{"id":357312,"date":"2025-07-28T12:09:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T10:09:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/?post_type=what-to-see&#038;p=357312"},"modified":"2025-07-28T12:13:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T10:13:51","slug":"marine-protected-area-isole-ciclopi","status":"publish","type":"what-to-see","link":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/what-to-see\/marine-protected-area-isole-ciclopi\/","title":{"rendered":"Marine Protected Area &#8216;Isole Ciclopi&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"480\">The <strong data-start=\"33\" data-end=\"74\">Marine Protected Area &#8220;Isole Ciclopi&#8221;<\/strong>, established in 1989 and officially recognized in 2004, safeguards one of the most fascinating stretches of Sicily\u2019s eastern coast, between <strong data-start=\"215\" data-end=\"229\">Aci Trezza<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"234\" data-end=\"250\">Aci Castello<\/strong>. At its heart lie <strong data-start=\"269\" data-end=\"286\">Lachea Island<\/strong> and the iconic <strong data-start=\"302\" data-end=\"322\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Cyclopean stacks<\/strong>, striking basalt formations born of ancient underwater eruptions and steeped in Homeric legend\u2014said to have been hurled by the Cyclops Polyphemus at Ulysses.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"482\" data-end=\"780\">The underwater landscape is shaped by <strong data-start=\"520\" data-end=\"535\">pillow lava<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"540\" data-end=\"561\">prismatic columns<\/strong>, hosting a vibrant marine ecosystem with <strong data-start=\"603\" data-end=\"625\">Posidonia oceanica<\/strong>, calcareous algae, sponges, starfish, octopuses, moray eels, and a rich variety of fish and invertebrates. The protected area is divided into three zones:<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"783\" data-end=\"848\"><strong data-start=\"783\" data-end=\"793\">-Zone A<\/strong>, a strict nature reserve for scientific research only;<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"851\" data-end=\"927\"><strong data-start=\"851\" data-end=\"861\">-Zone B<\/strong>, allowing regulated activities like diving and selective fishing;<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"930\" data-end=\"986\"><strong data-start=\"930\" data-end=\"940\">-Zone C<\/strong>, open to recreational and bathing activities.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"988\" data-end=\"1402\"><strong data-start=\"988\" data-end=\"1005\">Lachea Island<\/strong>, estimated to have emerged 500,000 years ago, is the cultural and scientific heart of the reserve. Managed by the <strong data-start=\"1120\" data-end=\"1176\">CUTGANA research center of the University of Catania<\/strong>, it features a <strong data-start=\"1192\" data-end=\"1218\">natural history museum<\/strong> with geological specimens, taxidermy displays, and endemic species such as the <strong data-start=\"1298\" data-end=\"1328\">Podarcis siculus ciclopica<\/strong> lizard, as well as a laboratory for research and environmental education.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1404\" data-end=\"1831\">Today, the Marine Protected Area offers <strong data-start=\"1444\" data-end=\"1463\">boat excursions<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1465\" data-end=\"1479\">snorkeling<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1481\" data-end=\"1497\">guided dives<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"1503\" data-end=\"1525\">educational visits<\/strong>, serving as a virtuous model of sustainable tourism, environmental preservation, and cultural memory. Featured in <em data-start=\"1640\" data-end=\"1654\">I Malavoglia<\/em> by Verga and in Visconti\u2019s film <em data-start=\"1687\" data-end=\"1703\">La terra trema<\/em>, it stands as a powerful symbol of Sicily\u2019s identity\u2014where <strong data-start=\"1763\" data-end=\"1792\">nature, myth, and history<\/strong> converge in an extraordinary seascape.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The &#8220;Isole Ciclopi&#8221; Marine Protected Area near Aci Trezza preserves a unique seascape of volcanic seabeds, rich marine life, and Lachea Island\u2014where nature, myth, and science meet in Sicily.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":357306,"template":"","village-conntection":[50360],"what-to-see-region-and-provinces":[76200,76196],"what-to-see-category":[101777],"class_list":["post-357312","what-to-see","type-what-to-see","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","village-conntection-aci-trezza","what-to-see-region-and-provinces-catania-en","what-to-see-region-and-provinces-sicily","what-to-see-category-nature-park-reserve"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see\/357312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/what-to-see"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see\/357312\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/357306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=357312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"village-conntection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village-conntection?post=357312"},{"taxonomy":"what-to-see-region-and-provinces","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see-region-and-provinces?post=357312"},{"taxonomy":"what-to-see-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see-category?post=357312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}