Riserva naturale Fiume Ciane e Saline di Siracusa, Nature reserve combining river and salt flats in Syracuse, Italy

The Ciane River Reserve encompasses wetlands with salt marshes that extend toward the Great Harbor of Syracuse at their mouth. The landscape features shallow waters, reed beds, and open salt flats that change appearance with the seasons.

The reserve was established by decree of the Sicilian Region in 1984 to protect the papyrus along the Ciane and the salt marsh environment. The salt pans were an economic resource from the 17th century until the 1980s, when they were abandoned due to the sector's crisis. The name Ciane comes from the Greek cyanos, meaning blue-green, referring to the water's colour.

The name Ciane comes from the Greek kyanos, meaning blue-green, after the colour of the water and the papyrus. The salt pans were worked from the 17th century until the 1980s, when the sector's crisis led to their abandonment; the flats now lie unused. In the Siracusa dialect the papyrus is called pappèra, close to the Egyptian paenperaa.

A network of walking paths allows exploration of the reserve, with the best birdwatching occurring during spring and autumn when migratory species arrive. Sturdy footwear is recommended since some paths cross damp terrain.

The reserve contains Sicily's only wild-growing papyrus plants, forming dense clusters along the river banks. These subtropical plants create an unexpected glimpse of Africa within the Mediterranean.