Piazza Europa

Up early(ish) to catch the 9.40 hydrofoil from trapani to Favignana, the largest of the egaldi islands which we could see from the mainland nestling in the distance. Arrived at the port just after 9.15 and successfully parked the car - after a laborious series of back and forths to fit snugly into a tricky space. A brisk walk to the ticket office where to our dismay we heard the lady tell a group ahead of us. ‘No sorry, the 9.40 is full. Next hydrofoil is 11.40’ This new triggered a small panic while we tried to figure out a plan using the alternate, slower ferry service. Catherine went back to ask where we catch the other ferry when the same lady told us there were now seats on the 9.40 an available. Celebration. we snapped those up and soon we were settling into the brisk 30 min slightly bumpy ride across the stretch of water that divides the egaldi islands from the mainland.

Arriving at favignana port we found a small, pretty town where every shop around the little harbour was a bike rental. Walked into the main square for a reviving coffee and a pee before hiring a pair of orange bikes for €5 apiece and wobbling off through flat marble paved streets. As we left favignanna town on the almost traffic free roads we could see a pretty, rural, thankfully flat landscape with the exception of another mountain which rose up as a single, enormous hulk just like erice on the mainland
As we pedalled slowly, road turned into dusty tracks and we could see little quarries, the size of small holdings either side of us. A key income of the island had been quarrying tufa -the hard creamy stone that so many buildings on the mainland were made from. The quarries were now disused and many grown over into gardens with jasmine roses, lemon trees and geraniums.

Our first stop calla Rossa was a swimming spot about 20mins ride down the coast - the sea was pure turquoise. There was a brisk wind though so we didn’t venture in. Just enjoyed a reviving Coke and the view from a small bar above the cove.

We carried on cycling through vineyard plantations, flowers and blue blue sea. At the bottom tip of the island we found a cove which had the magic combination of shelter from the stiff breeze and a simple cafe with panini, arincini and perhaps most importantly a loo. The beach was fringed with dried grass-like seaweed which when covered with a towel felt like a soft mattress. We settled in. CT had a dip.
After a few hours we slowly made our way back to favignana town for a much needed ice cream, a mooch and eventually the somewhat delayed hydrofoil home. Another excellent dinner at the Baglio Sorìa. CT had pork and CSM …? Czytaj więcej