Marzamemi is a seafaring village, part of which is the town of Pachino which is about 3 km and a second part of the town of Noto which is 20 km. Located in the province of Syracuse.
The name derives from Mars to hamem meaning of Turtle Bay, as the area is obliged to place the passage of small birds during migration.
The village has developed around the landing, then became a fishing port and has developed thanks to the latter activity, much practiced today, deploying even a tuna, the most important in Sicily. The tonnara Marzamemi dates from the time of the domination of the Arabs in Sicily. In 1630 was sold by the owner to the Prince of Villadorata. I Villadorata bolstered the buildings of the trap leading from Avola and Syracuse skilled carpenters, who were then living in Marzamemi.
In 1752 they built the palace and the church of the trap, and the houses of the sailors.
In 1912 a factory was built in Marzamemi processing salted tuna and then the tuna in oil. Fishing for tuna fish was plentiful until the postwar period.
From the port of Marzamemi in the past, also departed ships carrying large quantities of wine produced locally to different ports on the peninsula. Wine was also transported by freight trains to various locations overseas, having been provided with Marzamemi station. Until 31 December 1985, was also accessible by train travelers on the train from Siracusa and Noto, skirting the territory of the Reserve Vendicari reaches Pachino. Additional source of development is the fishing and processing of fish products: famous is, for example, the roe of tuna, processed by hand using antique drying systems derived from the Arabic-Phoenician culture.
Marzamemi has a beautiful beach in recent years, has focused on tourism, offering the possibility of many prepared for landing craft. In summer the population increases considerably, thanks to the residential developments arose near the ancient village.
In August, St. Francis is celebrated with a procession of boats at sea and a bonanza race.
In 1993, the historic village was used as the location for the film director Gabriele Salvatores South, starring actors Silvio Orlando, Francesca Neri and Claudio Bisio.
Since 2000 Marzamemi hosts the Film Festival of Frontier.
