Riserva naturale regionale delle Isole dello Stagnone di Marsala, Nature reserve with salt pans and lagoons in Marsala, Italy.
The Riserva naturale regionale delle Isole dello Stagnone di Marsala is a protected wetland area centered on four islands set within shallow waters. The reserve includes active salt ponds, lagoons, and spaces for diverse plant and animal communities to thrive.
Salt production has taken place in this location since ancient times, making it one of the Mediterranean's oldest working saltworks. It became officially protected as a reserve in the 1980s to preserve its ecological value and traditional practices.
Salt harvesting has shaped how people have used and understood this landscape for centuries. Visitors walking through the area can observe workers tending salt ponds using techniques passed down through generations and still practiced today.
The reserve is best explored by joining a guided boat tour or renting a bicycle to navigate the various paths and viewing areas. Come prepared for wet, flat terrain and bring sturdy shoes along with sun protection for the open landscape.
Mozia island, located within the reserve, was once an important Phoenician trading port, and archaeologists have uncovered ruins and artworks from that ancient period. This archaeological richness sits quietly in the middle of the modern saltworks today.
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