The Cassibile is a 30 km long river located in south-eastern Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

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The river rises from the Serra Porcari, near Palazzolo Acreide, in the Hyblaean Mountains

Hyblaean Mountains

The Hyblaean Mountains are a mountain range in south-eastern Sicily, Italy. They are included in the provinces of Ragusa, Syracuse and Catania, and reaches the highest altitude with Monte Lauro, at 986 m.-Geology:...

 which form the main part of the mountainous Sicilian southeast. It flows into the Ionian Sea

Ionian Sea

The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...

 between Capo Negro and Punta del Cane, 23 km south of Syracuse. The river has created a series of canyons and near Avola Antica several waterfalls and small lakes can be accessed by the ancient Scala Cruci staircase.

Nature Reserve

The area of the canyons and lakes of the Cassibile were declared a Protected Area in 1990 by the regional government of Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

 when they created the Riserva naturale orientata Cavagrande del Cassibile.