Discover Levanzo: A Tranquil Getaway on the Egadi Islands, Sicily august 11, 2024 – Posted in: Italy, Travel – Tags: Attractions, Egadi Islands, Hiking, Holiday, Italy, Levanzo, Sicily, Trapani, Travel, Vacation
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Levanzo – a small island off the coast of Sicily
From the moment you board the plane in Billund until you step off the ferry on the small island of Levanzo, it takes only five hours. And that includes waiting time for both the airport bus and at the ferry port in Trapani.
Levanzo is a piece of Italy you can only dream of. The pace is very slow, the food is good, and the sunsets are infinitely beautiful. In fact, the island resembles Greece more than the rest of Italy, with its small restaurants right by the water and the eternal scent of pine needles.
Our journey to Levanzo
On our second trip to Trapani, we decided to spend part of our vacation on one of the Egadi Islands. We have previously written about the islands here A Daytrip To The Egadi Islands, Italy, and it was when we were sailing back from Favignana that we discovered how beautiful and peaceful the little island of Levanzo is.
Six months later, we stepped off the ferry in the small island community, where we had booked three nights at the hotel Dolcevita Egadi Eco Resort, which you can read about further down. Here, you can’t just book one night, and that’s wonderful. Tourists who come here must book at least three nights. This creates a peaceful atmosphere where you can fully immerse yourself in the island’s pace, instead of just rushing by on your way to the next attraction.
Levanzo – a vacation for those who want to relax
About 200 permanent residents live on Levanzo, and the island is about the size of Drejø. The island is a perfect vacation destination for those who want a holiday where you just need to relax, and where not much needs to happen. When the last ferry has sailed in the evening, it is completely, completely quiet on the island.
We visited in early October 2022 and had a few lovely days with daytime temperatures of 26 degrees and no rain.
Hiking on Levanzo
On Levanzo, there’s not much to do other than hike, snorkel, and completely unwind. We walked around the entire island, and although the map shows marked beaches, we didn’t find anything that we would consider a great bach, meaning with sand. However, the water is clear and warm, and once you’ve made your way down the cliffside, you can swim with the locals.
The hiking trails are good and marked on the map, as you can see here on the right. We walked all of them and therefore know that the terrain requires a good pair of hiking shoes. There is loose gravel and slippery rocks, making it too dangerous to hike in sneakers or flip-flops.
When you head out to hike, it’s important to buy plenty of food and drink in town. There are no other shops or restaurants on the other end of the island, and it’s frustrating to be out at the beautiful lighthouse with an hour’s walk back, feeling hungry and thirsty. Also, remember sunscreen, a hat, and mosquito spray.
You don’t need to be an experienced hiker, as the trails are easy to walk and well-marked. However, it’s important that you are in reasonably good shape because the mountains are steep. The trails are not recommended for children, strollers, or people with balance issues. The cliffs drop off steeply, and it’s essential to hold on tight.
If you enjoy hiking, you’ll have some wonderful days on the island. The views are fantastic, and there’s plenty to see along the way, including ruins and a rich variety of wildlife and plant life.
Attractions on Levanzo
There are two famous caves on the island, but only the Grotta del Genovese is accessible to visitors. Here, you’ll find prehistoric cave paintings estimated to be 12,000-13,000 years old. It’s not possible to hike to the caves on your own, as the area is private property. Instead, you can book a guided tour at The Grotta del Genovese of Levanzo. You can also read more about the cave on the link.
However, it’s completely free and easy to hike up to the old Saracen medieval tower 70 meters above the sea. You can also hike across the island via the main road, a small gravel path, to the island’s northernmost point, which is the lighthouse Faro di Capo Grosso. Finally, there’s also the most beautiful sunset at Faraglione overlooking the island of Marettimo.
Great Restaurants on Levanzo
As you may have already gathered, there isn’t much to do on Levanzo other than take walks and enjoy life. This is best done at the island’s restaurants, where you can enjoy the view and the friendly chatter of the locals over a fish dish and a glass of Aperol. The kitchen doesn’t open until 8 PM for dinner, but while you wait, there are cakes and snacks at Bar Romano.
There are a total of four restaurants on Levanzo, but we only managed to dine at two of them. On the first evening, we visited Arcobaleno, where we had ricotta ravioli in a delicious pistachio sauce with burrata on top. On the second evening, we ate at Bar Romano, where we were a bit hungrier and enjoyed antipasti with sardines and fish cakes, couscous, and pasta in pistachio sauce with large freshly caught prawns as the primo.
In general, the cuisine on the island is heavily focused on fish and seafood, so you should only come here if you love eating calamari and gamberi. Secundi often features a large freshly caught fish, and remember to ask about the price first.
Shopping on Levanzo
Besides the restaurants, the island has one grocery store, one souvenir shop, and one bakery, which also serves as the island’s sandwich shop. The grocery store is open in the morning and evening, while the other two are only open in the morning. On Sundays, everything is closed, except for the restaurants.
The supermarket has sunscreen, pasta, and cola, but if you still find the selection too small, there are ferries to Favignana throughout the day. You can read more about Favignana here: A Daytrip To The Egadi Islands, Italy – Tips For Ferry, Attractions And Food.
A Fantastic Hotel on Levanzo!
We had a wonderful stay at Dolcevita Egadi Eco Resort, located up on the mountain above the town. It’s about a ten-minute walk up a steep hill, but once you’re there, you’ll have the most beautiful view. We enjoyed breakfast on our small terrace overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Afterwards, it was easy to access the island’s hiking trails, but there’s also a pool, spa, and wellness center where you can relax.
We have rarely experienced such hospitality when traveling elsewhere in Italy, but it was wonderful to be greeted by both staff and owners with genuine joy and interest. And it was peaceful. The hotel is an adults-only property, welcoming guests aged 18 and over, and it attracts tourists like us who come for the unique offerings of the hotel: tranquility, beauty, and relaxation.
There’s actually not much more to say, because everything about the hotel was just perfect. Click on the link to see the photos yourself: Dolcevita Egadi Eco Resort
Check out other lovely hotels on Levanzo by clicking here or search for your own perfect hotels in Sicily: