Brucoli

Marina di Brucoli lies in the small coastal village of Brucoli, part of the municipality of Augusta in the province of Syracuse on Sicily's east coast. The harbour is a natural porto-canale – a narrow, sheltered channel carved by the Porcaria river – and is only about 15 minutes from Catania and 20 km from the airport.

The marina monitors VHF channel 09. Berths are set up with floating pontoons and can accommodate boats up to 20 metres. Daytime staff assist with mooring and casting off, and there is night-time service and video surveillance. The entrance can, however, be tricky, as the river has silted up and the channel is hard to identify — it is best to enter only in calm weather with a draught no greater than 1.5 m; depths in the channel range from about 0.5 to 6 m.

The berths have service columns with electricity and fresh water, plus a fuel dispenser. Boat and dinghy rental is also available, along with ample car parking, a large relaxation area with tables, chairs and sun loungers, and showers and changing rooms.

The channel is flanked by steep rocky walls riddled with caves and is dominated by the Aragonese castle, built in 1467, which towers over the harbour basin. From the pontoon it's a short walk to an inviting beach and several restaurants in the old fishing village. Tie up in this scenic canal and take in the castle and the white limestone cliffs from the water.