5 Insider Tips For Visiting Capo Zafferano in Sicily

Capo Zafferano is a hidden gem on the north coast of Sicily. For those wanting to explore lesser-known yet mightily scenic coastal spots in Sicily, Capo Zafferano should definitely be on your radar. After visiting the more popular seaside destinations in Sicily, Beck and I set out to explore some untouched capes and coastal nature reserves. By doing so, we spent a day trip checking out the underrated Capo Zafferano. Below, we’ll recap some useful things to know about visiting this coastal area to ensure an excellent trip to this beloved local’s spot.

Beck looks out towards the sea during the Faro Di Capo Zafferano Walk.

Table of Contents

1. Visit Capo Zafferano Lighthouse

One of the main attractions of Capo Zafferano is its noteworthy lighthouse (Faro Di Capo Zafferano). So, checking out the lighthouse is a real non-negotiable when visiting the area.

By doing the short out and back Faro Di Capo Zafferano Walk, you can easily explore the lighthouse, which was built in the late 19th century. To complete the walk, you’ll want to make your way to Lido del Carabiniere after finding free street parking here. From the lido, you’ll follow a flat and simple coastal trail, alongside the impressive rocky promontory of Capo Zafferano.

A stair case leads to a small pebble beach called Lido del Carabiniere — Lido del Carabiniere

Dans walks by the cliffside of Capo Zafferano, along the coastline

Along the way, you’ll pass by a small quaint chapel called Madonna Del Lume. From the top of the chapel, you’ll enjoy exquisite views of the Sicilian seaside as well as the rocky cliff side of the peak of Capo Zafferano.

After passing the chapel, you’ll soon arrive at the impressive Faro di Capo Zafferano. It’s possible to explore the grounds of the active lighthouse, where you can also enter nearby fortifications.

Dan walks near the base of a lighthouse called Faro di Capo Zafferano

2. Do Not Hike Up Capo Zafferano

After setting eyes on the impressive peak of Capo Zafferano, you’ll certainly be tempted to go and hike up it! After all, there is a zig-zag trail leading to the summit, that offers excellent views of the surrounding coastline. But, we don’t recommend walking up Capo Zafferano. That’s because the cape is home to nesting birds, which occupy the area during most of the year. So, unless you feel like being attacked by birds, we don’t recommend doing the hike up Capo Zafferano. Instead, we recommend hiking nearby Monte Catalfano.

A zig-zag trail leads up the summit of a rocky mountain by the ocean

3. Hike Monte Catalfano Instead

Head to the nearby Parco Monte Catalfano to complete the best walk in the area – the walk to the summit of Monte Catalfano. As mentioned, by hiking Monte Catalfano, you’ll enjoy some of the best views of Capo Zafferano.

Can looks out towards a rocky promontory by the ocean

Bear in mind, that there are many trail options for reaching the peak of this mountain. Personally, we parked here and completed this walk to reach the summit of Monte Catalfano. From the summit, Beck and I were blown away by the stunning views of the cape and its rocky promontory.

4. Explore Caves in Parco Monte Catalfano

While you’re at Parco Monte Catalfano, you should at least check out one or two of the immense caves in the area. After descending Monte Catalfano, and before returning to our car, Beck and I took a slight detour to explore several caves.

In the nature park, there is quite an extensive cave system. Personally, we were happy to just check out a couple of caves that were near the parking area we used. Each cave that we entered presented a brilliant window overlooking the sea of Capo Zafferano. For assistance in finding caves in the area, we recommend using this map or even Google Maps, which shows the location of one of the best caves in the area.

5. Discover Nearby Caletta Sant’Elia

After exploring Capo Zafferano and Monte Catalfano, you’ll have to stop in at the charming Caletta Sant’Elia. Located in Santa Flavia, the well-concealed cove is one of the prettiest locations to see in Sicily! For some unique views of the bay, we recommend heading to Punta Sant’Elia.

Capo Zafferano Recap

So, those are our top five tips for visiting this less-explored part of Sicily. Without a doubt, if you’re looking to explore a less touristy area in Sicily, we highly recommend adding this hidden cape to your trip itinerary.

Where Is Capo Zafferano?

Capo Zafferano is located in western Sicily, on the north coast of the island, near Palermo.

How to Get to Capo Zafferano

The easiest way to get to Capo Zafferano is to drive there yourself. Public transport is quite limited in this area. That’s why it’s much better to hire a car and drive there, as you can more easily explore the area and its surrounds.

Car Hire

If you don’t have your own car, you should hire one using Discover Cars. Personally, we use Discover Cars and highly recommend them for finding your ideal car hire at an affordable price. Booking online is super easy and the free cancellation policy is great.

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Where to Stay Near Capo Zafferano

During this particular trip to Sicily when we visited Capo Zafferano, we were staying in a relatively nearby seaside town called Balestrate. This town, as well as other seaside towns near Palermo such as Terrasini and Bagheria, are popular places for locals to holiday, but not so much for tourists. For the intrepid traveller looking to escape the popular tourist areas, we highly recommend staying in these coastal towns for a memorable getaway.

In particular, Bagheria and Santa Flavia are the closest sizeable towns to Capo Zafferano with decent accommodation options. So, both of these destinations are great accommodation options for those wanting to explore the area and surrounds.