Favignana: Everything You Need to Know About Visiting

Favignana Island (Isola di Favignana) is a breathtaking island located near the west coast of Sicily in Italy. In this guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about visiting this beautiful island. We’ll detail all of the best things to do in Favignana, including information about all of the best beaches to explore. Then, we’ll cover all of the practical tips and tricks to help you plan your trip.

Read How to Visit Favignana

About Favignana Island (Isola di Favignana), Near Sicily

Favignana Island is the largest of the three principal Egadi Islands (Aegadian Islands) near Sicily. Surprisingly, the Egadi Islands, including Favignana, have never been a tourist hot spot, with most people opting for the Aeolian Islands, which are located just north of Sicily. But, this is changing. Indeed, more and more people are including Favignana Island as part of their Sicily itinerary as it becomes more well-known. Without further ado, let’s look at the best things to do on the island.

FYI – Favignana Island translates, in Italian, to Isola di Favignana. To keep things simple, in this guide, we’ll stick to the English translation – Favignana Island, instead of using Isola di Favignana.

The Best Things to Do on Favignana

There are many things to do on Favignana Island, near Sicily. Perhaps, the most popular thing to do is to explore the coastline. Certainly, Favignana Island has many dazzling beaches worth seeing. Whilst, there are some beaches that may not make the cut, especially if you’re only visiting Favignana Island on a day trip. There is also a mix of other attractions worth considering during a visit to the island.

Planning Your Favignana Itinerary

Personally, Beck and I visited Favignana from Trapani on a day trip. Having just one day on the island meant there was a lot to see in a relatively short amount of time. Because we love the great outdoors, we focussed our itinerary on beach hopping and scoping out coastal attractions.

Exploring the island in a clockwise direction (by bike), we first visited Cala Rossa, then Cala del Bue Marino, Cala Azzurra, Grotta Perciata, Lido Burrone, Spiaggia di Marasolo, Cala Rotonda and Cala Grande. We then cycled back to Favignana town, where we sampled local cuisine and explored some monuments.

Of course, each to their own. In this guide, we’ll list all of the best places to visit on the island, so that you can decide exactly where you want to visit. To get the ball rolling, we’ll start with the best beaches on Favignana Island.

The Best Favignana Beaches

Beck and I were stoked to visit all of the best beaches on Favignana Island, near Sicily. Below, we’ll reveal the best beaches on Favignana Island, the beaches which you should prioritise when planning your itinerary.

FYI – if you’re particularly interested in one of the beaches below and want more details about the exact location, how to get there and what to expect, just click on the respective link. That way, you’ll be able to see the individual article we wrote about that beach and all the in-depth information to go with it.

Cala Rossa

Cala Rossa (AKA Scogliera di Cala Rossa and Spiaggia di Cala Rossa) is one of the most beautiful beaches on Favignana Island. For many visitors, Cala Rossa is one of the first beaches to visit, given its relative closeness to Favignana Port. But, don’t expect a sandy beach or even a pebble beach. Rather, it’s a cove surrounded by rugged rock formations surrounding the crystal clear waters. Following a walking trail, parallel to the beach, you can explore cliff walls, sea caves and an abandoned quarry site.

Read more: Cala Rossa Favignana – The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide

Cala del Bue Marino

Cala del Bue Marino (AKA Spiaggia Bue Marino) is one of the most unique beaches on Favignana Island. Featuring awesome caves and tunnels from an abandoned quarry site, there’s more to Cala del Bue Marino than just its gorgeous turquoise-coloured water. You’ll find a deep tunnel, offering shade and respite from the sun. There are also mindblowing caves and smaller tunnels to explore around the beach.

Read more: Cala del Bue Marino, Favignana – The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide

Cala Azzurra

Cala Azzurra (AKA Scogliera Cala Azzurra) is one of the most spectacular beaches on Favignana Island. It’s a gorgeous white sand beach, where you can simply chill, sunbathe and soak in the salty seawater. Of course, once you’ve worked up an appetite with all of the swimming and exploring, you’ll have to head to Bar Cala Azzurra. It’s located literally right next to the beach.

Read more: Cala Azzurra Favignana – The Complete Visitor’s Guide

Lido Burrone

Lido Burrone (AKA Lido Punta Burrone) is the most popular beach club on the island. The beach club is located on the spectacular white sand beach called Spiaggia di Lido Burrone (AKA Cala Burrone). Certainly, Spiaggia di Lido Burrone is possibly the best white sand beach on the island. Other than the beach itself, we also recommend exploring Punta Burrone, where you’ll find a small bridge and platform, which makes for an epic spot for a photo.

Read more: Lido Burrone Favignana – The Complete Visitor’s Guide

Cala Rotonda

All of the beaches mentioned above are located on the east and southeast coasts of Favignana. In comparison, Cala Rotonda is located on the west coast. It’s certainly worth the time to visit Cala Rotonda as it’s one of the most outstanding beaches on Favignana Island. At this beach, you’ll find Arco di Ulisse, which is an impressive natural arch.

Read more: Cala Rotonda Favignana – The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide

Other Favignana Beaches

There are many other beaches on Favignana Island near Sicily. Personally, we don’t think these beaches are quite as spectacular as the ones listed above. But, for thoroughness, we’ll list the other well-known beaches on Favignana Island below.

• Spiaggia Praia: located in Favignana town, next to the port, the pretty beach is filled with many fishing boats. Of course, given the lack of natural surroundings, this beach isn’t one of the best on the island.
• Spiaggia di Marasolo: a lesser-known beach with turquoise-coloured water that’s located near the island’s tunnel. If you’re visiting Cala Rotonda, from the east side of the island, you’ll pass right by Spiaggia di Marasolo. So, it’s worth visiting. But, perhaps it’s not worth spending a lot of time at this beach as there are bigger fish to fry!
• Cala Grande: this beach is located around the corner from Cala Rotonda. When we visited in the off-season, unfortunately, the beach was considerably polluted. We’re sure it’s seen better days, and, hopefully, it gets a good clean in preparation for the peak season.
• Cala Faraglioni: this is a less-explored pebble beach at the northern tip of the west side of the island. If we had a bit more time, we would have liked to have visited this remote pebble beach.

Other Things to Do on Favignana

Other than beaches, there are many other places to visit and things to do on Favignana Island. Below, we’ll talk about all of the other best things to do on the island.

Grotta Perciata

Grotta Perciata (Perciata Cave) is an immense cove on the island. Located between Cala Azzurra and Lido Burrone, Grotta Perciata features epic sea caves, rock formations and crystal-clear turquoise water. Located by the side of the road, it’s easy to stop at this fine natural attraction.

Read more: Grotta Perciata, Favignana – The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide

Abandoned Limestone Quarries

Favignana is an island rich in a limestone mineral called calcarenite. Because the mineral is high in calcium, the limestone has a sparkling white colour. You’ll see examples of these limestone formations all over the island. Indeed, many of the beaches are rich in calcarenite, and this is where the painstaking mining of the mineral took place many years ago. You’ll see incredible old limestone quarries located at and around Cala Rossa and Cala del Bue Marino.

Diving and Snorkelling

There are many great places to dive and snorkel on Favignana Island, near Sicily. In terms of diving, the best places include Isola Galeotta, Secca del Toro, Scoglio Corrente, Punta Marsala, Cala Rossa and Cala Rotonda. Personally, we didn’t do any diving on the island. But, we hear there are quite a few companies offering diving tours.

In terms of snorkelling, there are countless amazing beaches and coves with plenty of marine life to see. In particular, Grotta Perciata is a good shout when it comes to snorkelling. At Grotta Perciata, and all over the island, expect to see sublime coral, sea cucumber, eels, jellyfish and a variety of fish.

Castello di Santa Caterina

From most positions on Favignana, you’ll notice the imposing Castello di Santa Caterina (Santa Catarina Castle), perched high on a hill in the middle of the island. If you don’t mind the heat, it’s possible to hike up to the castle ruins. Certainly, from Castello di Santa Caterina, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the island. We’ve heard the castle ruins are one of the best places to enjoy sunset on the island.

Tonnara di Favignana

Tonnara di Favignana is also known as the Ex Stabilimento Florio delle Tonnare di Favignana, which roughly translates, in English, to the Former Florio Family Tuna Factory Museum. If you want to learn more about the history of the island, which is partly famous for its tuna fishing, then head to the museum.

Favignana Town and Local Cuisine

After exploring the island, you should head back to Favignana town for some local cuisine. The island is well-known for its seafood, in particular – pasta with lobster, tuna steak and tuna tartar. Personally, we had a mixture of street seafood at Pescheria Florio. Then, we had granita and gelato at #ICECREAM. And, of course, we enjoyed an Aperol spritz at Monique Concept – YOLO!

Worth seeing in Favignana town is Palazzo Florio, which is a captivating neogothic-style building. It’s located in a small park which is a great place to find some shade.

FYI – if you’re on a shoestring budget and are after some cheap eats, head to Pasticceria FC in Favignana town. You’ll definitely find some cheap and yummy pastries there!

Visiting Nearby Islands – Levanzo and Marettimo

Other than Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo are the other major Egadi Islands near the west coast of Sicily. Certainly, it’s possible to visit both Levanzo and Marettimo from Favignana (and also from Trapani). Although Favignana is the most popular island to visit, Levanzo and Marettimo are just as impressive and beautiful. If you have enough time to explore the other Egadi Islands, then, indeed, go for it!

Unfortunately, Beck and I didn’t have time to explore these other islands. But, there is a convenient way to see more of the islands if you’re short on time. This would involve doing a boat tour.

Favignana Tours

Many people choose to do a Favignana boat tour instead of exploring the island independently. Certainly, seeing the Favignana coastline by boat is a memorable experience. In fact, one of the main advantages of doing an organised boat tour is that you can easily explore Favignana and Levanzo on the same day. Indeed, the combined Favignana and Levanzo boat tours are a great way to explore the Egadi Islands in one supercharged day!

GetYourGuide offers many stellar boat tours to Favignana. Below, you’ll find the most popular Favignana boat tours.

How to Get to Favignana Independently

To get to Favignana, you’ll need to get a ferry (hydrofoil) from Trapani. Liberty Lines is the main ferry company running the service between Trapani and Favignana. The journey time between Trapani and Favignana on the Liberty Lines ferry service is around 30 minutes. The other company running this service is called Siremar. But, this service takes twice as long and is the same price. So, there’s no point in using Siremar.

During the peak season, you can expect queues at the Liberty Lines ticket office. To avoid this, we recommend buying your tickets online in advance. That way, you can skip the queue for tickets and just join the queue for boarding. You can buy e-tickets online, directly with Liberty Lines or with the more user-friendly Direct Ferries.

A return ferry ticket is around €24–27 per person. In the peak season, you can expect a higher departure frequency with around two services departing per hour beginning from around 7–8am. There are usually ferry departures from Favignana as late as 8pm. But, make sure to book your outbound tickets in advance, so you don’t get left on the island!

Where to Board The Favignana Ferry in Trapani Port

You’ll find the Liberty Lines ticket office and ferry terminal located here in Trapani Port. To help you get your bearings, feel free to click on the image below to access an interactive map on Google Maps.

Ferry From Trapani to Favignana: Our Experience

Having booked our ferry tickets to Favignana Island online, we simply arrived at Trapani Port and joined the queue for boarding. By booking tickets online, you’ll simply download the e-ticket which has a QR code. The entire process of boarding was quick, simple and easy. By arriving around 30 minutes in advance, Beck and I were near the front of the boarding queue and found window seats easily once boarded.

The ride itself was pleasant and quick. Indeed, we’ve had nightmare sea-sick-inducing ferry experiences in the past (thanks Roatán). But, by all accounts, the Trapani to Favignana ferry service rarely gets too choppy or unpleasant. Of course, if you’re prone to getting seasick, perhaps proceed with your usual preventative measures, just in case.

After around 30 minutes, you’ll arrive in Favignana. Departing the ferry is another quick and easy process. Once you arrive on the island, it’s time to explore! There are a few different options for getting around the island. We’ll look at these options in more detail below.

How to Get Around Favignana

When it comes to getting around Favignana Island, the most popular mode of transportation is cycling. Personally, Beck and I cycled around the island and absolutely loved it. But, there are other options, including getting around by electrical bike, scooter and boat hire. Let’s look at all of these options below.

Bike Hire

Personally, we think the best way to get around the island is by bike. Many of the best beaches and attractions are quite remote and require the use of unpaved, bumpy and narrow roads to reach. With this in mind, we don’t recommend hiring a car on the island. Unless you’re able to hire a high-clearance vehicle, it would be a nerve-racking experience driving on those unpaved roads with a hire car.

When it comes to hiring a bike for the day, we recommend going to Noleggio Bici e Motorini Isidoro. The bike rental store is only a five-minute walk from the Favignana ferry terminal. The attractive orange-frame bikes are in excellent condition, have gears and come with a lock. The staff are also very friendly and helpful – they’ll even help fit your bike. Perhaps, best of all, it’s only €5 to hire a bike for a full day.

You’ll find overpriced and less reliable bike rentals being flogged near the ferry terminal for around €10–15 for the day. Just ignore these offerings and head to the trustworthy bike rental store mentioned above.

Electric Bike Hire

Other than hiring a bike, the next most popular option is hiring an electric bike. The main advantage of an electrical bike is that its use is far less physically demanding, especially when considering the hot weather during the peak season. Of course, the electrical bike will cost more than a standard bike. But, Noleggio Bici e Motorini Isidoro only charges €10 for an electric bike per day. In reality, the electric bike from Noleggio Bici e Motorini Isidoro is of fantastic value.

Again, you’ll find many other rental stores offering electric bikes. But, many other stores charge around €10–20 per day for an electric bike.

Scooter Hire

Scooter hire is another popular way to get around Favignana Island, near Sicily. Of course, when it comes to land-based transport, scooter hire is the most expensive option. It seems that the most value you’ll get from using Noleggio Bici e Motorini Isidoro is more related to the cheaper rates for bikes and electric bikes. Noleggio Bici e Motorini Isidoro charges around €20 per day for scooter hire, which is about average. You’ll find prices for scooter hire varies from around €20–25 per day on the island.

Because we found the staff at Noleggio Bici e Motorini Isidoro trustworthy, again, we recommend hiring a scooter from them.

Boat Hire

A luxurious option for getting around Favignana Island would involve hiring a boat. You’d certainly consider hiring a boat for the same reason that an organised boat tour would be appealing – exploring the coastline by boat would be a super experience. Having not hired a boat ourselves, we can’t recommend any boat hire company in particular. But, you’ll find a few of these companies located at the port, near where you depart from the ferry.

When it comes to pricing, it all really depends on what boat you want and how many people you’re sharing it with. For a standard small boat, prices are around €130 for the day (excluding fuel costs).

How to Get to Trapani

To catch the ferry to Favignana, you’ll first need to get to Trapani on the west coast of Sicily. The easiest and quickest way to get to Trapani is to drive there yourself. We recommend parking at the large Piazza Vittorio Emanuele Car Park, which has very cheap parking (expect to pay around €0.20 per hour). From this car park, it’s around a 15–20 minute walk to the Liberty Lines ferry terminal.

If you don’t have your own set of wheels, we recommend hiring a car. Personally, Beck and I picked up our car hire from Catania International Airport. For an automatic car, we only paid around €7 ($7USD) per day!

To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.

It’s also possible to get to Trapani using public transport. From Trapani International Airport, you can get an AST bus to the Trapani town centre. The journey takes around 45 minutes and costs around €4–5.

How to Get to Trapani From Palermo

It’s certainly possible to do a day trip to Favignana from Palermo – the capital city of Sicily. Similarly, we recommend driving to Trapani from Palermo, as that’s the quickest and simplest option. But, if you don’t have your own vehicle, it’s possible to get public transport from Palermo to Trapani.

If you arrive at Palermo International Airport, you’d first need to get to the Palermo town centre by taking the bus or train. Both options take around an hour and cost about €6. Then, you’d need to get a Segesta or Salemi bus from Palermo to Trapani, which takes around 75–90 minutes and costs around €11–12 per person. It’s easy to buy these bus tickets in advance using Busbud. Of course, if you’re using public transport to get to Trapani from Palermo, and you’re only doing a day trip to Favignana, then you’ll have a long day ahead of you.

Where to Stay on Favignana

Most people visiting Favignana Island will do a day trip from Trapani in Sicily. But, there are plenty of people who holiday on the island and spend an extended period of time there.

When it comes to Favignana accommodation, ​​​​​​​you won’t find much in the way of budget options. Indeed, there aren’t any Favignana hostels that we’re aware of. But, with a bit of digging, you’ll find some affordable accommodation options. For your convenience, we’ve handpicked the best budget, mid-range and luxury options in Favignana.

• Budget – Dimora Quattro Vanelle: this is the most affordable accommodation option on Favignana. Dimora Quattro Vanelle is a lovely guest house featuring a garden, a terrace and BBQ facilities. Every room is equipped with a coffee machine, and a private bathroom, while some rooms have a kitchen.
• Mid-range – Il Gelsomino: this modern apartment hotel is one of the best value-for-money stays on Favignana. Equipped with a kitchenette and dining area, Il Gelsomino is one of the best self-catering accommodation options you’ll find on the island.
• Luxury – Resort Il Mulino: this hotel resort has brilliant ratings and reviews. Resort Il Mulino is certainly one of the most highly-rated accommodation options on Favignana. Featuring a swimming pool, hot tub, restaurant and snack bar, there’s much to enjoy at the resort.

Favignana Nightlife

If you’re holidaying in Favignana, you may be wondering about the nightlife. Certainly, during the peak season, there is a lively atmosphere during the evening that’s enjoyable and chilled. But, it’s definitely not a place you’d visit specifically for the nightlife. It’s no party island.

FAQs

Below, we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about Favignana, near Sicily.

Where Is Favignana?

It’s one of the Egadi Islands located near the west coast of Sicily, Italy.

How Big Is Favignana Island?

The island is 37 km².

When Is the Best Time to Visit Favignana?

Favignana, and the whole of Sicily for that matter, have hot summers and mild winters. Most visitors will head to Favignana in summer for the hottest weather (35–40°C). But, this coincides with the peak season and its increased prices, crowds and queues. Also, cycling around the island in that heat may be quite physically challenging and unpleasant.

Perhaps, the best time to visit Favignana is either side of the peak season. During April and May as well as September and October, there’s milder weather, cheaper prices for accommodation and less-crowded beaches and attractions.

Personally, Beck and I visited Favignana during the off-season in late March. This was also a great time to visit as the beaches and natural attractions on the island were quiet and peaceful to visit. But, during the off-season, many of the restaurants, bars and beach clubs are closed. You’ll also find many of the hotels and resorts close over the off-season. Additionally, it may be too cold to swim if you visit in winter or on either side of it.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference.

Is Favignana Worth Visiting?

Yes, absolutely. Whether it’s for a day trip or an extended stay, the island is simply gorgeous, featuring many outstanding beaches and coastal areas. Indeed, it’s worth planning a trip to Favignana as part of your Sicily itinerary.

Is Favignana Expensive?

Yes and no. In terms of visiting the island on a day trip, we think even shoestring travellers could swallow the prices. That’s because the ferry and bike hire isn’t too expensive at all. But, if you’re staying on the island itself, it’s certainly more expensive in terms of accommodation and groceries.

How Long Should I Stay in Favignana?

It’s really up to you. Personally, we think visiting Favignana is one of the best day trips that you can do from Trapani. Indeed, if you have a lot planned for your Sicily trip, perhaps dedicating just one day to exploring Favignana will be just right. But, if you’re after a totally relaxing and chilled holiday, then perhaps a few days, up to a week, would be what you’re looking for.

Recap

We hope this comprehensive Favignana Island guide has answered all of your questions and queries about visiting the island. Without a doubt, this island, and the Egadi Islands, are becoming an increasingly popular place to visit. So, we recommend visiting sooner rather than later, before the hoards of tourists arrive. Don’t get us wrong, it’s already a well-known destination to locals, who visit in their numbers, during summer. But, that’s without the add-on of all of the foreign tourists. So, get trip planning and go visit!

Gear Essentials For A Trip to Favignana

These are our gear essentials for visiting Favignana, near Sicily.

• Swimming gear
• Quick-dry towel
• Water shoes (aqua shoes): to help protect your feet when exploring pebble beaches and rocky coves.

Particularly, in summer, make sure to have plenty of water on you. Getting around the island by bike is thirsty work! Also, you’ll want to be sun smart – otherwise, you’ll get sunburnt. So, apply plenty of sunscreen, wear a hat and cover your skin.

To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite travel gear, camera gear and hiking gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.

Travel Insurance

Heymondo is one of the best budget travel insurance providers on the market. They provide comprehensive travel and medical insurance that won’t break the bank. Whether it’s single trip insurance, annual multi-trip insurance or long stay insurance, Heymondo offers affordable travel and medical insurance to suit all of your needs. Personally, we use Heymondo travel insurance and highly recommend it. To find out more about Heymondo travel and medical insurance, read our Heymondo travel insurance review.

Bonus Tips

• Car ferry to Favignana: it’s possible to take a car over to Favignana from Trapani. But, you’ll find there are many limitations and restrictions, especially in the peak season. So, many people don’t bother.
• Favignana with kids: the island is certainly family-friendly. In particular, Lido Burrone is a popular beach for families.
• Head to the Aeolian Islands: if you enjoy the Egadi Islands, it’s likely that you’ll also enjoy the Aeolian Islands, which are located just north of Sicily.

Do you have any questions? Please leave us a comment below.