Favignana is a wonderful Mediterranean island full of colours and traditions. It is the biggest one of the Egladi islands (the other ones are Levanzo, Marettimo, Formica and Maraone) being characterized by a level land where there is just a hill called S.Caterina and many natural marvels. Its sea is very clear, uncontaminated and full of fish while its coast is essentially rocky but also very accessible. All around this island you can find many beaches made up by thin sand that can be white or pink. Here the climate is mild characterized by a long summertime that starts in May and finishes in October. During the first part of May there is the traditional tuna fishing.

This island takes its name from “Favonio” that is a hot wind coming from the west and its shape recalls which one of a butterfly. Its chalky soil has always allowed the tufa stones mining: this material, in fact, has been used to build many houses in Sicily and in North Africa. In this chalky territory you can admire the presence of the fascinating Mediterranean scrub that surrounds a particular fauna made up by wild rabbits and by various species of birds like pelican, the flamingo, the cormorant and the bee eater.

The monuments you can admire in Favignana are:

The Florio Palace

This palace was built in 1876 by the architect Giuseppe Damiani Almeyda near the port in order to highlight the power and the wealth of the Florio family that was used to live there during the tuna fishing period.

The Church of the Madonna Immacolata Concezione

This is the most important church in Favignana and its is based on cross shaped structure. Inside this religious construction there are a VIII century wooden crucifix and a marble statue of S.Antonio from Padova.

The Florio Manufacturing Plant

This is an extraordinary example of industrial architecture where tuna was worked and prepared for its preservation.

The Camparia

The Camparia is the symbol of the tuna fishing and still now all the inhabitants come here to pray in order to ask S. Pietro for assuring a generous tuna fishing during the day before this traditional event.

Beaches and small bays
 
Cala Rossa

Staying in this little bay you will appreciate some of the most beautiful Favignana sea beds: its turquoise-blue sea suggestively clashes with the surrounding tufa white walls.

Cala Azzurra

This bay is placed between Punta Marsala and Punta Fanfalo and it is characterized by a very transparent sea whose bed is white and pink.

Burrone Beach

This is the biggest beach of this island: its white sand and its clean sea bed make its water very transparent.

Plaia

This beach is placed between the Camparia and the Florio Manufacturing Plant being very closed to the urban centre.

Punta Sottile

This is a very fascinating bay thanks to the presence of the big lighthouse being also the ideal place to admire the island of Marettimo during the sunset. On its left side there are two shingle beaches that are perfect for families.

Bue Marino

This bay is the ideal place to take a bath in a sea full of fish.

Making excursions in this island you should visit the S. Caterina hill that you will reach after having walked for 45-60 minutes. From this point you will discover the rich variety of wild grasses and of spices that are typical of the Mediterranean scrub. Going on you will find the ancient fortress that dominates all the island. You should not miss the entry to the towers because from this point you can admire a beautiful landscape on Favignana and on the whole Sicilian territory.

You can also visit the S. Nicola caves that are important evidences of the presence in this land of the prehistoric man. From this point you can also see an ancient Roman construction called the “Women’s bath” and made up by a series of basins, connected to some submarine canals, where women could take a bath in a constantly warm water.

Favignana has two ports: the northern one is also the biggest one being used for ferries, for hydrofoils and for fishers boats, the second one is used by the pleasure crafts.

Gastronomy

Here the main ingredient is represented by tuna and all part of this fish are used and worked according to very ancient methods.

So staying in Favignana you can taste the bottarga (tuna eggs), the ventresca (meat of the tuna’s belly preserved in oil) and other products made up by tuna and sold by the several local shops.

Here you can also taste the best desserts of the Sicilian confectionery like the cannoli, the marzipan, the cassate, the almond biscuits and the Sicilian croissants.

To move in Favignana you need a private mean of transport that will allow you to face its peculiar streets made up by asphalt and by beaten earth. Otherwise you can use the bus service that will bring you to the most important places of this island.

However there are many points where you can rent bikes, scooters, cars and off-road vehicles at an economically acceptable price. There also is an efficient taxi service that can also bring you to the Palermo and Trapani airport.

How to arrive in Favignana

By Ferry:

You can leave from Genoa, Naples and Livorno arriving towards Trapani or Palermo. From the port of Trapani you can catch one of the Siremar ferries to reach Favignana.

By Hydrofoils

During summertime the Ustica Lines company organize trips on hydrofoils leaving from the Naples port and arriving to Favignana in more or less 6 hours.

All the year long leaving from the Trapani port you can arrive to Favignana by hydrofoils in 20 minutes thanks to the trips organized by the Siremar and the Ustica Lines companies.

By Plain:

You can arrive in the Falcone-Borsellino airport in Palermo. This airport is connected to the main European and Italian cities through charter and scheduled flights. The bus that will bring you from this airport to the Trapani port leaves at 12:45 A.M. and which one that will bring you from this port to the Palermo airport leaves at 09:00 A.M.

By Car

Arriving by car you should follow the highway towards Trapani.

By Train

Palermo Central Railway Station – Trapani Railway Station

By Bus

There is a bus that leaves from Palermo in the Politeama Square bringing you to the port of Trapani. This bus leaves every hour from 7.00 A.M. to 21:00 P.M.

…Enjoy your stay in Favignana!

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