How Long to Spend in the Aegadian (Egadi) Islands

The Aegadian (Egadi) Islands of Sicily include Favignana, Levanzo, and Marettimo. They’re famous for their crystal-clear turquoise sea and within easy reach of mainland Sicily, just 30-70 minutes from Trapani or Marsala by hydrofoil. That makes them a place you could go for a day trip if you’re short on time, but there’s plenty to keep you there longer. Here’s my advice on how long to spend in the Aegadian (Egadi) Islands. For more info, check out how to get to the islands from Trapani, a comparison of the islands to help you choose which to visit, and a guide to Favignana, the largest of the three Aegadian Islands.

Favignana is the largest and most commercial of the Aegadian Islands. With a variety of restaurants, bars, and accommodation options, it is a popular base for visitors. The best things to do there are: 1) swim at Cala Rossa and Blue Marino; 2) go on a boat tour; and 3) visit the Old Tuna Factory Museum (seriously, it’s so worth it). Two full days give you enough time to leisurely do all of those things while eating great seafood in the evenings at restaurants not open for lunch, like Quello Che C’è C’è. I stayed four nights in Favignana, which was twice as long as I needed there. I was ready for the next island by day three.

Levanzo is the smallest of the Aegadian Islands. It’s only 25 minutes by hydrofoil from mainland Sicily and 10 minutes from Favignana, so it makes a great day trip destination. If you visit on a day trip, you could do a 4-hour boat tour, go swimming at Cala Minnola (which you stop by for a swim on the boat tour), or visit the Grotta del Genovese (Genovese Cave). The cave has 6,000-10,000-year-old engravings and paintings. You can only visit the cave on a guided tour (€42 for adults with transportation included). Those are the main things to do on the island. For a leisurely and relaxing trip, you could spread those activities out over two days, spending one or two nights on the island. Dolcevita Egadi Eco Resort is a good hotel on Levanzo and a reason to spend the night. But there aren’t great dining options on the island, so it’s not a place I’d recommend staying for more than one or two full days.

Marettimo is the farthest island from the mainland, so it gets significantly fewer tourists. It’s totally different from Favignana and Levanzo. It has a lot of greenery and mountainous terrain that is great for hiking. The locals are friendly and fun, which makes it the place I could have stayed the longest. Because there’s something special about the island – it was by far my favorite of the three – I recommend staying for (at least) two nights. That way, you can do a 3-hour boat tour and walk to Nacchi Beach one day, then take a boat taxi to the beach by the castle on the second day while trying two great restaurants for dinner (La Cambusa and Al Carrubo). There’s a lot of hiking you could do with more time, but I thought it was too hot in the summer (I went in mid-June) for hiking far to reach the island’s other top beaches.