gray tholeiitic basalts, with an aphiric structure, in tabular subaerial lava bodies.

To the south west, there is an imposing outcrop of eluvian-colluvial blanket, while the hinterland is dominated by gray tholeiitic basalts, with an aphiric structure, in tabular subarous lava bodies.

The sediments that make up the PB fall granulometrically into the classes of gravels, pebbles and boulders.