Monte Cofano Reserve

The Monte Cofano Reserve is located at the north-western end of the Sicilian coast, within the municipality of Custonaci. The Monte Cofano is a mountainous promontory of calcareous nature with a triangular shape: the reserve contains several animal species, including the peregrine falcon, and large vegetation. The Cofano gorgo, the Mangiapane Cave, the Buffa Cave, the Abyss of the Gole, the caves of Frassino and Tuono make it a place of high naturalistic and speleological value ,while the Tonnara Tower and the San Giovanni Tower are historically very important.

The reserve falls on the territory of Custonaci and combines beautiful places such as the Bay of Cornino, the Cala del Tono and the beach of Macari. The Mediterranean scrubland climbs up to the top of Cofano Mount and is reflected on the sea that laps its walls. Between the mountain' folds, rural buildings, ancient towers and caves testify the human settlement since the Neolithic. Between the walls above the bay of Cornino, which looks towards the Egadi islands, an ancient village has recently become the fascinating scenery of a living museum. It is a small group of rural constructions set on the mountain where skilled figures show the life of the ancient artisan community, where baskets are woven, bread is kneaded, ceramics are worked, wheat and olives are milled. On the opposite side, which can be reached from the state road to Castelluzzo or after an extraordinary walk up to the hills, passing through a natural saddle, there is the Tuono Tower, the only one in Sicily with a star plant, built in 1500 to serve the tonnara for the sighting of shoals of fish. Those who love trekking or mountain-biking can travel the periplus of the mountain thanks to a forest trail or paths mapped by the CAI. Along the way there is also a small chapel dedicated to the Crucifix near the Cave of the Crucifix and, a little further, the Tower of San Giovanni which, unlike that of Tuono, was part of the fortification system desired by the Bourbon Kingdom to defend the Sicilian coasts. The most daring, with good boots, can climb from the Scaletta path, so called because it is a real staircase carved on the mountain stone probably already in prehistoric times; after the saddle, continue on the forest trail. A steep path almost reaches the summit, starting from Piano Alastre but it is advisable to go up only with an expert of the area. There is a seasonal puddle which, dry in summer, is filled with water and small crustaceans in winter.