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| English: The Sicilian countryside near Caltagirone. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
By []Vincenzo Tavassi
A Brief Overview
If you plan on visiting Sicily you really cannot miss this island, featuring the most enchanting sea in the whole region. Favignana is the biggest island of the Egadi archipelago, which is also composed by Levanzo, Marettimo and the inlets of Maraone and Formica. The island itself is 19sm. but it is a rare natural paradise enjoying crystal waters and sunny weather most of the year. It is located in western Sicily, at 9 miles away from the Trapani coast. It may be reached by hydrofoil in 20 minutes or by ferry in an hour and all means depart from the port of Trapani, so it is fairly easy to reach and visit.
Why Favignana?
Most people visiting Sicily barely know there is so much more to see, and just a few steps away from their location. Without doubt, Favignana is amongst these missed places and maybe that is also why the mass tourism has not fully hit this island yet, preserving this small paradise.
Favignana features over 30 beaches, coves and bays, all free for swimming. Each one is unique and they meet all tastes: from rocky shores to sandy or pebble beaches, always featuring crystal clean waters with wonderful colors. Almost all the beaches are suitable for children. One of the most typical things to do here is take one of the several boat excursions and visit the island shores while taking a very suggestive swim in the blue. You may also want to take a trip to Marettimo and Levanzo with lunch on board served by the fishermen.
The town is small yet comfortable, enjoying direct sight on a mount and on the sea. There are several restaurants where you will be able to taste typical Sicilian food as well as all the tuna and swordfish based dishes, for which the island is renowned in all Italy.
Finding accommodation in Favignana is fairly easy. The island nowadays is meeting all the tourist needs and many hotels and vacation homes are available for you to choose. Most of them are just a few meters away from the sea, enjoying direct sight and letting you reach the beach in a matter of minutes. Others may be found in the town, but as you may imagine the sea is just a few steps away and there are several rental services where you may get a bike or motorbike.
Hotels in Favignana range from two stars to four stars hotels and some of them are even almost unique in the world, like the ones built under the sea level in old tuff quarries with gardens and orchards.
Last but not least
Finally, it is worth mentioning Favignana for its history in the tuna fishing industry and for the marine protected area which is the most extended in Europe. Several sea species live in a protected habitat here, rewarding the visitor with unexpected encounters with small fishes just meters away while you're swimming. This makes the island a perfect place for snorkeling and diving and due to its position in the Mediterranean sea and Sicily, there are also several archeological findings and ancient vessels under the sea that can be visited with one of the underwater excursions.
Accommodation in Favignana
If you're looking for accommodation in Favignana such as hotels, apartments or villas, then you might want to check out [http://www.favignana-accommodation.com]favignana accommodation which also provides information on the island as well as several pictures. I'd suggest to pick a holiday house because you will be able to be more independent and enjoy the contact with nature, but if you're looking for some other rental, even luxury ones, there is also a list of hotels in Favignana to choose from.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Favignana,-an-Enchanting-Island-in-Sicily&id=7393386] Favignana, an Enchanting Island in Sicily
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