Lo Stagnone, Marsala

This page covers everything you need to know before you get in the water: how the lagoon is laid out, where people launch, how deep it is, which reserve rules apply and the mistakes first-timers make most often.

Lo Stagnone at a glance

Item	Details
Water	Flat, a lagoon sheltered by Isola Grande
Depth	30–50 cm in most of the busy areas; deeper channels along Isola Grande and near the openings to the sea
Main winds	Maestrale (NW) boosted by the thermal in summer; Scirocco (SE) and Tramontana (N) in spring and autumn
Season	March to October; June to August has the most consistent wind
Level	Ideal for learning and freestyle; more demanding in Scirocco and near the channels
Protected area	"Isole dello Stagnone di Marsala" nature reserve, established in 1984
Nearest airport	Trapani-Birgi, right on the lagoon

How the lagoon is laid out

The lagoon covers about 2,000 hectares just north of Marsala. It holds four islands: Isola Grande (also called Isola Lunga), which closes it off to the west and separates it from the open sea; San Pantaleo, the ancient Phoenician city of Motya (Mozia); Santa Maria; and Schola. The San Teodoro, Genna and Ettore e Infersa salt pans line the shore, with their windmills.

Because Isola Grande acts as a barrier, open-sea swell never gets in: even at 20–25 knots the surface stays flat or slightly choppy. That is what makes the Stagnone so good for learning and for working on tricks.

The downside is that the lagoon's water exchanges slowly with the sea and the ecosystem is fragile. That is one reason the reserve rules matter, as explained further down.

Riding zones

North-east shore (Birgi Vecchi)

This is the busiest area, where most schools, rental centres and riders are based. In a Maestrale the wind is side-shore, the bottom is shallow and even, and getting going again after a fall is easy. Almost all lessons take place here, but in summer it is also the most crowded: on July and August afternoons there can be hundreds of kites on the water.

San Teodoro and the northern opening

To the north the lagoon opens to the sea through the Bocca Nord, between Isola Grande and the San Teodoro shore. The water is deeper here, there can be current and chop, and the open sea starts just outside. This area is for independent riders, not for people on their first runs.

Towards Mozia and the salt pans

The central and southern part of the lagoon, towards Mozia and the Ettore e Infersa salt pans, is very shallow and quieter. It is also the most environmentally sensitive part, and the boats taking visitors to the island cross it. Don't ride here on your own unless you know the passages and the rules.

The channels along Isola Grande

Near Isola Grande there are deeper channels where you can't stand. In offshore wind, especially Scirocco, it is easy to drift towards the middle of the lagoon or into these channels. If you break a line or the wind drops, you can't walk back.

The bottom: what to expect

In most of the busy areas the water is 30 to 50 centimetres deep. You can stand almost everywhere, which is the main reason people learn faster at the Stagnone: you walk back to your board and restart without swimming. Shallow water has its downsides too.

• Falls and jumps. In half a metre of water a crash from a jump can hurt. Keep jumps and airborne tricks away from other riders, and only if you can land them.
• A living seabed. The bottom is sand and mud, covered with seagrass meadows (Posidonia and Cymodocea) that are vital to the lagoon's health. Walk as little as you can and don't drag your board along the bottom.
• Booties. With shells, stones and some debris around, water shoes are a good idea, especially if you walk a lot.
• Fins and foils. Short fins are the usual choice. Foils can't be used safely in the lagoon's shallow water, and reserve rules ban them in shallow areas: ask your school where, and whether, foiling is allowed.

The wind in brief

The spot works with two main wind systems.

• Maestrale (NW). The typical summer wind. On its own it is often light, but on sunny days it combines with the thermal breeze and in the afternoon can reach 16–20 knots even when the forecast says 8–10.
• Scirocco (SE) and Tramontana (N). More common in spring and autumn, stronger and often gusty. Scirocco blows offshore, so it calls for the most experience.

The season runs from March to October. June, July and August are the most consistent months but also the busiest; April, May, September and October are a good balance of wind, temperature and prices.

For details on the thermal, forecasts and kite sizes, read our guide to wind at the Stagnone. Before you go, check the live wind and weather.

Which sport to choose

• Kitesurfing. The lagoon's signature sport. Shallow water means you learn in fewer hours than at sea: see how many hours it takes to learn.
• Wing foiling. Beginners often start with the wing on boards without a foil, thanks to the shallow water. Foiling needs deeper water and you must follow the rules on foil use in the lagoon.
• Windsurfing. The Stagnone is a long-established windsurf spot: flat water for planing and for learning to tack and gybe without waves.
• SUP. Perfect on windless mornings, with the sunset over the salt pans as a backdrop, as long as you stay out of the protected areas.
• Hydrofoil. Only where depth and the rules allow it: always ask the school first.

If you have your own gear but are missing something, there is equipment rental at the Stagnone.

Reserve rules

The Stagnone is a nature reserve established in 1984, managed by the Libero Consorzio Comunale di Trapani and part of the European Natura 2000 network. Water activities are governed by several sets of rules: the reserve regulations of 2000, ordinance no. 1/2019 of the Marsala maritime authority (Ufficio Circondariale Marittimo) and the protection measures for Natura 2000 sites.

In practice, these are the rules that matter most on the water:

• Ride more than 200 metres from the shore, and enter and leave the water only through the marked corridors and launch areas.
• Don't land on the islands, and keep away from the salt pans and the areas where birds such as flamingos and herons rest.
• No foiling in the shallow parts of the lagoon.
• Use authorised schools and rental centres. An unlicensed centre often means no insurance and no support on the water: read how to choose a school and avoid uncertified centres.

The rules are the subject of an ongoing debate between the town council, the reserve authority, environmental groups and local operators, and they can change from one season to the next. Before you ride, always ask your school or centre which rules currently apply.

Safety: the most common mistakes

• Underestimating Scirocco. It blows offshore and pushes you towards the middle of the lagoon and the channels. In Scirocco, only go out if you are fully independent, and never alone.
• Riding at the wrong time. In summer people ride into the evening, but after sunset nobody can see you on the water. Outside the season the beach can be empty: always tell someone where you are.
• Ignoring the crowds. On summer afternoons follow the right-of-way rules: starboard tack has priority, the upwind rider gives way, and anyone entering the water gives way to riders already out. Set up and launch away from swimmers and other people's lines.
• Forgetting sun and heat. Wind hides the heat: sunscreen, a lycra, a cap and water are essential.
• Riding without insurance. Make sure you have third-party liability cover that includes kitesurfing: good schools will ask for it.

Getting there and where to stay

Trapani-Birgi airport sits practically on the lagoon, while Palermo is about an hour and a half away by car. For flights, transfers and car hire, read how to reach the Stagnone without surprises.

To stay, you can choose between holiday homes and B&Bs around Birgi and the salt pans, a short walk from the water, or Marsala and Trapani: more going on in the evening, but a 15–25 minute drive to the spot.

When there's no wind

Windless days do happen, especially early and late in the season. There is plenty to fill them: the boat to Mozia and its archaeological site, the Salt Museum and the Ettore e Infersa salt pans, a morning SUP tour, sunset by the windmills, the wineries of Marsala. You'll find more ideas in our guide for windless days.