Guide to the most beautiful destinations and coasts of the Egadi Islands
Immersed in a splendid natural setting with Mediterranean colours and surrounded by crystal-clear waters, the Egadi Islands are a perfect destination for those seeking a sailing holiday in close contact with nature.
In the most eastern tip of western Sicily lie the Egadi Islands: a corner of the Mediterranean still unspoiled, where you can savor the authentic life of seafaring people. This area also constitutes the largest Marine Protected Area in Europe. It's a spectacle of unique beauty, where the three main islands, Favignana, Levanzo, and Marettimo, along with a series of islets, rocks, and sea stacks emerge.
During your sailing holiday, you will navigate among the splendid islands characterized by varied and wild nature, surrounded by crystal-clear waters, and you will land in places rich in history and folklore where you can savour unique scents and flavours. For your boat lunches, typical couscous will never be lacking, and for dinners, fresh fish, sea urchins, prawns, and lobsters. It will be a vacation marked by relaxation and good food!
The best time for a sailing holiday to the Egadi Islands is from May to October, with August being the busiest month, of course. June and September are perfect for cruising among the islands, less crowded and with lower prices compared to July and August. Thanks to the sea breeze, the climate is not excessively humid, even in the central months, and the constant wind allows for peaceful sailing.
Travel Ideas
Sailing in the crystal-clear waters of the Egadi Islands is a perfect choice for those who love the sea and unspoiled nature. During the week on a sailboat, you can explore Favignana, with its somewhat African charm and its white and pink beaches; Marettimo, wild and mysterious, where you can spot the Mediterranean monk seal; Levanzo, with its coves full of marine life and magnificent sea stacks.
Sustainable tourism
In 1991, the Egadi Islands archipelago established a Marine Protected Area, currently the largest in Europe. The sea in this area is among the cleanest and clearest in the Mediterranean, thanks to the massive presence of Posidonia seagrass covering the seabeds. This plant provides an ideal habitat for the reproduction of numerous fish species. In these seabeds, herbivorous animals such as sea urchins, groupers, breams, octopuses, lobsters, and squid thrive.
Perfect for
A sailing holiday to the Egadi Islands is perfect for couples, both young and mature, seeking an intimate experience immersed in nature and relaxation. These islands are less crowded compared to the nearby Aeolian Islands, making them quieter even in August, except for Favignana, the largest island. It's also suitable for groups of friends looking for a more tranquil vacation rather than the wild party scene of Ibiza. However, it's less suitable for families with children due to the constant wind, which can make sailing more challenging.
First time on a boat
The Egadi Islands are typically characterised by constant but not excessive winds. They are close to the coast and only a few nautical miles apart from each other. The islands are quite small and, as a result, don't have many structured ports. However, due to their features, they offer numerous sheltered spots in case of strong winds. If you want to experience true sailing and the thrill of navigation, then the Egadi Islands are the right destination for you.
Vacation highlights in the Egadi Islands
Egadi Islands by sailboat
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Where to go and what to see by boat in the Egadi Islands
The exclusive island of Favignana
Favignana is the largest in the archipelago, although it is a rather small island, and it is also the one that welcomes the most tourists. Characterised by very little vegetation, it is quite arid and barren and for the most part is composed of tuff, in fact for centuries it has been an open-air quarry.
On this island, blue coves and baths with dives from the cliffs are the order of every bay! The coast alternates sandy areas with cliffs overlooking the sea. A breathtaking landscape that will surprise you with the turquoise colour of the sea and the beauty of the beaches and coves, some of which are accessible only by boat. The most famous is Cala Rossa, considered the most beautiful on the island and beyond. It is located on the northeast coast, a small cove nestled between tuff cliffs and bathed in a blue sea: an authentic paradise for nature lovers.
In addition to its beautiful sea, a piece of advice is to visit the Tonnara Florio, one of the most important in the entire Mediterranean, both for its wonderful history and for the interesting museum inside.
For your excursions on land, you will also find numerous dirt trails winding through fields and open-air quarries. You can rent bicycles to tour the entire island and to climb up to the Castle of Santa Caterina, a panoramic point that will give you enchanting sunsets. In the port, you can find several places where you can taste typical specialties ranging from tuna-based dishes to wines and granita as dessert.
Levanzo and its caves
Levanzo is the smallest of the Egadi islands and is a small jewel immersed in a transparent sea. It is indeed an island of just 6 square kilometres, which deserves to be circumnavigated with the luxury of slowness to discover the beaches of Cala Minnola, Tramontana, and Camarro.
The small inhabited centre, located near the inlet of Cala Dogana, where you can dock, preserves all the aspects of an ancient fishing village intact. Not to be missed is certainly the Grotta del Genovese, one of the most important caves for its findings of prehistoric paintings; you can access it by sea or by land.
Unspoiled beaches and spectacular caves make Levanzo the ideal destination for snorkelling enthusiasts.
Marettimo, the island of authentic and wild charm
Wild and untouched, Marettimo is the third island of the archipelago, the furthest from the Sicilian coast. Perhaps for this reason, its solitary and wild character has remained intact.
Like a dolomite mountain in the middle of the sea, with forests to explore, springs, pastures, but above all a sea with incredible seabeds and some of the most beautiful caves in Italy. These latter are indeed the island's peculiarity: there are more than 400 between emerged caves, submerged ones, and coves that you can reach only on board your boat. Marettimo is also particularly suitable for hiking and walks lovers. There are numerous paths of varying difficulty levels, in particular the one leading to the Castle of Punta Troia offers a breathtaking view.
Trapani and Erice, between myths and legends
Most sailing cruises to the Egadi Islands embark from Trapani. Although often underestimated, it is worth spending a whole or half day exploring it. In Trapani, you can find a perfect combination of various interests: history, art, sea, entertainment, and excellent food! The city boasts a millennia-old history, so much so that it appears in the narrative of the Aeneid and in mythological origins according to which the city was born on a strip of land originated from a sickle fallen from the hands of Ceres or Saturn. The city has numerous points of interest: the historic centre with the Walls of Tramontana, a real open-air museum; the Porta Oscura, the oldest in the city; the Astronomical Clock, among the oldest in Europe; the Ligny Tower, a symbol of the city; numerous churches and cathedrals of extraordinary beauty. Also not to be missed are the Salt Pans of Trapani and Paceco and the numerous eateries where you can enjoy excellent couscous and traditional sweets.
With a cable car that starts directly from Trapani, you can reach the village of Erice, one of the most beautiful in Italy. Sought after for many centuries by sailors and navigators for its strategic position, it offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and the sea. A place surrounded by myths and legends where you can rediscover the past.
List: (up to 10 items) Why should you go on a sailing holiday to the Egadi Islands?
Cala Rossa, Favignana
You can sunbathe on the flat rocks of Cala Rossa or indulge in the mud baths of Cala Azzurra in Favignana.
Trekking and bike tours
For the more adventurous, there are trekking opportunities in Marettimo amidst dolomite rocks, forests, springs, pastures, and caves.
Local traditions and culture
Experience the authentic life of the seafaring people and listen to the incredible stories of local fishermen.
Unparalleled cliffs
Discover the white cliffs of Levanzo with breathtaking seabeds perfect for unforgettable snorkelling experiences.
Couscous and tuna
You can savour the typical flavours of Sicilian fish cuisine, including fish couscous, grilled tuna, spaghetti with bottarga, sea urchins, and limpets.
Mediterranean scrub
Explore a varied, wild, and fragrant nature with bushes of mastic, carob, and oleander.
Granitas and other delicacies
Don't miss out on breakfasts in pastry shops with mulberry granitas, "co tuppo" brioches, and Sicilian cannoli.
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