Favignana trip planner

An island of the west coast of Sicily famous for its annual mattanza tuna harvest

TK

Where to stay on Favignana

The friendly folk at the tourist office are quite adept at matching you with a rental room either when the hotels are all booked or, in the off-season, closed entirely. Even if you don't stay at the Egadi, try by any means possible to dine there one evening, but book as far in advance as possible; the waiting list can stretch for a week or more in July and August.

Albergo Bougainvillea
Via Cimabue 10, 90123 Favignana (TR). tel. 0923-922-033 (in winter 0923-22-908). Half pension required June 15-Sept 15. Closed Nov-Mar.
A good deal less spiffy than the Egadi but at much more wallet-friendly prices, the 13-room Bougainvillea is around to far side of the bay from the ferry dock, in a fishermen's quarter near the old tuna factory. This simple pensione has large accommodations, thankfully stiff beds, clean baths and tile floors, and futon chairs to add a splash of color to the otherwise modular furnishings. There's a pair of small TV rooms for relaxing. This family-run joint features family-style cooking on its shaded terrace restaurant.


Hotel Egadi
Via C. Colombo 17, 90123 Favignana (TR). tel. 0923-921-232. No credit cards. Closed Nov-Apr 19 (restaurant closed Oct-Apr).
Besides being run by graciously amicable Maria Guiccione and family and being absolutely tranquilissimo—yet only a long block from the main square[md]this hotel has by far the best restaurant on the island, so do your taste buds a favor and spring for the half pension deal. The furnishings are terminally modular—but in pleasant Mediterranean blue and white tones[md]the brand-new mattresses rest on firm beds, and it's the island's only recommendable hotel with all the amenities at reasonable rates. The views are over the tufa-built houses of this oldest neighborhood on the island, although rooms 7-9 peek over these roofs to encompass the western mountains and deep blue of the bay in between. Families can book nos. 11 and 12 with a common indoor as a mini-suite.

Where to eat on Favignana

'A Cialoma
Piazza Matrice 33. tel. 0348/293-6616. No credit cards. Open Wed-Mon 10:30am-3pm, 6:30pm-midnight. Open daily June 15-Sept. Closed Jan-Feb.
If you can't get a seat at Egadi, head up the block to this agreeable little spot just off the main piazza. For the restaurant (spaghetteria, really) you sit on the wooden roofed terrace; for pizza (evenings only) you get the softly-lit garden below—a genuine garden, with flowering vines spilling off the walls and tables set on the grass. Of course, they'll also let you order dishes when seated below or a pizza when up above. The cuisine consists of tried and true Trapanese dishes such as spaghetti alla bottarga (with dried fish roe)or alle vongole or sugo di polpo (octopus sauce), and cous cous di pesce, which, at 30,000L ($),constitutes a full meal but doesn't offer much variety. If you opt for a primo/secondo deal, follow up your spaghetti with a seafood main course like grilled fresh fish, swordfish, or, of course, tuna or the popular calamari arrostiti (roast squid).

Rais
Piazza Europa 8. tel. 0923-921-233. Open Wed-Mon noon-2pm, 7:30-11pm. Daily July-Aug.
It ain't much to write home about, but the filling food and low prices make the Rais[md]named after the leader of the great tuna massacre festival[md]a fine place to while away the evening on the square just of the harbor, especially if you can sit on the terraces loaded with Italian families and annual island visitors. Open with linguine al salmone (a light noodle dish with salmon), cuscus, or penne con gamberetti e panna (quill pasta mixed with shrimp in a cream sauce). Continue the meal with the typical local tonna alla griglia (a grilled tuna steak), fresh fish, or a cotoletta alla Milanese (breaded veal cutlet). In the evenings, you can order pizza all'Araba (with hot salami and anchovies) or, this being Favignana, tonnata (with tuna and onions).

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This material was last updated October 2009. All information was accurate at the time.

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