The paradise extolled in Virgil
We invite you to discover Plemmirio, a place that was mentioned by the Roman poet Virgilin the Aeneid. It is a promontory that plunges in the Ionian Sea. This area has been designated the Marine Protected Area. This Nature Reserve was established in 2005 on the south coast of Ortigia, Siracusa historical center. It is one of the UNESCO Sites in Sicily.
The sea of Plemmirio lies on evocative shores such as Cape Murro di Porco and Rive Bianche.
It’s a paradise of 2,500 hectares salt water and beautiful emerald-green seabeds. These have been home to many shipwrecks, amphorae and other archaeological finds. They are now kept in the Museum “Paolo Orsi” of Syracuse.
The seawaters along 15 km of coastline display a variety of colours. They range from turquoise blue to emerald green, and even a thousand shades.
As if in a mirror, we can see the rock reflecting off the water. There are small sandy coves in the midst of tangles and sharp rocks, which makes it difficult to walk barefoot between rocks. You can find sea urchins and mussels, as well as thousands of colorful fishes (or “riule”, the locals refer to them).
The Marine Protected Area of Plemmirio includes 35 accesses to sea. Some of these are equipped with wooden platforms that harmoniously blend into the natural environment. This makes them accessible for people with disabilities.
Let’s decide what we should do: trekking or bird-watching, Deep Water Soloing and snorkeling. Or just walk among rocks, quarries, and cliffs to relax a bit.
Walking and breathing in the sea spray iodine, midst so many rupestral plant, takes us to the Mediterranean scrubland, which is home to plenty of dwarf palms. The dwarf Palm, which is found in abundance at Capo Murro di Porco is the only European spontaneous species.
