EGADI ISLANDS

The boarding of the hydrofoil is only 15.1 km (9 miles about) far from “Camping Lido Valderice” and can be easly reached from the main road SP20..

For more information on how to use this service visit the web site http://www.aziendasicilianatrasporti.it/

Egadi Islands are an archipelago of three main islands and two smaller ones, located just about 7 km from the west coast of Sicily, between Marsala and Trapani. This Island were already known in antiquity by the Latin name  Aegates.

FAVIGNANA ISLAND

Favignana  has an area of 19 km² (7 square miles about ) and a jugged coast line, full of holes and caves,  that speads on 33 km (20 miles about). Early in the past, Favignana was known as “Aegusa”, that means “farfalla”, cause of the island shape that resembling butterfly’s wings. The modern name comes from “Favonio”, a westerly warm wind, thanks to all the area is characterized by a very mild clime. Although in ancient times was full of vegetation, nowadays there’s poor due to deforestation. The island is crossed from north to south by a mountain ridge whose highest peak is Monte Santa Caterina, 314 meters a.s.l.. Other two peaks are Punta Della Campana, 296 meters high, and Punta Grossa; 252 meters too. On the southern side there’re the small islands Galeotta e  Galera (some kind of cliff).

LEVANZO ISLAND

Levanzano Island is the smollerst of Egadi Island, with a terrestrial area of ​​only 5 km² (2 square miles about); as the other two islands, it is part of Trapani’s province. It consists of white limestone rocks which have numerous caves and this is one of the most attractive aspect that involve people to visit it. The ancient Roman name of the island was “Phorbantia”,the name of a spice typical of the place.

The village is composed of a small group of houses and it is furnished by a little marina, which is about only 15 km from Trapani. It is free of roads suitable for vehicles, except for a smoll one that allows vehicles to reach  the beach “Faraglione”. Though of technological backwardness, this kind of out-of-time condition is one of the main reasons for which its beautiful scenery remained unchanged.

Pizzo Monaco, 270 meters a.s.l., is the highest promontory of the island

On the coast overlooking some caves, the most famous of which is the Grotta del Genovese, with its carvings and cave paintings of 11,000 years ago. Thanks to  stratigraphic analysis, it was possible one of the few carbon-14 dating of prehistoric Sicily, which indicated the year 9230 BC (epigravettiano advanced) as the period in which those caves were inhabited: the presence of a large limestone fragment, with a bovid in the stratigraphic sequence, whose style is very similar to the wall painting in the same caves, has proved the correctness of this absolute dating.

MARETTIMO ISLAND

The ancient greek name of the island, mentioned by Polibio, was “Hierà Nésos”, meaning "Isola Sacra" (“Sacre Island”). The modern name probably derives from "Maritima", the Latin name of the Island that had already appeared in “The Antonine Itinerary” of the I-II century AD. Some archaeologists suggest that the origin of the name is to be found in the nature: in particular to the abundant presence of wild-thyme. Anyway we can say that thyme isn’t the only kind of wild-grass naturally growing up in the Island: its special warm climate has contributed to the development of a beautiful and overgrowth flora.

Differently from the other Islands of archipelago (Favignana and Levanzo), Marettimo became an island, detaching from the mainland, thousands of years before: in this way it has developed such a number of ancient endemics, like the well-known “Brassica Macrocarpa”, that means “Cavolo delle Egadi”, and the “Seseli Bocconi”, shrubby plant that grows on rocks around the “semaforo”. The international guides call it “The Pearl of the Mediterranean” thanks to the deep blue and the clearness of its sea waters. Caves, karst features, the rich waters help to define its beauty.

Nowadays Marettimo is part of the natural Egadi’s Reserve. The village Marettimo onto the Island, built in agreement with the traditional architectural features that spread out all over the Mediterranean, is well-connected to Trapani through passage by hydrofoil (one hour by boat) or ferry (about three hours). On the Island, furthermore small businesses, a church, and a few inns, there is a public telephone and a small but well stocked library with both historical and natural books. The library address is: Associazione "Marettimo", via Campi 3; for more information you can call to the Tel. 0923 923000. The highest point is “Monte Falcone” (686 meters).

You can request more info about the camping and how to reach Egadi Islands

by clicking here.