During my first visit to Sicily, a friend who lives in Pompeii texted me and said, “You must go to Favignana.” I had never heard of Favignana, but looking up its dreamy waters and remote location, I immediately made a mental note to keep Favignana on my radar.
Located off of Sicily’s west coast in the Egadi Islands, Favignana is a slice of paradise that’s pretty easy to access from mainland Sicily. While I did not make it over there during my first visit to Sicily since I was preoccupied with so many other things to do while in Catania, I knew I needed to go eventually. So, when I visited Sicily again years later and ended up in Trapani, I finally made it to dreamy Favignana.
And the best part of all, aside from Favignana meeting every expectation and then some, is that it’s super easy to get to. Here are some tips of what to know before you go to Favignana.
What is Favignana and why should I visit?
Great question, thanks for asking.
Favignana is a small island — one of the three Aegadian Islands — the other two being Levanzo and Marettimo. The three Aegadian (also spelled Egadi) Islands are located off of Sicily’s west coast, and Favignana is, by far, the most popular one. Favignana is the largest of the three islands, but is still quite small at just 7.6 square miles. It is particularly known for having some of the clearest water in all of Italy, offering plenty of picturesque beaches and a lot of caves and coves made of tufo. Favignana also historically produced a large amount of tuna at Tonnara di Favignana, but mass production of tuna has depleted over the years due to a series of regulations combined with depleting the seas. Still, tuna is common on the island a regular part of the Favignana diet (more on the food below).
The easiest town to access Favignana from
Located less than two hours outside of Palermo is Trapani, a west coast town that’s worthy of a visit of its own. Trapani is the easiest base for accessing Favignana, however, you can also book a direct day trip from Palermo.
Book a tour to see Favignana from Palermo here.
If you go from Trapani, you can book a tour here which also includes a stop in Levanzo.
You don’t have to take a tour. In fact, I didn’t! While tours are an easy way to just show up and let someone else do the heavy lifting, there is also a ferry. I went directly to the ferry terminal in Trapani and booked with Liberty Lines, which offers the fastest routs of all of the ferries from Trapani to Favignana. The ferry roundtrip cost was roughly 25 euros in March 2026.
However, where I went horribly wrong (and where a day tour would have saved me) is I waited until the day of to buy. I had been keeping an eye on the weather, and most days were windy (plus, March is technically still low season). When it was finally sunny out, I decided that would be my day to go to Favignana, but seems I was not the only one with said thought. I was only able to get a roundtrip ticket that departed around 1 p.m. and returned around 3 p.m., not even giving me a full two hours in Favignana.
But you know what? Two (ish) hours in a dream destination is better than zero, so I still went.
How long is the ferry ride to Favignana?
This question heavily depends on where you depart from. In my experience, the ride from Trapani to Favignana was 30 minutes on the express Liberty Lines ferry, and that was with a quick stop in Levanzo. However, the host of my Airbnb told me that some routes can take up to 90 minutes, so this is an important question to ask when booking your ticket.
Is Favignana better for a day trip or to stay overnight?
While Favignana is small, you immediately feel the energy of the island as soon as your feet touch the ground. It is such a calming, relaxing place, that after only 20 minutes, I text my friend and said “I want to die in Favignana.”
With that in mind, I would embrace the pace and spend at least a night here. As has been established, I only had about two hours, but when I inevitably return, I will gladly spend the night.
Here are some options of where to stay:
- Cave Bianche Hotel is one of the nicest properties on the island. It’s an elegant four-star hotel with a pool.
- Mangia’s Favignana Resort has great reviews, thanks to the incredible included breakfast, with one reviewer praising the DJs at sunset.
- Calamani di Favignana Apartments & Wine Experience is a locally-owned b&b on a vineyard… in Favignana. Need I say more?
- Alencio Comfort Urbano is an apartment in a central location on the island.
Is Favignana walkable or do I need a car?
Knowing whether or not you need a rental car in a place can literally make or break the trip, so let’s cut right to the chase.
A car would certainly not hurt in Favignana, but it’s not entirely necessary. I would, however, recommend renting a bike. The island is small and you can easily bike around the entire island in about two hours. I would definitely not rely solely on walking and taxis if you plan to stay for more than just a day trip.
I can say the above with my whole chest because I did not rent a bike or a car since my time was so limited, and the beaches by the ferry terminal were unfortunately not that crystal clear water experience I was hoping for. Had I rented a bike, despite my limited time, I would’ve been able to go to one of the most popular beaches on the islands. Oh, that brings me to my next point, which is…
The best beaches on Favignana
The beaches are indeed the main draw of Favignana, but you’ll want to plan accordingly. The closest beach to the port is Spiaggia Praia, and unfortunately, the beach was full of seaweed and more trash than should ever be found on any beach. However, I love an uncrowded beach getaway, and there was quite literally no one on this beach.
The most famed beach in Favignana is Cala Rossa, which is not only regarded as the most beautiful beach on Favignana, but frequently as one of the best beautiful beaches in the world. Its main accolades are that it’s full of coves and limestone cliffs, which magnificently contrast with the turquoise waters. Cala Rossa is located on the northeast corner of the island which is about a 20 or so minute bike ride from the port.
Other popular beaches are Cala Azzurra, Lido Burrone (best for renting a sun bed and umbrellas), and Bue Marino.
What to do in Favignana (aside from beaches)
Despite how magical they are, Favignana has other things to do than just see the beaches. A few ideas are:
- Visit the Sea Turtle Rehab Center at Centro di Recupero per Tartarughe Marine Favignana
- Visit the Tonnara di Favignana, an old tuna factory turned into a museum, at Ex Stabilimento Florio delle Tonnare di Favignana e Formica
- Hike to the island’s highest point at Castello di Santa Caterina
What to eat in Favignana
Now, for the most important thing: what you’ll eat in Favignana!
Favignana is particularly known for tuna. A kebab di tonno is a must when on the island: it’s not a kebab, but a sandwich. The classic version includes sliced bluefin tuna, pistachio pesto, and agrodolce onions. You can find this sandwich all over town, but it can get pricey, with some places in the town center being upward of 25 euros.
You’ll also find polpette di tonno, or tuna meatballs. Bottarga, or tuna roe, is also common in Favignana, and simple pan-seared tuna is also common.
Aside from tuna, you’ll find typical Trapanese dishes. This includes busiate pasta, pesto alla Trapanese (a raw pesto made of almonds and tomatoes), and one of my personal favorites, couscous di pesce alla Trapanese, a couscous dish with fried seafood and a rich seafood tomato stock poured over the top.
When to visit Favignana
You can absolutely visit Favignana year-round, but when you go will greatly depend on what you’ll be able to do.
In “low season” (November to March), beaches are still too chilly to really go for a swim, and ferries don’t run as frequently. Many restaurants are also closed for season. However, prices for hotels are lower and you won’t deal with the crowds.
Shoulder season (early April and May and late September and October) is a great time to visit. The weather is on the warmer side and the influx of summer crowds haven’t entirely hit the island yet.
Summer is, by far, the best weather-wise, but many locals advised me that the crowds are pretty unbearable. Favignana is no longer the best kept secret it once was, and it was already a popular summer vacation choice by Italians. Now, you’ve got foreigners mixed into those crowds, making them tenfold. However, there’s no denying the beauty of Sicily in the summer, as long as you can manage the crowds.
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