Spend two days in Marettimo, tips and useful info

It was a year that rimurginavo to go Marettimo, not knowing the Island, but loving trekking, I could not help but read up on what routes to follow once there.

A lot of sites, most commercial, They gave very vague news and even partial. I started to search through “professionals” del trekking… but even here, sites that organize trekking, something more but nothing concrete.

I take a idea google maps… only satellite because the country is not yet mapped, if the road between the Scalo Nuovo and Scalo Vecchio, stylus a list in two days what can I do ! Ok. Let's start.

First day: Friday 7 July only sea !

Trapani, childbirth with the’hydrofoil of the 8.30, stop in Favignana, Levanzo and 9.40 Marettimo.

The arrival in Marettimo is simply a fairy tale, beautiful weather, Sea ideal for visiting the caves… first stop then a tour of the Island with a boat authorized by AMP (Here we are in a Marine Protected Area).

I appeal to Mimmo Bertolino, of Big Game nautical services, and depart from the jetty in front of the pier of the hydrofoil, with a single hull, fast but comfortable. 20 euro for the entire circumnavigation of the island with a couple of bathrooms coves not arrivabili from mainland. It starts, we are in 6 and two boys of’ crew, it's 10.00. In a few hours we should do it. And we make it. In fact the 12.30 we came into port satisfied and wonderfully surprised at the beauty of the caves and the rugged coast of the Island. Bathrooms unforgettable in a crystal clear sea and unique colors.

To know the details of the excursion boat see this other article: The caves and the circumnavigation of the island and unforgettable swimming !

After returning Mimmo takes us to our apartment, in an excellent position, upstream of the Scalo Vecchio, virtually the beginning of the path that leads to Punta Troia where there is the eponymous castle must visit, we will do it tomorrow.

While behind the apartment they begin the paths leading to the interior of the island and the opposite coast, that toward the north. But it is time for lunch and then a quick shower in the comfortable apartment that has always provided us with Mimmo Bertolino and off to eat something.

We turn to the country but do not go there to sit at a restaurant table for appesantirci although the attraction for the nice restaurants where the aroma of grilled fish and the fried toppings for pasta present perfumes the air and the temptation is so great. We will do that too but not today. We sit at Blue Wave Bar in the square, the only square in Marettimo where there is a little of both, the church, the Bancomat, the ticket for boarding, the shops, i bar, the market and so many places to eat something.

We order a cold beer indeed very cold and just a few pieces of rotisserie to swallow something and then a tour of the country to better understand the places. We did not come here to eat but to enjoy the island, in my opinion, the most beautiful in the Mediterranean.

Marettimo was saved because it is just that… those few square meters of the fishing village was so (Thank god) thanks to the foresight of residents who maintained their original places, no cars except the harbor front, no roads on the island except the narrow streets of the village… some bikes, some bike, actually even a few boats, less than what you aspects even though we are at the beginning of July.

Marettimo was saved from speculation due to its tumble environment… raw, rock down to the sea… the coves and beaches are inaccessible except by sea or by footpaths, passable only on foot and only after hours of trekking !

Marettimo was finally saved by the Marine Protected Area that preserves beauty making it also the means of livelihood for its people. What a wonderful discovery !

After an afternoon nap we want to take a bath, We go down the Scalo Vecchio continue a bit on the path to Punta Troia and a few meters from the village go down to a rocky cove. By the way DO NOT FORGET THE SHOES TO ROCK, There will also serve to reach the sea, Here there are no slides , nor concrete stairs, from the rock by the sea… and sea ! A refreshing bath course with MASK AND SNORKEL, I wear swim goggles, even those good for snorkeling and compact… I counter the underwater chamber… !

Look at the seabed… a few centimeters above the water…

Not happy with the place we decided to try a rocky cove then cobbled time to lie down a bit, right from the opposite side towards the Scalo Nuovo, I remember, during re-entry by spinning the morning caves, the boys had shown us a path that came to this cove, Nacchi beach. It descends steeply on the cliff and then you reach this corner of paradise to take the last swim, touched by the warm sun egadino.

At the Come Back, a cold beer at Coffee Tramontana, the old airport, and then a apericena based on tuna in the evening. I recommend what I got I, the Tuna cutting board with a good Sicilian white wine.

Second day: Saturday 8 July, trekking day !

Today we start early, all’alba, for the first of two hiking trails that I decided to tackle: starting at 6, I watch the sunrise from the sea, incredible scenery and rare beauty, and I walked over to the Roman houses and then at traffic light, all excursion details are in an article on: Trekking a Marettimo: from Scalo Vecchio to the Roman Houses, Semaphore and back.

From country to the Roman Houses (250 slm) there are around 1, 6 km you walk in 30/40 minutes then continue For others 2,8 km and can be reached, after an hour walk, the traffic light (470 slm) near the summit of Pizzo Telegraph (500 slm). So you go back down the same path to return to the country 9.00 after about 3 ore. In time for a refreshing shower and a hearty breakfast of lemon granita and warm croissant… a poem !

Tired but happy, I can only concentrate on the second and more challenging hike of the day: we start at 10:30 full sun… I do not see at all well… Today there is very hot… but I can not do it… I expect a bathroom at Scalo Maestro and the visit to the Castle of Punta Troia. The effort will be repaid ?

Discover how I finished reading my other two posts: From trekking in the country Scalo Maestro e The Punta Troia Castle, a treasure chest of Italian history not to be missed .

Returning pick us up by boat the boys of Big Game, within minutes we the Scalo Nuovo, tired with calves electrocuted by cramps… we are going to have a light dinner, but tasty in Trattoria to enjoy the seafood delicacies prepared with “Mediterranean passion” as he sang the unforgettable Russian Giuni !

The departure : Sunday 9 July last swim and hind boat

After an exhausting day of hiking and restful sleep you can only open the new day with a good breakfast and then a subsequent walk through the old town to discover the white houses Marettimo. All well kept thanks to a constant maintenance is essential for the salty air erosion pounding on houses during winter.

Take these lanes converting the soul and the body, without a car, nor motorbikes whizzing beside you exude the beauty of simple living to the rhythm of nature even in these pristine places.

With a bit of nostalgia we look around, the box, the flower beds, le bouganvillea, the plants that grow uninhibited between a house and the roadside, allowed to grow because here also a caper plan has another appeal. The shops are few but fascinating and simple for this unique, revenue watching, you'll find something that will attract and will buy. Life is not at all dear, I would say that under the average of the Egadi. Sure isolation causes adapt, we will not find anything that we use every day, but we will be happy to have them not those things which remind us too the quotidinità of our life in the world beyond the sea that divides the unspoilt Mediterranean, stops for centuries, and the sad frenetic days of our citizens.

Everything here is a measure of time and space. In winter 150 souls they keep company finding the essence of man made of solidarity, Union, hospitality. We believe we have everything in our richest cities, It is not so: Coming in Marettimo goes away with something inside that recalls the true essence of man, as a guest of this wonderful house called Earth.

A quick swim in the cove of the Scalo Vecchio who has extraordinary seabed rich in fish shoals, glances, salpe, agonizing, violette, scorpionfish, mullet… even infants, ricci, shellfish, actinias… and meadows of Posidonia, the real star of the Egadi Islands, one of the reasons why this archipelago is a Protected Area.

Watching Posidonia underwater and get carried away by the waves is like being rocked by a mother in her womb. The marine plant (It is not an algae) that populates the planet backdrops for over 120 million years it is the mother of all creatures that live in this sea, grow and die. In fact, it is present only in our Mediterranean Sea.

Fascinated by her beauty even under the water I can only hope that these mountain landscapes, marine and underwater can also live them allowing our future generations to these islands and their inhabitants to maintain such places protecting them from unnecessary consumer society of which we are all slaves.

E’ Time to take the ship, Sunday ferry leaves at 15. We chose the slowness of the ship indoors dell'aliscafo to enjoy the views of the three Egadi, soon as it loses contact with Marettimo Favignana here to view and then Levanzo and finally the two islets almost of rocks of Formica and Maraone.