I PARCHI LETTERARI "IN THE DIMENSION OF THE JOURNEY" - THE SEA: THE NATURE RESERVES

The Platani River Outlet Oriented Nature Reserve

A site of natural beauty, the first stop for many migratory birds arriving from Africa; thanks to the diversified environments, it offers refuge to a luxuriant and variegated flora, and therefore a rich and composite avifauna. The reserve encompasses the final portion of the Platani River and the long, sandy stretch of Borgo Monsignore, featuring a sand bar of low dunes.
The river (called Halycus in ancient times), is one of the most important in Sicily, the 5th longest river on the island.
At the peak of Capo Bianco, among the candid rocks that sparkle with miniscule chalk crystals, are the Greek ruins of Eraclea Minoa, an ancient Selinuntine colony from the 6th Century B.C.

“I arrived at the Platani river, known to the ancients as Halycus, among the largest in Sicily and difficult to cross during winter, since it has no bridges whatsoever. However, the water was much lower than what my guides had led me to believe, and I crossed without obstacle. This river was quite famous in ancient times. Later, it was also called Eraclea, because Dorieo, one of the Heraclides, settled in this place by virtue of the treaty that, following Erice’s death, Heracles had created with the Sicilians who were to remain the rightful owners of the entire district, until one of his descendents landed among them."

Eraclea Minoa by Friederich Munter.

ERACLEA MINOA, is an ancient colony, perhaps of Mycenean origin, located 15 km from Siculiana. Its enchanting geographic position makes it one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Sicily. Some fragments uncovered in the archaic necropolis of the 6th Century B.C. would date its origins to the Neolithic period, while the most ancient coins testify to the presence of a Phoenician colony. In documents the city is referred to by three different names: Macara, in other words “city of Makar”, the Phoenician Heracles; Minoa, which according to legend was founded by the King of Crete, Minos, who had followed Dedalus here; and Eraclea, a Spartan colony_(see Fazello and Cluver).
After the Phoenicians and the Spartans, it became a sub-colony of Selinunte in the 5th Century B.C. and it reached its zenith of urban development during the Hellenic period. It passed from Greek control to the Carthaginians several times, until 210 B.C., when it was conquered by the Romans. It was then abandoned in the 1st Century B.C.

The Torre Salsa Oriented Nature Reserve

Approximately 15 km from Agrigento, just beyond Capo Siculiana, at the easternmost point of the unending beach that runs along the eastern shore of the chalky promontory of Capo Bianco, is the Torre Salsa Nature Reserve. A variety of habitats alternate among a sandy coastline, dunes, lakes and Mediterranean maquis, allowing for an abundant presence of animal life: foxes, porcupines, weasels, wild rabbits, falcons and buzzards in the innermost area; aquatic and riparian birds along the coastal zones. More than six kilometres of beaches that extend from Capo Bianco to Siculiana Marina are perhaps still one of the few places where the endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta Caretta) is still able to reproduce. The central portion of the coastline, is interrupted by the outlet from the small Salso river (which gives the reserve its name), which after approximately 3 kilometres of dunes that are covered by a xerophile vegetation and a dense maquis, results in a small morass, a source of nutrition for many limiculous birds.
The splendid crystalline sea, with its graduated sea floor and cold waters that are rich with fish from the canal of Sicily, make this place one of the few strips of unspoiled nature in Sicily.

The Macalube di Aragona Integral Nature Reserve

The Reserve was recently created due to the presence of a particular geologic phenomenon. The entire area is covered with an infinite amount of small clay cones (Malacube) that emit a muddy mixture of methane gas and saltwater. This is the exterior manifestation of some hydro-clay springs, these little volcanoes, that take their name from the Arab word “maqlùb”, meaning the earth’s turmoil, continue to appear and disappear from the ground, varying in number and size and giving the landscape an almost lunar appearance.


ARAGONA

Located fifteen kilometres from Agrigento, the town was given the name Aragona by its founder, Count Baldassare Naselli da Comiso who wanted to pay tribute to his mother, Beatrice Aragona Branciforti. In 1615, Luigi Naselli was granted the title of Prince of Aragon by the sovereign, Philip IV. The noble Naselli family has been associated with ruling of this town until 1812, the year that the feudal system was abolished there.