Stagnone Islands

The Stagnone Islands are a cluster of small islands in the Stagnone lagoon off the coast of western Sicily near Marsala, notable for the archaeological island of Mozia and surrounding salt pans. One key historical fact is that Mozia is a Phoenician-Punic settlement originally established in the first millennium BCE.

The lagoon offers shallow, sheltered waters that are popular for windsurfing and kitesurfing and for small-boat navigation. Boats land at the islands and at viewing points around the saline basins, and the archaeological site on Mozia includes visible ruins and a small museum with finds from the island. The broad salt flats around the lagoon create wide horizons that are popular at sunrise and sunset.

Mozia was established by Phoenician settlers and later became a significant Punic settlement; archaeological excavations have recovered walls, tombs and artifacts now displayed in local museums. Over centuries the lagoon area has also been used for salt production, and traditional saline basins remain part of the landscape.

The islands lie in the Stagnone lagoon immediately off the coast of Marsala on Sicily’s western shore in the Mediterranean Sea, with short boat trips from Marsala and nearby coastal piers.

• Access: Boat services and guided trips to the islands commonly depart from Marsala and local piers inside the Stagnone lagoon.
• Water sports: Shallow, calm waters and steady winds make the lagoon a major spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing, especially in spring and summer.

What to See #

• Isola di Mozia (Mothia): An archaeological island with visible Phoenician-Punic remains and a small site museum; the island is the principal cultural attraction of the Stagnone lagoon.
• Saline (salt pans): A working system of shallow salt pans and evaporation basins used historically for sea salt production; they form a broad flat landscape around the lagoon and are visible from boat routes.