Marina di Ragusa
Marina di Ragusa is the most popular seaside resort of the south east of Sicily. Every year it is visited by Italian and foreign tourists, who appreciate it for its fine golden sandy beaches.
Its coast is characterized by the presence of several tourist accommodations and places to relax or have fun, as well as wide sandy beaches and shallow waters, ideal to entertain even the little ones.
Its geographical position in the south east of Sicily will make easier your seaside holiday, in order to visit places of great artistic and cultural interest and try the traditional specialties of the Sicilian cuisine. Marina di Ragusa is located in the heart of Val di Noto, rich in baroque monuments, archaeological ruins of ancient civilizations, beautiful landscapes and an exquisite culinary and wine tradition.
What to see in Marina di Ragusa
Marina di Ragusa, a seaside hamlet of Ragusa, was a fishing village in ancient times. It still preserves an old area called Mazzarelli, which is nowadays its lively centre rich in pubs, coffee bars and restaurants.
Monuments and churches
Walk around the city centre of Marina di Ragusa and discover its most typical corners.
Of the old seaside hamlet, the town preserves the Tower Cabrera, located south of Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi and overlooking the promenade Lungomare Andrea Doria. It is a lookout tower dating back to the sixteenth century, but what we can see now are only the walls of the basis. North of the central square, there is the Church of Santa Maria di Portosalvo, dating back to the ‘30s of the last century.
Nearby the Tower Cabrera there was an old port, where now is Piazza della Dogana: here you can still recognize a typical small dock used for little boats.
Marina di ragusa - Tower Cabrera
Marina di ragusa - Church of Santa Maria di Portosalvo
Marina di ragusa - Dogana Square
The Tourist Port
The tourist port of Marina di Ragusa, which rises in an area once occupied by the ancient Scalo Trapanese, is one of the main tourist ports in Sicily with its eight hundreds dockings. It is also a neuralgic area of the city, offering several services.
Those who land in Marina di Ragusa with their yachts will find a complete assistance both for the shipyard and for the yachtsmen activities, such as the organization of excursions, the vehicle rentals and much more.
Visit the area of the port, a very popular attraction for those who stay in Marina di Ragusa. There are restaurants, coffee bars, cloths shops and a gymnasium.
However, at night this place becomes magical: hundreds of blue lights along the dockings turn on creating a suggestive and romantic atmosphere, ideal if you want to have a walk with your better half. Sitting on a bench while watching the reflections of light on the water and the boats moored at the pier really gives a feeling of peace and tranquility.
Do not miss a boat ride: the port houses some agencies where you can book boat excursions, also with a skipper, and choose different tours, such as trips with cocktail on board or a boat tour of the filming locations of Inspector Montalbano. You can also rent rafts, pedalos and other water sport equipment. If you want to test yourself with something different from the usual beach day, try a sailing sport: you can take sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing lessons or stand-up-paddle boarding (SUP) lessons at different levels. It will be a truly unique experience!
Museums
Discover the ancient Greek origins of the port cities of the south east of Sicily. Not far from Marina di Ragusa, along the road leading to Punta Secca through the village of Caucana, there is the Archaeological Park of Caucana, which preserves the ruins of the port city of Caucana. If you want to know more about the history of the ancient maritime cities of the area, visit the Archaeological Museum of Kamarina where they keep amphorae, vases, statues and bronze objects recovered from shipwrecks of commercial ships, in addition to the findings discovered among the remains of the ancient city, from prehistory to the classical age.
Things to see nearby
Marina di Ragusa is located a short distance from the main tourist sites of Val di Noto and is an ideal starting point to see the UNESCO baroque towns. Ragusa is about 20 km from Marina di Ragusa and is rich in monuments and baroque churches, 18 of which have been declared World Heritage Sites in 2002. During your holiday, you must see the district of Ragusa Ibla, an architectural jewel castled up on a hill offering countless of wonderful landscapes and 18 World Heritage Sites.
Nearby there are also Scicli and Modica, two more wonderful baroque towns of Val di Noto. The plaiting of tiny streets, buildings, spectacular balconies and churches in the historic centre is astonishing.
Do you want to see other beaches?
The surroundings of Marina di Ragusa offers a great quantity of wonderful beaches, such as Donnalucata and Punta Secca, characterized by long sandy beaches where you can breathe the picturesque atmosphere of the ancient Sicilian fishing villages.
Are you a fan of Inspector Montalbano? Only 6 km from Marina di Ragusa, in Punta Secca, there is a popular house on the beach used as filming location for the shooting of the tv series “Inspector Montalbano”: take a photo in front of the famous Sicilian policeman’s house and have a relaxing swim like he loves to do.
If you aim to stay one or two weeks in Marina di Ragusa and go on brief excursions to see the surroundings, you can easily move to see the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento and go trekking to Mount Etna.
What to do in Marina di Ragusa
In summer Marina di Ragusa becomes a lively location of events and festivals that will fill your days. Here are a series of activities and events that will entertain you during your holidays in Marina di Ragusa.
Events and shows
The port of Marina di Ragusa is often chosen as location for different sport events, such as the “Trofeo Vele d’Agosto” and the “Italia Cup Laser”. The “Trofeo Vele d’Agosto” is a sailing regatta that takes places in mid-August. On the occasion of the award ceremony you can also attend tastings of local products, which aim to spread the Sicilian atmosphere to foreign athletes and to the hundreds of tourists that crowd Marina di Ragusa in this period. The “Italia Cup Laser” is another national sailing regatta in which more than 200 athletes take part and it usually takes place in November. It could be an interesting experience for sailing lovers and water sport lovers visiting Marina di Ragusa in autumn or in winter.
Traditional festivals and concerts
Spending your holiday in Marina di Ragusa means not only going to the sea, but also taking part to two of the most popular summer events of the area of Ragusa.
Feast of Santa Maria di Portosalvo
Several traditional festivals take place in summer in Marina di Ragusa: the religious feast of Santa Maria di Portosalvo is one of the most popular and takes place on 15th August.
In the morning of ferragosto (15th August) they organize a game called “Palo a mare” o “Gioco del Palo”, which is called lignu ‘nsivatu in Sicilian dialect: the game happens in the sea and consists of taking a flag at the end of a wooden pole placed horizontally on a fishing boat. What makes this game more difficult is that the pole is greasy with oil, but the lucky and capable competitor picking up the flag first, without falling into the water, wins the competition. Then, in the afternoon there is a procession with the statue of the Virgin, embellished with crowns and necklaces, from the church to the port.
Afterwards, the Virgin is taken on a boat for a procession in the sea followed by many boats. This traditional boat procession can be seen by the promenade, so many people gather along the coast to wait for the passage of the boats.
Addio all’Estate
Every year Marina di Ragusa celebrates a feast called “Addio All’Estate”, which symbolically marks the end of the summer. Usually it takes place during the first or the second weekend of September: on this occasion different sport, cultural and leisure activities are organized. The Lungomare Anrea Doria and Piazza Malta are full of markets and stands, where you can taste typical products and buy local handcrafted objects.
Anyway, the heart of this feast in on Sunday evening, when you can assist to a competition of fireworks realized by different local companies. The show of the fireworks on the surface of the sea is very fascinating and creates very particular reflections. The crowds gather along the promenade, near the port or on the beach to enjoy this enchanting show, but many people prefer to see it from a boat.
Concerts and dances in Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, as well as sport events and photographic exhibitions frame this feast in Marina di Ragusa.
Markets and food festivals
Every Tuesday in Marina di Ragusa there is an open-air market in the parking area near Piazza Mercato, between via Caboto and via Citelli. Here you can find local products and fresh food, especially fruit and vegetables.
What to do in the evening
Marina di Ragusa is famous for being one of the most lively seaside resort of the south east of Sicily. The bars are perfect for all ages, from teenagers to less young people: there is really something for everyone.
If you love the nightlife, you are spoiled for choice when deciding where to go, from June to September. Between a sandwich and a beer in the square and a chat with friends, the summer evenings will fly in the blink of an eye.
The heart of the nightlife in Marina di Ragusa is in the pubs located in Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi and in the nearest streets, especially the pubs of Piazza della Dogana, Lungomare Mediterraneo and the bars of the beach clubs. In the evening, after having dinner in one of the pizzerias, you can go to the “piazzetta” (as the people of Marina di Ragusa call Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi) to have a beer or a cocktail with your friends or go to one of the pubs of the city centre. Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi is always full of people and liven up by the music coming from the pubs.
Those who want to eat something quick can go to a good panineria (sandwich shop). In Marina di Ragusa there are different where you can have a very good sandwich with typical ingredients, such as the provola ragusana cheese, the local pork meat and horse meat. Here in the South, we do not make classic sandwiches, but panini: they are very big and well stuffed!
The pubs in front of the beach La Mancina and in Piazza della Dogana are also very popular and ideal for a happy hour.
If you want to go wild with music, you will meet your match in one of the pubs on the beach, such as the “Baja Beach” and “La Ola Beach”. They are not indoor discos, but offer outdoor dance floors where you can have fun until late at night.
If also on holiday you love to keep fit, go running or walking along the promenade or the beach in the morning. Otherwise, if you love chilling out and eating you can seat and try a delicious ice-cream.
Where to eat in Marina di Ragusa
Delight your taste buds with delicious fresh fish-based food and enjoy a very good dessert. You cannot go back home after your holiday without tasting, for instance, a dish of pasta with anchovies, the granita and… without taking 2 or 3 kg more!
Restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias
- Trattoria da Carmelo: a trattoria by the sea where you can taste delicious fresh fish and enjoy a beautiful view.
▼ Lungomare Andrea Doria, 97010 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 239913
@ info@trattoriadacarmelo.com
- La Falena: it is absolutely one of the best fish restaurant of Marina di Ragusa with a good value for money. They also make good pizzas.
▼ Via Portovenere s.n., 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 239321 / +39 366 5628355
@ lafalenalafalena@libero.it
- Quattro Quarti: a youthful and unique ambience and a good local cuisine make this restaurant/pizzeria a very smart and popular place.
▼ Via Augusta n° 3, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 616529
@ quattroquarti.rg@gmail.com
- Met: a few meters from the sea, this pizzeria offers a unique location characterized by a wide glass wall showing temporary urban art exhibitions.
▼ Piazza Torre, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 615173
@ info@metsicilia.it
Ice-cream parlours and cake shops
- Caffè delle Rose: one of the best bar/pastry shop of Marina di Ragusa, where you can try the typical Sicilian breakfast: granita con brioche (granita with pastry). This is absolutely a must-eat food during your holidays in Sicily!
▼Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi n° 25, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 239102
@ info@caffedellerose.net
- La Sorbetteria: a bar located in the city centre where you can start your day with a good coffee or have a break with a delicious ice-cream.
▼ Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi n° 20, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 230730
Pubs and sandwich shops
- A’ Camperia: a very good panineria (sandwich shop) in the city centre for those who want to eat a fast sandwich with local fresh products.
▼ Via Tindari n° 22 / Via Benedetto Brin n° 1, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
- Rocky: historical sandwich shop of Marina di Ragusa where you can taste classic meat sandwiches and try typical horse meat sandwiches.
▼Piazza Malta n° 3, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 194 3250
@ info@rockypanineria.com
- Beerbante: one of the most popular pubs of the promenade offering very good happy hours.
▼ Lungomare Mediterraneo n° 2, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 389 8334038
- Tre per caso: a lovely place on the promenade for a drink, a happy hour or a pizza.
▼Lungomare Pedonale, 97100 Marina di Ragusa
☎ +39 0932 615271 / +39 339 4021342
@ info@trepercaso.it
Beaches and beach clubs in Marina di Ragusa
For different years Marina di Ragusa has received the Blue Flag for its beaches. This award is assigned by the Fee (Foundation for Environmental Education) and is based on different requisites: quality of the sea and the coast, services, security measures and environmental education.
The wide beaches of Marina di Ragusa are characterized by fine golden sand and shallow waters, which are ideal for letting kids play safely and enjoy the sea.
The beach La Mancina, located near the tourist port, is a free beach perfect for young people who love playing sports: it is very wide and equipped with beach fields. There are several bars by the beach to enjoy a coffee break or a happy hour. There is also a beach club, “La Ola Beach”, where you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas.
The beach of the Lungomare Andrea Doria is the widest: we recommend it especially for families with children, thanks to its numerous services, beach clubs and restaurants. For those who want to relax and enjoy peace we recommend to avoid going to the beach in the afternoon for possible crowding, while the morning is the best moment of the day to enjoy peace. The promenade offers free or paying parking spaces, while more parking areas are available a few meters from the beaches.
The beach of Marina di Ragusa presents also the perfect conditions to play water sports, such as surf, windsurf and kitesurf.
After the tourist port, there is a long rocky coast with blue waters and high seabed, ideal to go snorkeling.
Read more about beaches of Marina di Ragusa
Where it is and how to get to Marina di Ragusa
Marina di Ragusa is the main seaside resort belonging to the municipality of Ragusa, from which it is about 20 km away. It is located along the coast of the south east of Sicily.
By car
Reaching Marina di Ragusa by car is the best way to get here from the main cities of Sicily and enjoy a tour of the nearest places in total autonomy.
From Ragusa take the provincial road SP 25 and go straight on until you reach your destination.
From Catania take the state road SS 194 and follow the direction to Syracuse. Then turn to Ragusa and proceed to Marina di Ragusa along the SP 25.
From Palermo proceed along the highway A 19 and take the exit to Caltanissetta. From here proceed along the SS 626 to Gela and then follow the direction to Santa Croce Camerina. Afterwards, turn into the SP 36 to Marina di Ragusa.
From Agrigento take the SS 115 to Caltanissetta, following the direction Gela-Ragusa and then continue to Santa Croce Camerica, from where you have to take the SP 36 to Marina di Ragusa.
From Syracuse take the highway E 45 to Rosolini and proceed along the SS 115 to Ispica. From here take the SP 66 to Marina di Modica/Sampieri/Donnalucata and proceed in the direction to Marina di Ragusa.
Parking areas
Marina di Ragusa offers free and paying parking spaces in different areas of the city:
- Free parking area in Piazza Scalo Trapanese, near the tourist port
- Free parking area in Piazza Vincenzo Rabito (Piazza Mercato)
- Free parking area in Via Chioggia, next to the Lungomare Andrea Doria
- Free (white lines) and paying (blue lines) parking spaces along the Lungomare Andrea Doria
By bus
Marina di Ragusa is well connected to the nearby cities by private bus lines.
From Ragusa you can take the Tumino line, linking Marina di Ragusa also to Punta Secca, Santa Croce Camerina and Kamarina.
From Catania Airport you can reach Marina di Ragusa by the Etna line, while from Comiso Airport take the Giamporcaro and SAIS lines.
If you want to visit the cities of the south east of Sicily with no connections to Marina di Ragusa, you can check if there are buses departing from Ragusa to your destination.
For more information about timetables and routes, visit the website of Comune di Ragusa.
By train
In Marina di Ragusa there are no train stations, but you can get to Ragusa by train and then take a bus to Marina di Ragusa.
Airports
If you want to get to Marina di Ragusa by plane, we recommend you to land in one of the nearest airport, Comiso or Catania, from where you can move by bus.
Comiso Airport is the nearest one: it is only 35 km from Marina di Ragusa and it is also well connected by the Tumino line.
Catania Airport is about 115 km from Marina di Ragusa: from here you can take the Etna Trasporti line buying the ticket at the Arrivals Terminal of the airport.
We do not recommend flying to Palermo (300 km) or to Trapani (250 km) if you want to visit the south east of Sicily. If you do not find other solutions or if you have already bought the ticket, please note that there are no bus or train connections to Marina di Ragusa, so the best way to move is to rent a car.
Weather today and tomorrow in Marina di Ragusa
Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Marina di Ragusa has a pleasant Mediterranean climate for more than 8 months per year and it is among the most popular and famous seaside resorts of the south east of Sicily.
The area has an average temperature of 17°C, much warmer than inland. Having a mild climate means that Marina di Ragusa can guarantee a pleasant stay during most of the months. Apart from January, February and March, which are the rainiest and coldest months, the town enjoys sunny and mild days in spring, but often also in late December. In high summer, temperatures can range from 30°C to 40°C.
Check out today’s and tomorrow’s weather forecast in Marina di Ragusa, to better plan your holiday.
