From Noto to Marzamemi, nothing but sea — Itinerario in scooter

This is the coast where the sand never ends: from Lido di Noto down to Marzamemi it runs almost unbroken for tens of kilometres, with a bottom that shelves gently and no rocks at the shoreline. What changes is how equipped it is: from the beach clubs with a tennis court at Lido di Noto to the beach at Eloro, inside the reserve, where there is nothing at all and you arrive on foot. Four stops, a full day, and one piece of advice — leave early, for the parking.

• Lido di Noto: over a kilometre of sand, beach clubs, services and free parking
• Eloro: dunes, golden sand and the ruins of the Greek city along the path
• San Lorenzo: three kilometres of sand up to forty metres wide, half free and half beach clubs
• La Spinazza, a step away from Marzamemi, with the village in sight from the shore

• Eloro is the first beach of the Vendicari reserve coming from the north: leave the vehicle at the north entrance car park, paid and unattended, and walk about 300 metres.
• There is no refreshment of any kind at Eloro, and no shade: bring water and lunch with you.
• Eloro beach is a nesting site of the loggerhead turtle: the nests are fenced off, so you can recognise them and give them a wide berth.
• At San Lorenzo, in July and August, it is worth arriving before 9:30: after ten the nearby car parks are full. The ones along the coast road are free, those of the beach clubs cost between 3 and 8 euro a day.
• At the San Lorenzo beach clubs, in high season, two sunbeds and an umbrella cost between 15 and 30 euro a day. On the free stretches there is no natural shade, no bar and no kiosk.
• The 96 km are fine on a scooter, but it is two and a half hours of riding there and back: you come home with the sun low in your eyes.