This Underrated European Island Known As The ‘Santorini Of Italy’ Is All The Rage Right Now
Home to Blanche ‘choras’ that cling vertiginously to cliff-sides, and picture-ready blue dome church buildings, it’s no surprise Santorini is among the hottest European summer time getaways.
If solely Greece’s most picturesque island weren’t so extremely crowded, and overnights in these iconic cave inns with swim-up suites wouldn’t value 1000’s of euros an evening…
But hey, who mentioned Santorini retains a monopoly on the whitewashed-island aesthetic?
Over in Italy, within the Tyrrhenian Sea, there’s a tiny island most vacationers are but to find, and Instagrammers haven’t ruined, providing quaint coastal cities, lovely sea coves, and a style of that gradual Mediterranean life:
Ever Heard Of Italy’s Hidden Santorini?
Lying off the coast of Sicily, a brief 30-minute hydrofoil experience from the busy port metropolis of Trapani, Favignana is the biggest island within the Egadi archipelago, and the up-and-coming summer hotspot you have been ready to listen to about.
I imply, it is even been handpicked by Christopher Nolan because the setting for his subsequent large Hollywood blockbuster, The Odyssey, which is, you realize, a traditional Greek story.
A tiny landmass overlaying an space of solely 14.2 sq. miles but packed stuffed with historic sights and pure wonders, Favignana is a type of locations you possibly can simply see in full over a few days or a protracted weekend, however you will not be in a rush to depart when you’re there.
Picture a flat shoreline interspersed with coastal settlements and shallow bays bathed by turquoise waters, and a lush countryside criss-crossed by biking pathways, passing idyllic farms and rolling vineyards: la dolce vita at its prime.
Oh, and did we point out the picture-perfect capital?
A Charming Harbor Town & Delicious Food
The primary city on the island, Favignana (similar identify because the island) is dotted with family-owned trattorias, cozy cafe terraces and gelato retailers, and it is well-known for its low-rise cubic buildings coloured gentle sand or off-white:
Not placing white, like Santorini, however the parallels are there to be discovered, particularly alongside the waterfront, the place there’s quite a lot of boutique inns and renovated villas which were given a chalk-white makeover.
One of one of the best seashores on the island, Cala Rossa is a peaceable sand-and-gravel strip backed by a limestone cliff, a scenic 20-minute bike experience away, and in the event you occur to be craving some pasta and native wine, Trattoria da Papù has a protracted record of Sicilian delicacies at inexpensive costs.
Have You Seen All Those Turquoise Calas?
Beyond the quaint harborside capital, Favignana is dwelling to a storied tuna cannery. Once the property of the Florio household, it’s now a museum chronicling the island’s wealthy tuna fishing historical past—for sure, there isn’t any higher place to get souvenirs.
A fairytale fort on prime of a hill overlooking the teal-colored Mediterranean and a rocky shoreline, Castello di Santa Caterina is a must-do hike for tradition buffs and nature lovers alike, and for the water infants on the market, choices are countless:
There’s Bue Marino, a stretch of coast encompassing stone quarries and secret coves; Grotta Perciata, a sea cave framed by lovely arches and providing photograph ops and snorkeling alternatives; and remember the aptly named Cala Azzura, with a few of the bluest seas you have ever seen.
Favignana Is Fairly Affordable—And Better Even, Uncrowded!
Santorini-esque as it could be, Favignana is nowhere as crowded, or costly as the long-lasting Greek island: precise visitation figures are unclear, nevertheless it appears to common under a million per year, and we suspect it is primarily Sicily-originated.
As for all that scrumptious pistachio pasta, made-on-the-spot sourdough pizzas, and nonna-baked mandorle sweets, you may hardly blow the price range by treating your self a bit of in Favignana:
Expect to pay roughly $10–$15 for a primary dish in an area restaurant, or $30–$40 for a 3-course dinner by the harbor.
Accommodation-wise, a one-bedroom residence within the middle of Favignana Town will set you again $ 82 an evening (try La casetta in Centro), or in the event you’re extra of a resort particular person, a single room on the 3-star Favignana Hotel prices from $123 to boook.
This summer time, Americans can fly nonstop from New York (JFK) to Catania (CTA), in southeastern Sicily.
Though it’s 145 miles from Trapani, the gateway to the Egadi Islands, Catania has prepare and bus companies going just about all over the place in Sicily: as soon as there, you may haven’t any situation discovering a land-side connection to Trapani.
One-way hydrofoil or ferry tickets from Trapani to Favignana begin from a cheap $7.
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