Santa Maria del Focallo
Welcome to Santa Maria del Focallo
Hello everyone! Today I will talk to you about Santa Maria del Focallo, a small hamlet of Ispica, in the province of Ragusa, Sicily. This area is famous mainly for its beautiful white sandy beach, which runs for eight kilometers, and for the protected spontaneous vegetation found along the coast.
Physical geography
Santa Maria del Focallo is located about nine kilometers from the municipal capital and is a popular seaside resort, especially in summer. Here tourists from all over the world can be found as well as many locals from Ispica and nearby towns such as Pozzallo, Modica and Rosolini. The area is characterized by a large beach and is surrounded by vegetation, particularly acacia plants.
Islands
The Santa Maria del Focallo area is surrounded by numerous islands, such as the Isola delle Correnti, connected by a wooden bridge, and the Island of Malta, which is about 90 kilometers away.
History
Santa Maria del Focallo is a place with a very rich history. Already in Greek times (8th century BC-3rd century BC) there were human settlements in this area, as demonstrated by the finds found in Contrada Porrello. The name of the locality derives from an ancient church dedicated to Madonna del Focallo, which was destroyed during the Val di Noto earthquake.
Important historical events also occurred in the area, such as the First Punic War and the Landing in Sicily in 1943.
Economy
Tourism
Santa Maria del Focallo is a very important tourist destination, so much so that since 2011 the locality has received the recognition of the Blue Flag, awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education, for the quality of its waters and for attention to environmental protection. In 2015, the area was also awarded the Green Flag, which rewards the most suitable beaches for children.
Notes
Bibliography
If you want to deepen your knowledge of this area, I recommend reading the books by Melchiorre Trigilia, such as "The Ispicese Coast" and "The Journeys and Places of Ulysses in Sicily."
Other projects
For more information about the locality and its history, I recommend visiting the following websites: initalia.it, siciliainfesta.com, and sicilying.com.
