Riserva naturale orientata Monte Cofano, Regional nature reserve in Custonaci, Italy
Riserva naturale orientata Monte Cofano is a protected nature reserve on northwestern Sicily featuring limestone cliffs and Mediterranean vegetation on a mountainous terrain. The area combines slopes with coastal paths and offers different elevation levels to explore.
The area gained protected status in 1997 to safeguard its geological formations and plant species. However, archaeological findings and old structures reveal that people lived in this landscape since prehistoric times.
The name Monte Cofano refers to the mountain's distinctive cone shape, which resembles a hat when viewed from different angles. Visitors notice this distinctive profile especially from coastal paths, where the silhouette stands out most clearly.
Visitors can follow marked hiking trails of varying difficulty levels that lead from the coast to mountain viewpoints. Information signs along the routes help with navigation and explain the local plants and animals.
Within the reserve lie several caves that once served as prehistoric dwelling sites and hold physical traces of ancient inhabitants. These underground spaces allow visitors to directly witness daily life from ages long past.
Location: Custonaci
Inception: July 25, 1997
Website: http://regione.sicilia.it/agricolturaeforeste/azforeste/riserve.asp?id=31
GPS coordinates: 38.10000,12.66667
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:40
Sicily combines Greek temples, Roman mosaics, and Norman churches on an island at the crossroads of Europe and Africa. The archaeological sites document over two thousand years of history, from the Doric columns in Agrigento to the Byzantine domes in Palermo. This collection includes the Temple of Concordia, whose preserved structure ranks among the finest examples of Greek architecture outside Greece, and the Villa Romana del Casale with its extensive fourth-century floor mosaics. The region also offers natural sites such as the active volcano Mount Etna and coastal reserves like Zingaro. Palermo displays multiple eras simultaneously, from the medieval Palazzo dei Normanni to the nineteenth-century Teatro Massimo. Syracuse preserves its ancient past on the island of Ortigia and in the Necropolis of Pantalica, while towns such as Modica and Cefalù present medieval old quarters and Norman cathedrals. The Aeolian Islands complement the mainland with volcanic landscapes and the active Stromboli.
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