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The Egadi islands off of Western Sicily are an incredible and relatively undiscovered gem of Italy and the crystal clear blue of the waters has to truly be seen to be believed!
Favignana, the biggest of the Egadi islands, serves as a wonderful day trip from Trapani, where you can cycle around the island visiting all the best beaches.
Whilst a day trip is a must when in this area of Sicily, you won’t regret spending a few nights on this beautiful rustic island, so definitely consider working a stay into your itinerary.
Welcome to your Favignana Travel Guide!
Favignana Travel Guide Contents:
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ABOUT FAVIGNANA
Favignana is nothing short of a slice of heaven. The biggest of the Egadi islands has some of the bluest water I have ever had the privilege to see. This combined with the laid back vibe of somewhere that predominantly only Italians holiday means it has swiftly become a favourite place of mine. And I was only there for a day trip!
The done thing is to cycle around the island, stopping off at the different beaches that the island have to offer. I’m nervous on a bike and even I got into it and loved the day spent doing this – I cannot recommend enough!
WHERE TO EAT ON FAVIGNANA
RESTAURANTS
Osteria Cavallo
Contrada Cavallo, 75, 91023
Family run restaurant serving excellent pasta and seafood dishes. With tables dotted outside under trees strung with festoon lights, Osteria Cavallo is the perfect spot for dinner.
Osteria del Sotto Sale
Via Vittorio Emanuele, 19, 91023
Stylish restaurant with a chic rustic feel to it, Osteria del Sotto Sale is popular, so you may want to book to avoid disappointment. The menu boasts a wide range of Sicilian favourites – pasta, seafood, but also a couple of meat dishes if you’re after a change.
Scaliddre
Via C. Colombo, 2, 91023
Scaliddre is a wonderful restaurant serving high quality seafood dishes. Get the appetiser of different seafoods to try the local Sicilian specialities all in one go.
Quello che c’è c’è
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 38, 91023
One of the pricier restaurants on the island, it’s also very popular, so a reservation for Quello che c’è c’è is a good idea – especially if you’d like to request to eat outside. As you may guess from the usual fare on the island, the restaurant has a heavy focus on seafood (try the red prawns!) and has excellent desserts on the menu to round things off.
STREET FOOD
Scialae
Via Archimede, 24, 91023
Hole in the wall serving Sicilian street food: panini, huge arancini, panelle, caponata – it’s all here, with most dishes under €5 each and served on paper plates. There are a few pasta dishes on offer if you want something bigger, but if you ask me, you can’t go wrong with sampling an array of classic Sicilian fried food.
Robertino
Near Cala Rossa
Up on the hill at Cala Rossa is a little shack blaring old American rock, housing an Italian man making absolutely huge paninis stuffed with tuna, olive oil, capers, basil and the juiciest red tomatoes. Eat one washed down with a cold beer in front of the most incredible view over the bluest waters of Favignana. Perfection.
Cala Cala Sicilian Pokè
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 10, 91023
Perfect for when you’re fed up of pasta, Cala Cala serve poke bowls, seafood tartare and amazing rolls that are ideal for lunch. Take away if you fancy a side of beach with your lunch, or get there for aperitivo hour to enjoy a smorgasbord with a cold glass of Sicilian white wine.
TunaFish Mobile Favignana
Near Bue Marino
When you’re chilling at Bue Marino, look no further than the TunaFish Mobile for sustenance. Tuna is quite literally the catch of every day in Favignana, and everyone raves about the tuna sandwiches at this yellow truck parked up near the ocean for good reason. They also do octopus if tuna doesn’t do it for you, and you can buy cold drinks and granita too.
Kebabberia di Tonno
Via Nicotera, 14, 91023
If you’re hankering for the classic Favignana tuna sandwich but don’t happen to be at Bue Marino or Cala Rossa, Kebabberia di tonno is in the town centre. Aside from delicious rolls filled with tuna, they serve tuna polpettes and tartare, as well as burgers.
BARS ON FAVIGNANA
Cibo Chiacchiere Vino
Fantastic spot for watching the sun go down of Favignana, Cibo Chiacchiere Vino has boho chic vibes and serves a beautiful charcuterie board to go with your sundowner cocktail of choice. High quality ingredients are used throughout the menu, which is all vegetarian or vegan. Enjoy pasta and salads at lunchtime, or an excellent array of aperitivo snacks towards the end of the day.
La Costa Sunset Bar Cala Trono
Str. Costiera di Mezzogiorno, 91023
Excellent spot on the water’s edge, particularly for aperitivo at sunset. La Costa often has live music playing as the sun goes down – their instagram will be able to give you the specifics.
Mojito Bus
Via Calamoni, 91023
Does what it says on the tin! This bus serving refreshing mojitos near Cala Tulino is the perfect pit stop on your cycle around the island.
Kiosko
Waterfront bar by Spiaggia di Marasolo, a good spot for swimming. There are deckchairs to relax on in the late afternoon sun with a cold Aperol or glass of wine, and festoon lights hanging up that light up the place come dusk. There are fantastic sandwiches and Sicilian snacks like arancini on the menu if you’re peckish or wind up that way at lunchtime.
Rest
Strada Provinciale Punta Sottile, 30, 91023
Chilled tapas spot in a garden setting in a quiet area of the island. Regular live music and good cocktails make this a great spot to spend an evening.
Pura Vida
Contrada Cala Rotonda, 91023
Tiki bar vibes perfectly situated for catching the last of the sun on the West of the island, Pura Vida is a fantastic place to watch the sun set over the ocean with a cocktail in hand.
THINGS TO DO ON FAVIGNANA
Chill out. That is your one responsibility and priority on this beautiful Sicilian island! But if you need a little more than that, you do have a couple of options.
Beach Hop on a Bike
Hiring a bike and cycling around Favignana exploring all the wonderful coves and beaches the island has to offer is the best way to spend a day on the island. It’s my must do for a day trip on Favignana in particular.
Favignana boasts some of the most spectacular beaches in the whole of Sicily, with water as clear as the Caribbean or Thailand. Be sure to explore Cala Rossa, Lido Burrone and Cala Azzura in particular!
TOP TIP: My bike hire for the day cost me around €20, but you may find a little cheaper the further from the port you go.
Boat Trip
See the best beaches and coves of the Egadi islands on this boat trip around Favignana and over to nearby Levanzo. Lunch and wine is included on this trip, which lasts six and a half hours. Book here.
Diving
With those turquoise waters as inviting as they are, those who like to be underwater will find it hard to resist diving in the Mediterranean waters around the Egadi Islands.
Ask your hotel or guest house for the best dive shops to explore with – it’s always best to go on a recommendation.
Visit Levanzo and Marettimo
If you’re staying on Favignana and fancy a day trip away from the island, hop on one of the regular ferries over to the other inhabited Egadi islands, Marettimo and Levanzo.
WHERE TO STAY ON FAVIGNANA
I visited Favignana for a day trip out of Trapani but I’m currently concocting a gigantic Sicily trip in my head for a couple of year’s time and I am 100% going to be staying on Favignana for a while. In fact writing this Favignana travel guide feels like a a specific form of torture to me at the moment!
Stunning boutique bed and breakfast on the West of the island, well situated for catching those orange sunsets from one of the many great aperitivo spots by the sea. Dimora Cala del Pozzo is chic and elegant, with stylish rooms with private terraces. The bed and breakfast is owned by the same people behind Cibo Chiacchiere Vino, and the house around which it is built dates back to the 19th century. Book here.
Il Baglio sull’Acqua boasts a infinity pool with views of the sea and beautifully designed outside spaces with a distinct Morocco feel to them. Parts of this hotel date back to the 19th century, and there are just 10 rooms. some with their own small gardens and some with sea views.
The hotel offers the opportunity to book private transfers to Palermo and Trapani airports as well as help booking the ferry and the transfers to the hotel on arrival from the port. Il Baglio sull’Acqua will also help you organise your favoured mode of transport around the island. Book here.
With 155 rooms, Mangia’s is one of the biggest hotels on Favignana, yet still manages to retain that Sicilian charm. An excellent resort for families, there is a kids club, a large pool with plenty of sunbeds, tennis courts, yoga and an area for evening entertainment.
Rooms are design led and modern and there is a restaurant on site for when you just want to stay put after a long day of sea and sun. Book here.
Just a short 5 min walk from the port and the town, Poggiamico Guest House is a design led B&B with bright yet cosy rooms with air conditioning. Rooms are reasonably priced and the B&B offers disabled access rooms.
Guests can enjoy a shared terrace and garden, and the B&B are happy to store luggage before and after check out. Book here.
Cave Bianche Hotel is a unique eco resort built into a quarry. The limestone walls the hotel is set amongst naturally keep the area very cool – no mean feat in Sicily. There is a an L-shaped pool in the lush gardens to enjoy, hot tubs, a restaurant and the hotel offers a free shuttle into town. Book here.
GETTING TO FAVIGNANA
The nearest airport to the Egadi islands is Trapani, which Ryanair fly into a couple of times a week during the summer. You may want to fly into Palermo instead, for there are more frequent options with British Airways and Easyjet. Don’t miss a few days in the Sicilian capital either, it’s steeped in history and has some of the best beaches in Sicily nearby!
Either way, once you’ve made it to Trapani (a 1.5 hour drive from Palermo), you’ll need to take one of the regular ferries over to Favignana. You need to book these in advance as they get full, especially in peak season. You can book online at Direct Ferries.
TOP TIP: Be careful to book the right ferry if you are taking a car over to the island, for the majority of the ferries are pedestrian only.
GETTING AROUND FAVIGNANA
The most common way to get around Favignana is to hire a bike for the day! There are plenty of spots at the port where you can grab a regular or electric bike straight off the ferry. This will cost approx €20 for the day, though longer hires for those staying on the island should work out as less.
I’m a bit nervous on bikes and I really hate a spin class, but after a wobbly half hour I ended up loving the freedom of cycling around the island from beach to beach. There are a couple of roads that are uphill and felt torturously steep, but the vast majority of the island is flat and easy to ride. The roads are wide and whilst there are cars on Favignana, there are not too many that you feel nervous cycling.
If you’re staying on the island rather than visiting on a day trip, you may want to hire a car to get around the island quickly and with ease. Be sure to book one of the ferries that allow cars well in advance, or hire a car on arrival in Favignana.
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Updated July 2025.
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