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Sicily - Egadi Island PDF Print E-mail

Egadi Island

Crystal blue waters, antique flavours, and an ocean breeze that blows year-round: the Egadi Islands is a place for ocean-lovers.
The archipelago of Egadi is made up of three islands: the largest called Favignana, the smallest called Levanzo, and the most distant called Marettimo. The history of the islands’ colonisation goes way back in time; Aegades, which is still the current name, is where Homer had Ulysses disembark in book 9 of the Odyssey.

Foto: Denis Calamia

Favignana
 
This windy, wild and bare island is right in the middle of the route that the tuna fish use to go around Sicily. The islanders mainly fish from the area of Favignana, which is homonymous with the island’s name, and is located on the northern coast. Who ever arrives on this island immediately witnesses the elegance and delicacy of Palazzo Florio, which was built back around 1876 by the Florio family (who were well-known for their Marsala wine production). Red lobster, octopus, many varieties of white fish such as amberjack and scorpion fish, as well as blue fish are some of the specialties that you can taste while in Favignana. Make sure not to miss the ceremony of the Mattanza (the end of tuna season) held in the beginning of May. Mattanza is an ancient, and quite cruel, ritual that is very fascinating to watch. The biggest reason for coming to this wild island is the ocean. Its steep and craggy waterfront, beaches framed by crystalline waters and numerous archaeological sites will accompany you during your entire excursion.
Favignana is also famous for its many caves. One cave, located on the northeast side of Mount S. Caterina, is filled with Punic graffiti along with cave drawings of fish.
Foto: Marcella Ciraulo

The Mattanza
 
www.imagocomunicazionivisive.comDuring the spring, the tuna fish move closer towards the coast to reproduce. It is in this moment that they are caught, following an ancient tradition. This tradition has been lost in most of Sicily, except in Bonagia (near Trapani) and Favignana where the tuna nets still operate continuously. The fish traps are basically a complex system of fixed nets and floating anchors that guide the fish towards a series of rectangular chambers that eventually lead to the so-called “death chamber”, where the ceremonial “mattanza” (from the Latin mactare, to kill) takes place, during which the fish are killed. Since this event is unique and is an ancient tradition, it attracts hundreds and hundreds of tourists from around the world.
Foto: www.imagocomunicazionivisive.com

Levanzo
 
Smaller than Favignana and Marettimo, Levanzo is the jewel of the Egadi Islands. It is worthwhile visiting here just to see the Grotta del Genovese, famous for its prehistoric cave drawings that represent animals and four human figures during a ritual dance. Taking a boat will give you the opportunity to see Levanzo at its best. While here, ask the local fisherman if you can organize a small ride around the island, that way you can witness all the light and colours this island has to offer. The water, which is transparent thanks to the strong currents, allows you to view the ocean floor, which is a little rocky but with many large areas of sand.
Foto: Gaetano D'Elia
Marettimo
 
The best way to get to know this island is by taking a boat around it. You can admire the coastline, the magnificent marine caves and the transparent waters. Departing from the old port, we suggest you make your way towards the cave of Cammello, where you are able to take a dip in the clean and clear waters, before mooring on the splendid gravel beach. If you are searching for shallow, crystalline waters, don’t forget to stop at Secca Cretazzo, where the waters are no deeper than 1 meter, and stretch out for about 100 meters from the coastline.
 


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