Egadi Islands
The Egadi islands are located at the western end of Sicily, a few miles from Trapani, and is composed of the islands of Favignana, Levanzo, Marettimo, Formic and Maraone. The Egadi Islands are set in a crystal and clear waters, and host a rich and varied marine flora and fauna. These features make this archipelago a destination for enthusiasts of snorkeling, diving and sailing. The natural beauty that characterizes the waters of Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo also extends to the mainland. In fact, for those who like nature walks, the Egadi Islands show a rich vegetation,where there are endemic plants with medicinal properties, while birds are of great importance from the fauna. In order to preserve the natural beauty of the Islands, has recently been established the Marine Protected Area (AMP) of the Egadi Islands, the largest marine reserve in Europe, . Administratively the Egadi are part of the municipality of Favignana, and count 4300 residents (2011).
Favignana, "the great butterfly on the sea" as it was defined by the painter Salvatore Fiume in the '70s, is the capital and largest island of the Egadi Islands. The island was known in antiquity with various names such as Aponiana, Katria, Gilia, Aegusa in Latin or Auegusa. The current name of Favignana dates back to the Middle Ages and it derives from the name Favonio, wind from the West. Because of its geomorphological conformation, the island offers both beaches and rocks. Favignana is the perfect destination for those who love the seaside resorts, characterized by clear and transparent water. The favignana coasts offer different locations to meet the tastes of all: there are beaches with fine and golden sand like Cala Azzurra, Lido Burrone, Calamoni; or suggestive sandy coves and pebbles located in the area of Punta Lunga, Preveto, Faraglioni and Slim Point, from which you can enjoy breathtaking sunsets of rare beauty where the sky tones of marvelous colors. Numerous are also the areas that offer the perfect snorkeling creeks. Particular is the famous Cala Rossa which offers both rocks and sand set in a sea that embraces shades ranging from blue to heavenly. Numerous are the underwater experiences that you can experience in the beautiful backdrops of Favignana, Marettimo, Levanzo, Maraone and Formica.
Levanzo was known in antiquity with various names such as Buccina, Forbantia and the Arab geographers named Djazirat 'at Yâbisah ("Arida"). With regard to the origin of the island's present name there are various assumptions: it may be derived from the water supply methodology used on the island, consisting of the secular lever applied to the only well of the south beach, from here "lever up" . Its geomorphological conformation offers mostly bay, many of which are of historical archaeological interest, first of all the famous Grotto of Genovese.The smallest among the three islands of the Egadi, offers charming and secluded sandy beaches along the path leading to the Faraglione. In the southeastern part of the island, the visitor will appreciate and enjoy the beautiful waters of two coves, accessible both by land and by sea: Cala Fredda, marked by a rocky beach and a sloping slope, and the wildest Cala Minnola. For diving enthusiasts, Levanzo offers a very intriguing underwater archaeological itinerary: between the 27 and 30 m depths between Cala Minnola and Punta Altarella there are the remains of a Roman wreck, about fifty vineyards and fragments of ceramic pottery a black paint dating back to I century BC
Marettimo was known in antiquity with various names, including Hiera ("the sacred") and the Arab geographers by the name of Djazirat Malîtmah. The present name of the island could originate from the merging of the sea words, hypothesis that draws its formulation from the abundance of thymus present on this island. It is the most mountainous, wooded and geographically distant among all the islands of the Egadi islands. Marettimo is the wildest and unspoiled of the Egadi. Due to its remote nature, the unsurpassed nature of the mountain and its improper impact on the environment, it conserves a very precious vegetation and fauna, where rare species of almost the Mediterranean have survived. This wealth makes it an unmissable destination for all nature lovers and trekkers thanks to the paths made by the forest. Marettimo is rich in caves, both emerged and submerged and it counts about 400, visited in a periple of the island. The sea caves are its flagship
