Marzamemi (name that derives from the Arabic "Marsà al hamen", Rada delle Tortore), is a small fishing village in the province of Syracuse, a few kilometers away from Pachino and the Baroque Noto. It rises and develops entirely on the sea. Its birth dates back to around the year 1000, when the Arabs built the Tonnara here, which for many centuries was the main one in the whole of Eastern Sicily.
This beautiful Borgo Marinaro, however as it appears today, dates back to the 1700s when the Villadorata family modified the Tonnara by expanding the spaces, building the church of San Francesco di Paola, and the fishermen's houses.
Once in Marzamemi, the beauty of Piazza Regina Margherita will leave you breathless: here overlook the two churches of the village both dedicated to the patron saint, San Francesco di Paola, the Villadorata Palace and, all around, the fishermen's houses, dating back to 1600.
Surely, the most characteristic is the "Casa del Forno", probably the ancient bakery in the town.
The two natural harbors frame the village: La Fossa and Balata. Between the two, Balata is certainly the most characteristic that takes the shape of a small square and is the scene of events that animate the summer of Marzamemi. The entire village is pedestrian, the cars can be left just outside in a convenient parking lot. So you can enjoy the walk without any disturbance.
The whole area around the Tonnara is full of bars, restaurants and bars that will offer you plenty of choice when deciding what to eat. You will notice that in front of the seaside village there are two islets: a smaller one where there is a private Villa, the other bigger one that offers itself as an entrance to a recently built marina.
Here in the evening, when the lights come on, you can enjoy a truly magical atmosphere ... not for nothing has it been chosen as the location for several films. One of the most famous? "South" 1993 film by Gabriele Salvadores, who was fascinated by the "simple" and authentic beauty of this seaside village.