Cala della Marinella
San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily, Italy
Cala della Marinella is a secluded cove inside the Zingaro Nature Reserve on Sicily's northwest coast, Italy, reached by a 2.8 kilometer coastal trail from the reserve's northern entrance near San Vito Lo Capo. Rocky terrain frames a small patch of clear, turquoise water, one of several coves strung along the reserve's seven kilometer coastal path.
A genuinely clear, protected cove that rewards the hike with some of the best snorkeling in the reserve, though the 2.8 kilometer approach rules it out for a quick or casual visit.
Enter from the northern gate near San Vito Lo Capo rather than the southern one at Scopello if Marinella is the main goal, since it cuts the hike roughly in half compared to coming from the south.
There's parking at both reserve entrances, in San Vito Lo Capo to the north and Scopello to the south, with a small admission fee payable on-site.
The coastal trail to reach the cove is a rocky, sometimes uneven path through the reserve, not suited to strollers, and comfortable footwear is essential.
June through September brings the warm, dry conditions and clear water that make the reserve's trails worth hiking, though the exposed path is far more comfortable earlier or later in the day during peak summer heat.
More Europe beaches
Kedrodasos Beach
Chania, Crete, Greece · Europe
Kedrodasos Beach lies on the southwest coast of Crete, Greece, just over a kilometer past the more famous Elafonissi and separated from it by a low headland that keeps the crowds thinner here. Ancient juniper trees, not the cedars the name suggests, grow right down into the dunes, and the water stays shallow and clear over a stretch of sand more than a kilometer long.
Voulisma Beach
Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece · Europe
Voulisma, also called Golden Beach, curves around the Gulf of Mirabello about 15 kilometers south of Agios Nikolaos on Crete, Greece, backed by a rocky cliff thick with Mediterranean scrub. The turquoise water here is calm enough for kids and shallow enough that it warms up quickly through the summer, and it's fully set up with sunbeds and beach bars for anyone who wants to stay all day.
Nanou Beach
Symi, Dodecanese, Greece · Europe
Nanou Beach sits on the south coast of Symi, Greece, a long stretch of white pebbles reachable only by boat and hidden behind a ring of high hills that keeps it out of view from the rest of the island. A small canteen serves lunch right on the beach, and the water here runs clear enough for good snorkeling and diving just off the shore.