Tonnara of Scopello, Almadraba in Scopello, Italy

Tonnara di Scopello is a tuna-fishing complex on a slope above the sea at Scopello, in the territory of Castellammare del Golfo. Its low pale-stone buildings have terracotta tiled roofs; the central two-storey block has three upper windows with dark frames and small balconies on the outer two. A separate square stone tower stands higher on the left, and a ruined 13th-century tower lies on the rocks.

The marfaraggiu, the crew building and storehouse, began operating in the 13th century on land of the Monte San Giuliano demesne. In 1442 it was granted to Simone Mannina, and in 1468 Giovanni Sanclemente obtained a perpetual concession and enlarged it into a true tonnara. Shares passed to the Jesuits in 1597, were sold at auction in 1874, and two eighths went to the Florio family. It stayed active into the early decades of the second half of the 20th century.

The name tonnara comes from the Sicilian word for the anchored net system that guided tuna toward the shore. The complex was called marfaraggiu, a term of Arabic origin for the building housing the crew and the catch. Ownership passed from the Sanclemente family to the Jesuits and then to the Florio family, whose heirs still hold shares.

Visitors can tour the grounds daily until 7 PM; admission covers the courtyard, the display of old anchors, and access to the bay for swimming. Paths cross uneven stone, so sturdy footwear and care when descending to the water are advised.

At 18 meters depth on the seabed lies an underwater archaeological museum with Greek and Roman amphorae among seagrass meadows. Divers can view the artifacts in their original location, where they rested in the sand for centuries.