Calamosche

Calamosche is the reward for leaving the lidos behind. Tucked inside the Vendicari nature reserve between Noto and Marzamemi, it is a short golden cove cradled by two rocky headlands, with water so clear and sheltered that it is regularly named among the finest swims in Sicily. There is no road to the sand, no bar, no row of parasols, just the cove and the sea.

You earn it with a short walk. From the car park a flat footpath of roughly fifteen to twenty minutes leads through low reserve scrub to the beach, easy enough in proper shoes but exposed to the sun. Because there is nothing to buy once you arrive, this is a carry in and carry out beach, and the reward is a setting that feels genuinely wild.

The honest part is that the secret is long out. On summer days, and especially August weekends, the small cove fills quickly and the clear water loses some of its magic to the crowd. There is almost no natural shade, so by midday the sand bakes. Snorkellers love the rocky edges, but swimmers should still read the conditions, as there are no facilities and you are responsible for yourself.

Who should skip it: families wanting easy parking, shade and a snack bar, who will be happier at Fontane Bianche or San Lorenzo. Who should go: walkers, snorkellers and anyone who prizes a clear, undeveloped cove over comfort. Come early, bring shade and water, and pair it with the wider Vendicari reserve for a full wild day.

Calamosche is reached from a signed car park within the Vendicari reserve, off the roads between Noto and Marzamemi in the southeast of Sicily. From the car park a flat footpath of about fifteen to twenty minutes leads to the cove, so a car is by far the easiest way to arrive.

Come early on a weekday for the calmest water, the easiest parking and the quietest sand, and check the current reserve opening hours before you set out. Wear proper shoes for the path, carry plenty of water, and bring your own shade, because there is none on the beach.