Riserva naturale orientata Capo Peloro

Riserva naturale orientata Capo Peloro is a protected reserve at Sicily's northeastern corner where the Tyrrhenian Sea meets the Strait of Messina. The landscape includes sandy beaches and two brackish lagoons that create distinct habitats and water conditions.

The Sicilian Regional Government established this reserve in 2001 to protect coastal ecosystems and native aquatic plants. The designation followed growing recognition of the strait's ecological role as a critical passage for migrating species.

The Ganzirri lagoon remains a working fishing ground where families maintain traditional harvesting methods passed down through generations. The visible presence of boats and cultivation markers shows how locals continue to integrate their livelihoods with the protected waters.

The reserve has designated viewing areas where visitors can watch wildlife throughout the site. Bringing binoculars and visiting in early morning hours will help you see the most active animals and birds.

The reserve contains meromictic basins where surface and deep waters remain separated by different chemical and physical properties. This unusual layering supports specialized organisms adapted to these distinct water zones.