Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on September 25, 2023
Located in the heart of the Zingaro Nature Reserve, Cala Berretta is a great location for snorkeling in a natural environment. This small cove nestled in the rocky coastline offers good snorkeling conditions, and a heterogeneous rocky bottom full of life.
Cala Berretta is a small cove in the Zingaro Nature Reserve (Riserva Naturale Orientata dello Zingaro), in northwestern Sicily. The reserve is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and admission is free. You can access Cala Berretta either through the northern entrance to the reserve (from San Vito Lo Capo) or through the southern entrance (where the visitor center is located, from Castellammare del Golfo).
The cove is roughly equidistant from the two entrances (about 2.5 miles/4 kilometers walk).
Water entrance is from the small beach (mix of sand and pebbles) which is at the bottom of the cove.
Cala Berretta is a small, very steep-sided cove about twenty meters wide.
On either side of the beach, rock bars extend underwater, forming small drop-offs. The bottom of the cove is also made up of rocks. The underwater landscape of Cala Berratta is therefore very mineral, just covered with a few clumps of algae, and offers a varied relief pleasant to explore.
Different species of fish live in Cala Berretta: two-banded seabream, sargo, saddled seabream (probably the most common species on this spot), and the very colorful ornate wrasse.
The cove is well sheltered from wind and waves, offering optimal conditions for snorkeling most of the time.
Cala Berretta is in the heart of a nature reserve, there are no restaurants in the area.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
