Oriented Nature Reserve

The variety of scenic views offered by the river is certainly one of the components of its beauty. The Platani, in fact, still maintains for long stretches the intact nature of a Mediterranean fluvial environment with the typical flora of brackish habitats. The mouth is the only part to be protected, in order to defend many indigenous species of flora and fauna. The river, in fact, represents an ecological corridor for the sojourn and nesting of many bird species, especially during migration. Among the species we find the stone curlew, grey heron, great white heron and the black-win ged stilt. The mouth of the river is situated between the territories of Ribera and Cattolica Eraclea, and issues between the beach of Borgo Bonsignore and the promontory of Capo Bianco.

The reserve is provided with easy trails leading both through the woods, the beach, and the river mouth, to find the most interesting parts of the protected area. The Fuggitella Path goes to the north-west, reaches the beach and then joins the Borgo Path leading to the belvedere on a cliff. The Foce Path leads to the right hand river bank and to the beach, and is one of the best places to watch birds. The Capo Bianco Path departs from the Heraclea Minoa archaeological area and goes round the cape, reaching the beach close to the river mouth.