Egadi Islands only for us. Sicily, Italy

Very few tourists .. given the significant weather expected decide
to pass the long bridge between the beautiful islands Egadi .. but as always we do not take the bad mood .. and decide to make sure that the starting time will be our ally ..

Our desire to travel and 'ever so much for this we decided to spend the long bridge on 2 June in the beautiful Islands Egadi.
Located off of Trapani, in the east coast of Sicily, the islands are a pristine world reachable only by sea.

The islands are so close to the mainland that the timing of the navigation are low.

The archipelago of Egadi comprises three main islands, Favignana (the largest), Levanzo (the lowest) and Marettimo, and two large rocks, and Formica Maraone, emerging from the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, a few miles from Trapani. The clear waters and beautiful coastline, small hills, bays, caves and then the particular call of tuna (one of the few survivors in the world), make Egadi a popular tourist destination and seaside resort. In these islands you go to rest, to stop time, to re-educate with style and tranquility to the true meaning of things, and of human relationships with nature. In these islands you forget easily what is stress.

The islands have a culinary tradition of respectable, of course, based on catch: simple, but well kept and tasty, always prepared with the freshest ingredients, products on the spot. In the few restaurants on the island is good eats practically everywhere, but the maximum would make friends with the locals and taste the home cooking. We encourage you to try the tuna course, who are preparing in different versions: simply grilled, with onions, all'agrodolce. Then the sword of rolls, fried shrimp and calamari, the delicious lobsters boiled enriched with a little olive oil, the grouper or sea bass prepared with baked potatoes.

 

We started the afternoon of June 1 destination Palermo Airport Falcone and Borsellino.
Here was expected to Giusepppe Taxi collaborator of Residence Island Levanzo. From the airport after about 50 minutes' drive we arrived at the port of Trapani, where we embarked on board dell'aliscafo Siremar, who after 45 minutes by boat has docked at the port of Levanzo. The village of Levanzo seen from the sea '... so many beautiful white houses overlooking the small harbor, and' such a striking image of like a crib.

The small Levanzo is about 8 nautical miles from Trapani, and has an area of 10 sq km, with coasts on the high seas. To welcome us was Giampiero, staff residences, loaded the luggage on board of his "defender" we direct the residence. On it and there will be no 200 yards of total asphalt here because 'we can see many jeeps from the wheels and large comfortable as the route to get to the residence and' those tortuous. Around us, only vegetation, plants, sea ... but mostly silence!

The residence and 'recent, all inside and' new and studied in every detail, fitted luggage descend into the village to make dinner in the restaurant on the island. Suffice it to say that in all the island's' just a mini market, 2 bars and a shop to do shopping. The evening .. and 'very short, the fatigue takes over and placed the last things we put ourselves to bed in search of energy ...

JUNE 2
The next morning the sun shines on the morning and descend into the village for breakfast. The glance of the port of Levanzo kissed by the sun and 'postcard. Geologically, Levanzo is the oldest of the islands, its formation dates back to the Triassic period, about two hundred million years ago. And famous' Grotta del Genovese, the figure and its graffiti bear witness to the presence on the island dating back more than 10,000 years ago and which gave the island and its archipelago an international reputation. In fact this morning we visit the caves.

Climbed aboard a jeep powerful we are moving towards the caves ... unfortunately, the sky begins to cover up and the wind (almost always present on the island) is beginning to be arrogant ... visit these beautiful caves ... the graffiti is really amazing, to stay mouth open. Unfortunately left the cave is a big problem ... it rains! Race reach the jeep and we return to the residence.

We rest in the expectation that arrive from the sky ... good news in the afternoon but the rain has ended and the sky was still gray, we decide to make a turn to admire the beautiful coastline washed by turquoise waters ... all of this fact and 'Cala Minnola.

A Levanzo everything and 'beautiful, the sun is trying to take off in the clouds and Selene will immediately take advantage to stay in costume and take a while' to tan.
Evenings on fast flowing and relaxing, not being local because you go to bed very early to be pimpanti the next morning ready for sightseeing.

3 JUNE
Unfortunately, we wake up with a small but annoying rain that seriously jeopardizes even the other day. Time does not seem to be on our side in the beginning stay on the islands, mainly because current Balkan arriving on the peninsula, fortunately there 'Giampiero, the boys of the island staff, which encourages us reminding us that the Islands Egadi little rain times a year ... we hope! However we decide to move the island and climbed on a hydrofoil in fact we head to Favignana. With its 19 square kilometers of area, about 9 nautical miles from Trapani, Favignana, the largest of Egadi, is also called the Great Butterfly on the Mediterranean due to its characteristic shape. The queen of Tonnare, the pearl of the archipelago, the butterfly of the sea, the island of winds, the island of goats, ideal for the family, offers white sandy beaches and rocky coasts. Features' of big significance on the island of Favignana are the tufa quarries. The tuff has been in the past, along with fishing and agriculture, one of the most important economic resources for the people of Favignana. The tufa favignanese, cut into blocks or "Cantun" was in fact exported throughout Sicily and north Africa. Today the caves of tufa, in north-east of the island, contributing to making the landscape very unique and original. Life on the island and 'quite different from Levanzo, banks, shops, cars, restaurants make Favignana tourism point of maximum attraction to the islands.

Selene and I just arrived on the island we rented bikes at first, but then 'given the many there are that distances between the different coves to visit us back on our steps and we have hired half piu' veloce ... scooter ... E 'we means more 'as the most convenient' quick to reach destinations. The first half 'and' Bue Marino, an overhanging cliff of which has precisely the form of an ox. The colors are breathtaking water and the sky a little 'dull little more help' to highlight the pastel colors of the sea. Di li 'a poco meet Cala Rossa, called by many the piu' bella di Favignana. Here is the sea, turquoise color, creates a striking contrast with the white walls of the surrounding tuff. The boats anchored in it, seem suspended in air were it not for the shadow drawn on the bottom.

Our tour continues, we come to Cala Azzurra located between Punta and Punta Marsala Fanfalo, is characterized by an incredibly transparent sea bottom in white with pink hue. Along the island through a tunnel which passes the only mountain on the island called Big Mountain, or just glue Santa Catarina, which connects the home to the most 'of the wild and rude, then you come to the lighthouse , which to the naked eye you can 'easily see the island of Marettimo. Unfortunately due to bad sea conditions and there 'was not recommended to get there and see it ... ... Why is why the best approach is to know Marettimo make a boat trip around the coast to admire the stunning sea caves and the depths very clear. Certainly pero sin 'we must return to Egadi so' third visit to the island of jjl
Marettimo Island which is the first (about 600,000 years ago) had his own island, located 20 miles from Trapani, the most distant from the west coast of Sicily, with an area of 12 sq km, Marettimo, has features typically mountainous. The island is the perfect destination for all types of tourists, fans of cave explorers, lovers of the sea, lovers of underwater exploration, archeology and art in general all those who wish to move away from noise and smog of the city, to plunge into a unspoiled paradise. The island of Marettimo can be considered one of the last paradises of the few places still unspoiled marine. Our journey to Favignana ends with the fall of the sun and very tired we returned to Levanzo.

4 JUNE
The next morning opens with a pleasant surprise, there is' a clear sky as we had never seen from 3 days now to Levanzo. Immediately we put the costume and made breakfast once we decide to go to Cala Cold, not surprisingly, the word itself tells you the temperature of the beautiful waters. Finally in costume! It was after hours and days with sweat shirts, now armed with creme costume and we were finally in the sun like lizards. Spends quiet day, between photos and bathing in the beautiful, albeit cold waters of the cove.

While we return to the residence could not leave us just the usual daily shower pero accompanied 'by a beautiful rainbow. Our stay on the islands is about to end yet another day and we return to our Milan.

5 JUNE
Prepare your luggage and left clean our apartment, in the early morning we decide to return a few hours in Cala Cold to sunbathe.

We had to return to Milan, in the chaotic life milanese tanned and relaxed, unfortunately the adverse weather conditions have not done so, returning blacks blacks, but certainly we had and above all we have known a new dot on the map of Italy.

The time available to us, unfortunately, decreased minute after minute, we are divided, but with a promise ... Islands Egadi one day come back for sure, because 'the silence of the island, the colors of the sea, people who live on these islands, are emotions from having to relive at least once in their life ... at least ...

Piu 'time passes and more' we are aware of those beautiful and unspoiled places are there in Italy ... ... the Egadi, for example, fall perfectly into this account.