The Egadi archipelago consists of the islands of Favignana, Levanzo, Marettimo and the islets Formica and Maraone. It is a synthesis of history and nature, full of testimonies about peoples from all over the Mediterranean, architects of the history of the Western world. This is the largest Marine Protected Area in Europe due to the huge expanses of seagrass underwater, necessary for the reproduction of various fish species.
Favignana
It is the largest island of the Egadi archipelago, which derives its name from the slaughter and processing of tuna. In fact, the largest tonnara in the Mediterranean is located here, the Florio factory, indispensable for the island's economy and today also a museum.
The area is quite flat, mostly made up of tufaceous rock and the city complex expands around the port and houses important buildings such as the Florio palace and baroque churches.
The coasts are rich in ravines, coves and caves, caressed by a crystal clear sea.
Interesting destinations are also the Norman castles of Santa Caterina and San Giacomo. The tuff quarries are real works of art: unique geometries of columns and galleries that look like cathedrals, excavated by skilled masters in the extraction of tuff, the pyrriaturists.
Another feature of the island are the underground gardens: disused quarries used for the cultivation of fruit trees.
Levanzo
In contrast to the aforementioned Favignana, this is instead the smallest island of the archipelago. Its houses clustered around the port and the pristine sea surrounding the island make it almost look like a Christmas nativity scene.
On the island is the Grotta di Genovese, one of the most interesting prehistoric sites in the world, full of rock figures of men and animals painted on the walls.
Underwater, between Cala Minnola and Punta Altarella, lie the remains of a Roman shipwreck, wine amphorae and fragments of black-painted ceramic pottery dating back to the 1st century BC. C.
Marettimo
Called "Sacred Island" by the Greeks, it was the first island of the archipelago, detached from the mainland millennia before the others. According to some, it could coincide with the ancient Ithaca of Ulysses.
It is distinguished from its sisters by its height and rocky composition, with its only fishing village consisting of small houses, close to each other.
The island is silent and the days are spent by the sea or walking along the paths of the island, great for trekking lovers. There are many excursions that depart from the town. The Punta Troia castle, perched on a promontory 116 meters above the sea, can only be reached via a dirt path.
Also excellent for diving enthusiasts, thanks to the interesting variety of the seabed and the jagged coastline of about 400 caves, both submerged and emerged.
