Mangiapane caves and Monte Cofano Nature Reserve
Duration 5 hours approxStarting From 170 € per person
Explore the Mangiapane caves and Monte Cofano Nature Reserve.
Monte Cofano
Monte Cofano is a protected natural area in Sicily, established by the Regional Department of “Territory and Environment” of the Sicilian Region and managed by the Sicilian Regional State Forests Company. The reserve covers 537.5 hectares, of which 325.5 are Zone A and 185 are Zone B or pre-reserve. Monte Cofano is a limestone promontory with a distinctive triangular shape rising steeply from the sea, reaching an elevation of 659 meters. It is located on the coast of the province of Trapani, at the eastern end of the Gulf of Bonagia, and falls within the municipality of Custonaci, along the coast from Trapani to San Vito Lo Capo.
The reserve’s true botanical peculiarity is its rocky environment, which hosts numerous endemics, including the rock cabbage and the Monte Cofano hawk, endemics exclusive to Monte Cofano and the nearby Zingaro Reserve; Bivona cabbage, cliff cornflower, Bivona spurge, Linares saffron, and fringed spur. The presence of foxes, rabbits, weasels, and porcupines is also reported, as well as small rodents like the water vole and the quercino. Various species of resident birds inhabit the reserve, including the peregrine falcon, kestrel, buzzard, imperial crow, wild pigeon, and common gull. Among the reptiles, the Sicilian lizard, green lizard, worm lizard, and among the snakes, the grass snake and the viper.
Points of interest include:
• Gorgo Cofano: a seasonal pool roughly circular in shape, located on the southeastern slope of Monte Cofano at an altitude of 247 meters above sea level. It hosts a rich community of crustaceans and, during the summer season, the Baudot buttercup and water lentil grow when the water level decreases.
• Torre di San Giovanni: a coastal tower built by the Camiliani in 1595.
• Torre della Tonnara di Cofano: dating from the early 16th century, it is unique in Sicily for its star-shaped and square plan.
• Calette di Frassino and Tuono.
The reserve is crossed by three main trails:
• Sentiero del Mare: winds along the coastline from Cornino to the bay of Castelluzzo.
• Sentiero Baglio: runs along the eastern slope of Monte Cofano, from Baglio Cofano to the Tonnara di Cofano.
• Sentiero Scaletta: winds at the foot of the southern slope.
Grotte Mangiapane
In the Custonaci area, including the Monte Cofano Oriental Nature Reserve, there are numerous caves of great geological, paleontological, and morphological interest. Among the most interesting, proceeding from north to south, are:
• Grotte di Scurati: including the renowned Grotta Mangiapane, named after the family that lived there starting from 1819, with tiny houses inside. About 60 meters high and 70 meters deep, it has been used by humans since the Upper Paleolithic, as evidenced by the artifacts found. The cave and the surrounding area host two events of great ethnographic and anthropological interest: the Living Nativity Scene during the Christmas period and the Living Museum in summer. Domestic and work environments furnished with original furnishings recreate life in the early 20th-century rural village, with men and women recreating vanished trades and activities from past times. The Grotta Mangiapane, also known as “Grotta degli Uffizi,” is one of the most important caves in the Trapani area.
• Grotta Buffa: located right behind the Grotta Mangiapane, 4 meters wide and about 23 meters deep, it was explored by Marquis Dalla Rosa and Vaufrey. More than 500 stone tools and weapons, along with many animal remains, were found inside, now preserved in various Sicilian museums.
• Grotta del Crocefisso: located in the Monte Cofano Nature Reserve at about 55 meters above sea level, above the small votive chapel. It features a 6-meter-wide and about 22-meter-deep ogival corridor, with a layer of the cave appearing to remain intact. Numerous tools, animal bones, and flint have been found inside. Recently, archaeological excavations have been conducted in the Grotta del Crocefisso and the Grotta Mangiapane by the Trapani Superintendency of Cultural Heritage.
• Grotta Rumena: located in the eponymous district at about 100 meters above sea level, explored by Vaufrey who described it as one of the most beautiful in the Custonaci area. Inside, numerous concretions and flint of various kinds have been found. The cave has a furnace-shaped room, 3 meters wide and about 13 meters deep, and was used as a fortification during Saracen invasions.
• Grotta Miceli: in the Scurati area and also explored by Vaufrey in 1925, the cave features a round room 5 meters wide and 12 meters deep. Signs engraved on the rock walls, dating back over 20,000 years, are still visible today.
• Grotta Cufuni: located in the Cerriolo suburban park, it features beautiful limestone formations with stalactites and stalagmites.
• Grotta della Clava: a horizontal cave discovered by chance in the 1950s, named after the presence of a club-shaped stalagmite. It is accessed through a hole in the ground and features numerous stalactites and stalagmites.
• Grotta Maria Santissima di Custonaci: located 150 meters above sea level in the Piano della Zubbia area, 2000 meters south of Monte Cofano. Explored by Professor F. Anelli in 1965, it is nicknamed “white cave” due to its rich crystalline concretions.
• Abisso del Purgatorio: located in a series of vertical cavities reaching about 200 meters, it is accessible only to speleologists with specific equipment through an open sky shaft about 10 meters deep.
Booking Required
Reservations are required. It is possible to taste Sicilian specialties (ricotta, cheese, olives, bread, wine, etc.) or organize local meals with affiliated restaurants.
Note: Costs for tour guides and entrance tickets are not included. A guide for the Grotta Mangiapane is included in the entrance ticket.
Excursion Details:
- Duration: About 5 hours.
- Price: Includes up to 3 participants. Additional participants, see booking form prices.
- Notes: Meals, entrance tickets, and guides are not included.
- Booking: Book directly using the form by selecting date, time, and participants.
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