Favignana Trip report

Favignana is the main island of the Egadi archipelago, together with Levanzo and Marettimo and is located about 7 km from the west coast of Sicily, between Trapani and Marsala and is part of the Egadi Islands nature reserve established in 1991. Sicily has many fascinating islands such as Lampedusa and Pantelleria but Favignana has the great advantage of being easy to reach from the mainland by ferry or catamaran without the need for long crossings or expensive charter flights. The trip from Trapani takes 30/40 minutes and costs a little over 10 euros each way per person. It's worth booking in advance to be sure to get a place because a coach of day trippers quickly fills up the available space.To take the car is more expensive and, considering the distances involved, largely unnecessary. There are car parks in Trapani if you have a car.

The island is shaped like a butterfly with the town and port of Favignana to the body/head. Houses are built in the traditional Mediterranean architecture of the island - low, often one storey, white buildings with blue shutters while the port also has the ancient Florio tonnara (tuna fishery) and nowadays lives from tourism. The Castle of Santa Caterina on the Monte (314m) of the same name dates back to the Norman period. 

The island of Favignana has an area of ​​just 19 km² and a coastal circumference of 33 km which makes it an ideal destination to discover on foot or by bike, without the worrisome and expensive need to rent a car. 

White 'tuff' (although the name is not accurate because it is a limestone calcarenite and not a rock of volcanic origin) has been quarried in the island since Roman times, and used in building, providing an important source of income for the inhabitants of the island in the past. In the east area of ​​the island there are now many vegetable gardens and gardens called "ipogei" in the ditches, ravines and caves left by the quarries making a characteristic landscape.

We spent 6 nights on the island at end September/ early October 2016. Most tourists rent a bicycle but since we had plenty of time we preferred to explore the island on foot which worked fine. There are lots of paths along the coasts and when one is obliged to take the road there was hardly any traffic. The whole island was also very clean and we saw no stray dogs (sometimes both can be a issues on mainland Sicily). Another advantage is the local bus service which reaches each corner of the island including the main beaches and is useful back-up if you are tired of walking (In August 2018 the service was temporarily suspended and replaced by a more expensive private shuttle but it seems it should be re-instated.) We stayed in an apartment rented by a local agency which was very nice and had a view over Praia beach. It cost 60 euros per night, which is more than our usual budget but Favignana is more expensive than Trapani for example, and it was in a convenient position for the port and other facilities. Prices in the small supermarkets and shops were not so different from the mainland although restaurants tended to be more expensive. The weather was splendid, sunny with a nice breeze every day. Island life is relaxed and easygoing. Our main objective was hiking but we also spent a couple of enjoyable half days in the small beaches/coves. 

Favignana in low season is an ideal and safe slow island destination for hiking, cycling and to enjoy the beaches and a Mediterranean island landscape without the need for costly and time-consuming transfers further afield.
Favignana Day 1 
Favignana Day 2 East wing coast Walk

Favignana Day 3 West wing coast Walk

Favignana Day 4 Praia and sunset at the castle
Favignana Day 5 Cala Azzurra and South Coast