Page 154 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

152  SICIL Y AREA B Y AREA

A vineyard in Pachino, one of the most important agricultural towns in southern Sicily
3 Pachino 4 Capo Passero
Road map E5. * 22,000. n Town Road map E5.
Hall, weekdays only (0931-803 557).
At the southern tip of Sicily, on
The town of Pachino, founded the Capo Passero headland, lies
in 1758 by the princes of the small town of Portopalo di
Giardineli and populated by a Capo Passero, a centre for
few dozen families, has evolved agricultural produce and fishing.
into a large agricultural and Portopalo, together with the
wine-producing centre. Despite nearby town of Marzamemi,
inroads made by modern has become a popular summer
architecture, there are still some tourist spot. Just off the coast Fishing boats on the beach at
traces of the original town plan: is the small island of Capo Capo Passero
a series of courtyards and alleys Passero, which, because of its
reveals an Arab influence. strategic position, has always called Isola delle Correnti.
Pachino is also synonymous been considered an excellent Near here – or more precisely,
with a variety of small red observation point. Proof is close to Portopalo – Allied
tomato used for sauces and provided by the 17th-century troops landed on 10 July 1943
salads, which has become watchtower, which replaced with the aim of establishing
familiar throughout the country a series of military installations a bridgehead on Sicily.
(it has even acquired DOC and fortifications, some of North of Portopalo you can
status). Besides the pachini which were of ancient origin. see a tuna fishery (tonnara)
tomatoes, the area – close to The southernmost point on and a fish processing plant. In
the sea and seaside resorts – is the headland is Capo delle nearby Marzamemi the town
famous for the production of Correnti. Opposite the point a also grew up around a tuna
red wine. lighthouse stands on an island fishery and the residence of
the noble Villadorata family,
who are still the proprietors
of the local tonnara.
The waters of the central
Mediterranean are still popu-
lated by large schools of tuna
fish which migrate annually.
Enticed towards the tonnara,
the fish become trapped in a
complicated network of tuna
fishing nets. Tuna caught using
this traditional method is prized
and considered highly superior
to tuna caught out on the
open sea, because the method
of killing (which involves very
rapid loss of blood) seems
to enhance the flavour of
Portopalo di Capo Passero, a fairly recent tourist attraction the meat.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p204 and pp214–16

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