Riserva naturale Oasi del Simeto, Regional nature reserve near Catania, Italy.

The Riserva naturale Oasi del Simeto is a protected coastal wetland at the mouth of the Simeto River, featuring dunes, marshes, and different plant communities. The site includes walking paths and viewing areas designed for observing wildlife in their natural habitats.

The area was officially protected in 1984 as a response to habitat loss caused by agricultural expansion and urban construction. This designation marked an effort to preserve the region's coastal wetlands from ongoing development pressures.

The reserve takes its name from the Simeto River, whose mouth it protects, and it also covers the mouth of the Gornalunga. Inside the oasis stands the Necropoli di Symaethus. The reserve exists thanks to Wendy Hennessy Mazza and the LIPU, who in 1975 created a wildlife protection oasis; it became a regional reserve in 1984.

Access is from the S.S.114 towards Syracuse or from the last exit of Catania's ring road, Ponte Primosole; A.M.T. bus line 538 connects Piazza Borsellino with Vaccarizzo. The reserve covers about 2,000 hectares at the mouths of the Simeto and Gornalunga rivers, so plan for distances between the two river mouths.

The oasis was created in 1975 through the efforts of Wendy Hennessy Mazza and the LIPU, which secured a wildlife protection area before regional reserve status followed in 1984. Within the reserve lies the Necropoli di Symaethus, an ancient burial ground most visitors pass without noticing.