Marzamemi Destination in Sicily · Province of Syracuse

Marzamemi is a small fishing village on the southeast coast of Sicily, part of the municipality of Pachino in the province of Syracuse. It is known for tuna, for its old stone fishermen's houses around Piazza Regina Margherita, and for the colors of its facades against the sea.

Marzamemi's name and past

The village owes its name to the Arabs, who came to this bay in the 10th century and called it Marsà al-hamam, the bay of the turtle doves. Fishing, and tuna fishing above all, shaped the place from then on. The Tonnara di Marzamemi, where tuna used to be processed, still stands, although it no longer works as a tuna factory.

The fishermen's houses are built entirely of stone and have changed little over time. Today they hold restaurants, cocktail bars, pizzerias, pubs and dance halls. In 1994 Klaus Maria Brandauer used the village as a location for his film adaptation of a novella by Thomas Mann.

Around Piazza Regina Margherita

The main square is the center of the village. Facing it are Palazzo Villadorata, once the residence of the Prince of Villadorata, and the Chiesa della Tonnara. Marzamemi also has two churches known locally as the Chiesa Vecchia and the Chiesa Nuova, the old and the new church of San Francesco di Paola.

Color defines the scene: sandstone facades, sky-blue doors, geraniums and petunias in pinks and reds, and the turquoise sea behind them. Restaurants line the piazza and serve local products such as bottarga, cured fish roe, while seafood is on the menu at fish restaurants like La Cialoma. For a look at how many kinds of tuna products the village makes, stop by the Adelfio shop on Via Marzamemi.

The Piccola isola

Just off the village lies a small island, the Piccola isola, with a red house on it called Villa Brancato.

Beaches and day trips nearby

A small beach with clear water, known as "la Diga," is within walking distance of the village. About 5 km (3 miles) away is San Lorenzo beach, which lies inside the Vendicari Nature Reserve, a quiet stretch of green coastline.

Farther south, Portopalo di Capo Passero has a sandy beach, and the beach at Isola delle Correnti is another place for a swim. Noto and Syracuse are also in the area, so Marzamemi works well as a base for both. After a day on the beach or in Vendicari, many visitors come back to the village to watch the sunset.

When to visit Marzamemi

Marzamemi is worth a trip in any season, but summer is when it is most lively. On warm evenings there is live music on Piazza Regina Margherita, and the small village fills up after dark. July is the busiest month, when the annual Festival del Cinema di Frontiera draws many visitors.

For a sense of the climate, long-term data for Sicily (north coast near Palermo, 1995 to 2024 for the air and 2023 to 2025 for the sea) shows daytime highs around 30 °C (86 °F) in July and August, with the sea at about 28 °C (82 °F). In September the sea still averages 26 °C (79 °F), and in October about 24 °C (74 °F). Figures on the southeast coast may differ somewhat.

Who Marzamemi suits

The village is a good fit for a vacation with family or friends. It is small and easy to get around, the water is a short walk away, and in the evening the restaurants and bars in the old fishermen's houses offer plenty of choice. If you want to combine beaches and a nature reserve with trips to Noto or Syracuse, Marzamemi is a calm place to start from.