The Lagoon of the Stagnone

The Reserve of the Lagoon of the Stagnone of Marsala is a charming place, with special colors and rare beauty. Among its details are magnificent sunsets against the backdrop of timeless windmills.
The Stagnone Nature Reserve extends from the coast north of Marsala to that of Trapani.

Its history is ancient, its very name “Stagnone” refers to a lagoon with very shallow waters of which there are four islands (Mozia, Isola Grande or Lunga, Schola and Santa Maria) and that starts from Punta Alga to get to San Teodoro.

In the Phoenician era, the island of Motya was particularly important for trade between East and West. At the end of this period and that of the conquest by the Romans, unfortunately, it returned to be unknown until modern times.
In fact, the Lagoon of the Stagnone returned to have an important function only at the time of the Spanish domination that occurred during the fifteenth century, when the salt pans were built and the fishing activity was significantly increased.

Today the salt pans represent one of the peculiarities of the Reserve and can be visited by purchasing an entrance ticket.

As for the fauna, there are many species of fish (sea bream, sea bass, mullet, eels, bream, cuttlefish, octopus, crustaceans and so on). In addition, the waters of the Lagoon are so warm and deep that its seabed is an ideal habitat for spawning and for fish repopulation. Inside there is a ban on hunting, underwater fishing or with nets. Even sport fishing is allowed although it is regulated by virtue of the peculiarity of the place.
This place is also a place of worship for lovers of migratory birds, including the famous pink (or white) flamingos.