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Visit Favignana
The island of Favignana is situated off the westernmost tip of Sicily (from Trapani and Marsala) - more precisely, it is a small group of islands including Favignana itself, Marettimo and Levanzo, which form the largest part of the Aegadian islands.
A visit to Favignana may begin with the Museum. The underwater archaeological Museum of Favignana is located in the cottage of the Florio, organized with panels and captions, graphics and plastic reconstructions. The public can linger in front of video screens and listen to the reconstruction of the history of the Aegadian Islands.One particularly interesting part of the museum is dedicated to the local finds such as lead and lytic anchors, and Greek-Italic amphorae from the Hellenistic and late Punic-Roman age.
However, there is no doubt that the real attraction of Favignana is constituted by its caves, explored a few years ago and where important finds have been discovered dating back to the Punic age (the Punic culture originated in Carthage around 800 BC), both for their scenic value and for their historic importance (see Favignana caves and inscriptions for details of the inscriptions).
Around Favignana it was the tufa (a local soft rock) that provided the local industry, both in Roman times and then from the 17th century on, since when it has been much used as building material. as a result of this local geology there are numerous tufa caves, such as the coastal caves of S. Nicola, which are now a tourist attraction. Along the coast of south-east Favignana there are also the "Grotta Perciata" and "Cala Azzurra", of considerable beauty.
Finally, towards the interior of the island, there is the fort at Mount St. Catherine, from where one can enjoy the panorama of the country, the port and the tufa caves. A part of the remains dates from the Phoenician era, as well as parts of Roman origin and some mosaics of Roman imperial origin, near the Cave of St. Nicholas.The Mediterranean bush covers vast expansions, with thistles, prickly pear and agaves, which give the landscape a unique charm.
A boat trip around the coast of Favignana allows you to explore the sea caves, and beaches with sand or rocks. For those who love diving, there are many schools equipped for sport diving on the island of Favignana. Finally, your visit should include visiting a restaurant to enjoy one of the many typical dishes made with tuna, such as tuna steaks, sausages, and meatballs or tuna grilled and mixed with potatoes. If you prefer to enjoy the typical cuisine of the Aegadian Islands, we suggest the lobster and the cous cous, very widely available on Favignana.
See also Favignana history and etymology.