The Stagnone Nature Reserve lagoon

The “Stagnone” is the largest lagoon in Italy near Marsala. It is a designated marine nature reserve covering some 2,000 hectares. The Stagnone is home not only to the ancient tradition of sea-salt production but also to a flourishing variety of wildlife and a fascinating archipelago consisting of four mostly uninhabited islands: San Pantaleo, home to ancient Mothya, one of the Phoenicians’ original settlements in Sicily, Isola Longa, Santa Maria and Schola.

The salt pans at the Stagnone offer a truly unique landscape with its windmills, first introduced during medieval times. A testament to how things were once done, some of them still continue to function, pumping water through the sluice gates into or out of the various basins. Piles of harvested salt, neatly covered with terracotta tiles, lie between the road and the basins.

Today there is a niche market amongst gastronomes who swear by the salt’s unique qualities: it is 100% natural and contains a higher concentration of potassium and magnesium than common salt but less sodium chloride. The lack of chemical treatment means that the trace elements are maintained, enhancing its flavour.

Between Trapani and Marsala is the fascinating Salt Museum giving visitors a complete explanation of exactly how the salt pans developed and functioned over the years. From here you can take a ferry over to Mothya.