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Ragusa and the Iblei region

Natural Landscape

Natural landscape has long disappeared form the region, as results of centuries of agricultural exploitation. Interesting are the several deep gorges that mark the karst limestone plateau. This geological formations known as the cave iblee (or Hyblaean quarries) harbour a broad range of plants in a concentrated area. The thickly wooded rocky slopes include poplars, willows and a profusion of tamarisks, oleanders, and wild orchids. Clinging to the slopes elsewhere are patches of Mediterranean maquis: forest of elms and cork oaks interspersed with aromatic scrubs. This is also one of the few places in Italy where the Oriental plane tree grows wild. Different species of small mammals, amphibians and birds like the partridge and the Peregrine falcon populate the gorges.
The most important of these spectacular geological formations are the Anapo valley, with Pantalica necropolis, Cava d'lspica and Cava Grande of Cassibile river.
The coast present the beautiful reserve of Vendicari.

Pantalica

More than 5,000 burial chambers of five necropolises honeycomb the steep limestone cliffs walls.

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The valley of the Anapo and Pantalica
The two deep gorges of the Anapo river and the Cavagrande/Calcinara valley reveal an extraordinary landscape comprising a succession of gorges defined by vertical cliffs, along which used to run the old Syracuse-Ragusa-Vizzini railway. A visit to the Cava combines both natural and archaeological points of interest being the site of the large necropolis of Pantalica with an incredible number of tombs dug in the steep limestone cliffs.

Pantalica

an extraordinary landscape comprising a succession of gorges defined by vertical cliffs

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Pantalica Sicily stock photographs

Cava Grande Protected Natural Area
Cava Grande is another beautiful gorge that the Cassibile river cut in the lblei Mountain karst range. Along the valley bottom winds the river that opens out intermittently to make a succession of tiny lakes. Slightly to the left, a cave may be seen the so-called Grotta dei Briganti (Bandits Cave), just one of the many rock-hewn dwellings in this area. It is thought that this particular cave was used as a tannery.

Cava Grande

Cava Grande is another beautiful gorge that the Cassibile river cut in the lblei Mountain

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Vendicari Protected Natural Area
The Vendicari Nature reserve, a narrow strip of marshy coastline, provides a rare habitat for migratory species and for sand-loving Mediterranean vegetation. The large stretch of swamp, a hostile environment because of the high salinity levels, has evolved a very unusual ecosystem that continues to attract vast numbers of migrating birds during the winter and spring months, when the level of the water rises.
Among the few species to breed here, there is the black-winged stilt (cavaliere d’Italia) adopted as the emblem of Vendicari.
From the entrance of the reserve the track briefly skirts the edge of the Pantano Grande before leading off towards the so-called Torre Sveva, actually erected in the xv century AD, and the chimney that rises from among the ruins of the tonnara (tuna-fishery) which functioned until the Second World War. Nearby sit the vestiges of a Hellenistic fish-processing plant: the tanks were used to steep the excess fish before salting them (tarichos) or using the by-products to make garum or fishpaste by breaking down the fish gut and off-cuts in sea-water - a highly lucrative commodity that was traded right across the Mediterranean from Phoenician to Roman times.
Vendicari consists essentially of rock and sand: the rocky subsoil supports garrigue-type vegetation, where sand predominates, sand-loving perennials grow among the maquis plants such as prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) and rosemary.

Vendicari

a narrow strip of marshy coastline that provides a rare habitat for migratory species

This and more photographs can be found at:

Traveller Dreams

Vendicari Sicily stock photographs

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