FAVIGNANA, ITALY: TRAVEL GUIDE TO SICILY’S AEGADIAN ISLANDS
Have you heard of Favignana? It’s a tiny island off the coast of Sicily that I knew absolutely nothing about before planning my trip to southern Italy. Now it’s all I can talk about. Favignana is one of the three Aegadian Islands – it’s charming neighbors Levazo and Marretimo you can visit as a day trip. I spent an epic four days on Favignana exploring by boat, bicycle and on foot, and it was absolutely mind blowing. Below is my complete guide to the island to help you plan your visit. It includes the best beaches, coves, viewpoints, day trips, Airbnbs, restaurants, travel tips and more.
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Soaking in the Sicilian sunshine at Bue Marino.
WHEN TO VISIT FAVIGNANA
JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER. Yes, this is the busiest time of the year in Sicily, but Favignana is really only worth visiting when it’s warm and sunny because everything revolves around the coast. Prices are generally affordable on the island, so even in high season the price of lodging is reasonable (compared to other parts of Italy). If there’s somewhere specific you want to stay, I suggest booking well in advance. It’s mostly Airbnbs and small rentals on the island. No big hotels.
The beaches on Favignana serve up a quintessential European summer.
We rented a private boat to explore the coast – no boat license required on Favignana. OUTFIT DETAILS: Frankies Bikinis one-piece, linked here.
HOW MANY DAYS ON FAVIGNANA?
THREE TO FOUR DAYS. Most people visit Favignana as a day trip because of its close proximity to mainland Sicily. While a day trip is more convenient, I highly recommend staying on the island. With a few days you can see everything at a relaxed pace, and actually take the time to enjoy the beaches, instead of rushing from one place to the next. There’s plenty to fill three to four days on the island.
The spectacular Favignana coastline is lined with craggy cliffs, caves and abandoned rock quarries.
The tiny size of the island makes it an ideal place to explore by small boat.
FAVIGNANA TRAVEL TIPS
- BIKE RENTAL – Rent your bike immediately upon arriving on the island, especially if you want an e-bike. Most rental shops sell out of e-bikes, and inventory overall is generally sparse in summer. Even if you don’t need a bike on Day 1, at least stop by the shop to reserve one for the other days of your visit.
- CURRENCY – Almost everywhere on the island takes credit card. I always carry Euro as a backup, but didn’t spend any of it on Favignana.
- DINNER – I suggest making dinner reservations in advance if you are visiting on a weekend. The island is a wonderful bustling vibe at night, and every dinner table on the island fills up. And if there’s somewhere in particular you want to eat, definitely reserve in advance.
- APERITIVO – Get to town a few minutes before aperitivo, once the tables fill up at the cute bars, it’s a long wait to get seated.
- WATER SHOES – Most of the Favignana coastline is rocky, and it’s honestly quite painful to get to the water barefoot. I recommend bringing water shoes.
These guys have the sea to themselves.
EXPLORE FAVIGNANA
BUE MARINO
Bue Marino is one of the most picturesque swimming spots on the island. It sits on Favignana’s east coast, offering up tuff rocks, caves, tunnels and cliff carve outs that overlook breathtaking patches of deep blue and bright turquoise water. It’s one of my favorite spots on the island for sunbathing and swimming. No facilities, but the cliffs offer up plenty of shady spots on a hot day. The beach is a 15-minute bicycle ride from town.
CALA AZZURA
Lovely cove located on the southeast coast of the island. The beach is small compared to Cala Rossa, so if it gets busy here, you can feel the crowds. Worth a stop for a swim and sunbathing if you’re doing a bicycle beach tour of the island.
CALA ROSSA
It’s the most popular beach on Favignana, and for good reason. Cala Rossa is truly amazing. The shallow, calm water is perfectly clear and sparkles the prettiest shade of turquoise. It’s one of the prettiest beaches in Europe, and everyone on the island knows it. Thankfully, the expansive coastline is a massive stretch of craggy rocks and abandoned rock quarries that is plenty big to hold the crowds that show up by midday. Cala Rossa is easily accessibly by bicycle – a 10-minute bicycle ride from town. It’s also a great place to anchor if you rent a boat.
CALA ROTUNDA
This rocky beach isn’t the best on Favignana, but you’ll find it less crowded than Cala Rossa and Bue Marino. Cala Rotunda is a short bike ride from town.
LEVANZO
Levanzo is Favignana’s closest neighbor, and the smallest of the three Aegadian Islands. A tiny village surrounds the harbor, the island’s only settlement. Footpaths lead to other parts of the island, but the most ideal way to explore is by private boat from Favignana. A ferry connects Levanzo to Favignana throughout the day, times and tickets available on Ferryhopper.
MARRETIMO
Depending on ferry speed, it takes approximately 40 minutes to reach Marretimo, the third of the Aegadian Islands. This island is truly off-the-beaten-path – you will not find the crowds of Favignana on Marretimo. Visitors can explore the restaurants, cafes and shops in the main town, and from there, signposts point to a variety of footpaths. The coastline is particularly lovely – the best way to see it is by boat.
RENT A BOAT
After a beach day exploring Favignana by bicycle, I highly recommend renting a private boat to see the coast from the water. We anchored our boat at several amazing spots around the island for floating, cliff jumping and swimming into sea caves. If you rent on a day without wind, it’s possible to take your boat over to the island of Levanzo. No boat license is required on Favignana. We rented our boat from Brezza Marina, one of the larger boat rental companies on the island (I reserved in advance via e-mail).
SPIAGGIA DI LIDO BURRONE
Spiaggia di Lido Burrone is a gorgeous sandy beach, and one of the only beaches on Favignana with umbrellas and sun beds available to rent. A shallow turquoise cove is surrounded by white sand, flat rocks for sunbathing and even a small arch bridge that crosses over the water. Very picturesque
Cala Rossa is the most popular beach of Favignana.
FAVIGNANA HOTELS & AIRBNBS
Casa Mirella is the best place to stay on the island. It’s a small gated complex that offers three apartments – all are designed with a white and neutral color palette. Reminded me very much of the rentals on the Greek islands – lots of character. I stayed in the two-bedroom apartment with a terrace, and it was modern, spacious and very clean. Favignana doesn’t have the best selection of places to stay, so I felt like this was a Unicorn. The apartment is a five-minute walk to the main town.
Simple, new apartments located across the water from the port, an easy 10-minute walk to town. Dimora Delle Tonnare is nothing fancy, but the space is clean, modern and a great location.
Wonderful option if you want to stay in the heart of town. The Mazzini Accommodation apartments are small, but the modern, clean design is a rarity on Favignana. A great option while on the island, book well in advance.
The water at Cala Rossa looks like blue Koolaide.
All the main beaches on Favignana are accessible by bicycle.
FAVIGNANA FOOD
CIBO CHIACCIERE E VINO
A lovely little gem located on the west coast of the island, away from the bustle of town. There are loungers to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset, or small wooden tables for cocktails, light eats and pasta. Great place for sunset aperitivo and sunset views.
LA PASTICCERIA
This is the most popular bakery in town, and there’s always a line out the door in the morning when it opens. La Pasticceria serves all the goods including arancini, croissants, cannoli, brioche and more.
MAMA’S ICE CREAM
Best gelato shop on the island, located in the heart of town. Flavors include chocolate, stracciatella, almond, hazelnut, black cherry and more.
MONIQUE CONCEPT BAR
The best spot for aperitivo on Favignana. Monique Concept Bar sits on the main pedestrian boulevard in town, and the outdoor seating is a vibe in the evenings. The perfect spot for an Aperol Spritz, light eats and people watching.
OSTERIA SOTTO SALE
Small restaurant with lovely outdoor dining in the heart of town. Osteria Sotto Sale’s specialty is seafood, and the menu favorites include the tutaki tuna roll, risotto, fresh pastas and fresh fish. Reservations recommended.
QUELLO CHE C’E C’E RISTORANTE MEDITERRANEO
Yes, that’s the name of the restaurant! This unassuming place is a casual spot in the middle of town popular for both raw and grilled fresh seafood.
On the weekends, the outdoor bars and restaurants are filled with people and good energy. It’s a vibe!
There is one main town on the island, and it’s completely charming, filled with bars, restaurants, bakeries, shops and churches.
GET AROUND FAVIGNANA
The main mode of transportation on Favignana is bicycle. There are bicycle shops in town that rent out bicycles, e-bikes and scooters. Distances are all relatively short and flat, so a regular bicycle is sufficient. I opted for an e-bike to make pedaling easier in the midday heat. It’s also possible to drive on Favignana, a few people bring their cars over on the ferry.
We stayed at Casa Mirella, and the apartment reminded me a bit of the Greek islands.
Bicycle is the made mode of transportation on Favignana.
GET TO FAVIGNANA
Favignana is an easy 30-minute ferry ride from Trapani. Ferries are frequent in summer, but I suggest buying tickets in advance because they do fill up (especially on weekends). I used Ferryhopper to look up all ferry schedules and book my ferry tickets.
