Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area

The Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area is the largest marine protected area in Italy and one of the largest in the Mediterranean, covering approximately 14,730 hectares of Ionian coastal waters in Crotone Province, Calabria, between Capo Colonna to the north and Le Castella to the south. Established in 1991, the reserve encompasses the rocky Capo Rizzuto peninsula, a series of sandy and rocky coves, posidonia seagrass meadows, and shallow marine habitats that support a rich community of sea turtles, octopus, sea bream, grouper, and a variety of invertebrates. The reserve is divided into zoning bands (A, B, and C) with stricter access rules near the cape itself; boat tours and guided snorkelling excursions operate from the marina at Isola di Capo Rizzuto and from Le Castella throughout the summer season. The clearest water and most abundant marine life are found in the zona A around the cape itself, where fishing and anchoring are prohibited and water visibility can exceed 20 metres. The coastline above the water is characterised by flat limestone and sandstone rock formations dropping to small coves, interspersed with pine and maquis scrub. Sea turtles (Caretta caretta) nest on the sandy beaches within the reserve boundary and a sea turtle monitoring programme operates from the reserve management office at Isola di Capo Rizzuto. Beyond the marine environment, the reserve landscape includes the Byzantine church ruins and archaeological remains at Capo Colonna and the Aragonese castle of Le Castella on its sea-stack at the southern boundary. Boat tour operators based at the Isola di Capo Rizzuto marina run half-day circuits of the cape with snorkelling stops; prices typically range from €15 (~$16) to €25 (~$27) per person.