Lido Zabbara

Lido Zabbara has an address most beach clubs cannot match: it sits among the dunes on the beach that runs directly along the edge of the Selinunte archaeological park, one of the largest classical sites in Europe. You swim with the Greek temples on the bluff behind you. The sand is soft and backed by low dune vegetation rather than concrete, which keeps the whole stretch feeling more open and less built-up than most Sicilian lidos. The beach section is equipped with umbrellas and loungers and has toilets, showers and changing cabins. The restaurant is the centre of gravity here, open for both lunch and dinner, working with the day's fresh fish and Sicilian dishes made from local produce, and it draws diners who are not necessarily using the beach at all. In summer the club also hosts the Selinunte Sunset Sounds concert series, live music timed to the light going down over the water and the ruins. It is a place better suited to a long afternoon that turns into an evening than to a quick swim.