A House at Favignana, Relaxing Vacation in One of the Paradises of the Mediterranean By Paolo Pilia At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

The biggest Mediterranean island, land with an uncountable multicultural heritage and a magnificent variety of landscapes, Sicily is a not-to-be-missed destination. An interesting solution for a holiday in Sicily are the comfortable and relaxing holiday houses in Sicily, in the country, in cities or two steps from the sea.

An ideal place to choose this alternative is Favignana, the largest and most equipped Egadi Island, 20 square kilometers of rocks, gardens and inlets with an emerald color water less than a half hour trip in hydrofoil from Sicily. The small limestone archipelago of the Egadi islands comprises three islands, Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo that arises off the coast of Trapani.

Since 1991 the islands are within a marine nature reserve. The three islands are very different among them but linked by the clean and cold sea and the strong wind. Favignana is the largest and most populated one, urbanized and frequented by tourists. The bare landscape is diverse and alternates broad plains and mountains. Levanzo is the smallest one, it has a marina and a single town that features white houses where to walk, a high and rocky coast with beautiful bays and coves. Marettimo is the most distant from the coast and the wildest as well.

Here there is only a small fishing village and mountains that fall to a sea full of caves. Favignana has a wider and flat territory. Thanks to this feature one of the rites of the island is to rent a motorcicle or a bicycle in order to reach the most beautiful bays.

The island has at the center the Montagna Grossa (or Santa Caterina), dominated by the homonimous fortress of Saracen origin that divides it exactly into two parts.

The oriental part is more developed and has a shallow and regular coastline distinguished by the presence of beautiful caves with tufa covered with a vegetation that has reigned over the years. From this side there is the wonderful Cala Rossa, squared reefs, white sandy bottoms and a turquoise sea, ideal when the sirocco wind blows. Nearby is then the Bue Marino cave and to the south Cave Azzurra and Lido Burrone.

The western part, more jagged and beaten by the mistral wind, is less inhabited. From this side, exaclty from Punta Sottile, you can enjoy beautiful sunsets on Marettimo and the open sea.

In front of the small island Previto extends one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline, full of coves and inlets. The most interesting area of the town is near the port. Here you can find old tuna trap establishments, owned by the Florio family (powerful industrial Sicilians and for more than a century gentlemen of the island) around which started to develop Favignana in the '700, today it is a fine industrial archeological example being recovered. Very elegant Palazzo Florio, built in 1876, named after the square from which the pedestrian street leads to the square of the Chiesa Madre.

The whole area is full of shops, bars, restaurants and very busy during the summer season.

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