A tiny island off the coast of Sicily, Favignana is the largest one of Aegadian Islands, which also include Marettimo and Levanzo. Whilst Favignana was once prominently involved with tuna fishing and packing, it is now focussed on tourism. But you won’t find scores of people flocking to the white sand beaches with cool boxes in hand, like some other European holiday destinations; the island is relatively untouched by the cruel hands of mass tourism and remains a safe haven for those looking for some peace and quiet.

Cala Rossa, Favignana, Italy by rivaalessandro

Places to Stay

There are a variety of different hotels to stay in around the island and you can be sure a beautiful view of the azure sea is never far away. My two favourites are the Hotel Tempo di Mare and the Hotel Cave Bianche.

The Hotel Tempo di Mare is a four star, stunning white-walled hotel whose entranceway beautifully frames the crystalline waters. It is not a huge hotel and has around 45 rooms, each designed in a simple but chic way with white linens and hints of pale blue. There is a restaurant within the hotel which serves delicious Italian and Sicilian fusion food, using the mouth-wateringly plentiful frutti-di-mare.

The Cave Bianche is a little further away from the island’s main city, only around a 10-15 minute drive, and is set in an old mining quarry. This is a striking hotel unlike anything else in the world; submerged within a quarry with huge vaulted ceilings and characteristic pale sandstone walls. There is also a large pool and Jacuzzi’s not to mention plenty of sunbeds, so you can take advantage of the warming Mediterranean sun.

All in all both hotels are stunning and a real design feat, certainly eons better than what you would find on the Costa del Sol!

Church in Favignana, Sicily, Italy by giovanni.gambaro

Beaches

There are a number of beaches scattered throughout the island, the best has to be the gorgeous Lido Burrone and Cala Azzurra. Both of these beaches are around the south of the island and easily accessible by car or moped. The real thing that makes them special is the fact that the sea is so clear, and the sea beds are covered with luminous white sand stretching out from the coastline. This makes it easy to see all of the amazing sea-life around the area, including octopi, moray eels, crabs and jellyfish, although the majority of these will be found in deeper waters so you don’t have to worry about getting stung!

Sunset at Favignana, Sicily, Italy by payhere

How to get there?

I am from London and so one way I found to get there was flying from Heathrow to Palermo in Sicily which is only a short flight, then hire a car from Palermo to Trapani and then hop on a hydrofoil for around 20 minutes to then get to Favignana’s main port. If all this may seem a little too much, why not try a cruise and stay Caribbean cruise? They are run regularly by many operators and stop right alongside Sicily making it much easier for you to get to Favignana.

However you find it, Favignana is a real hidden gem, so why not discover it now before everybody else does?

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Europe, despite being one of the most heavily populated and developed continents in the world, still has plenty of wild areas where you can find some superb family adventure holidays. The great thing about Europe is that it offers terrain to explore and offer challenges at any time of year, from deepest winter to the baking sunshine of summer. Find the right location and the possibilities are as varied as Europe’s land and seascapes.

Czech Paradise National Park, Czech Republic / Photo by admin

Mountains, Rivers and Deep Forests

Central Europe, especially Germany, offers some of the deepest woodlands in Europe. In particular, the Black Forest, in the south west of Germany, has some wonderful facilities to offer to visitors. Bavaria’s meadows and mountain peaks are great for people who love hiking or cycling, while the water courses are ideal for those travellers who enjoy adrenaline fuelled water sports.

Southern Sun and Shorelines

Heading further south, you come to the Mediterranean countries with their spectacular coasts. The rocky Adriatic coasts of Croatia and Greece are great for people who enjoy sea-based water sports, while many of the islands in the Mediterranean are popular with people who like sailing. The beaches are also great in this part of Europe, if you need a something more restful for a while. A great way of exploring what the beaches can offer in this part of Europe is by canoe and many sailing tours offer this facility.

Beach in Pollina, Sicily, Italy / Photo by admin

Winter in the Wild

When the weather turns to snow, that does not mean things shut down in Europe. The snow comes as a boon for the skiing resorts of the Alps and the Pyrenees, while in Scandinavia, the weather is simply a part of life, influencing culture on almost every level. In countries such as Sweden and Finland, you can explore winter woodlands by skiddoo or learn to cross country ski, one of the world’s most beneficial types of exercise.

It is also possible to spot different kinds of wildlife in winter and the landscapes covered in snow form great backdrops for nature photographers. The mountain resorts of France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland really come alive in the winter months, with the adventure holidays for families available at this time are centred upon skiing and snowboarding type activities.

High Tatras National Park in Winter, Slovakia / Photo by admin

Whatever kind of adventure holidays you are seeking, from birdwatching tours to learning to water ski, Europe really can provide it all. With accessibility and transport links invariably very good by global standards, Europe answers many of the questions keen holiday makers often ask.

AUTHOR BIO: Graham Devonshire has been at home in the Alps for years. A mountain lover, whatever the weather, he write regularly about adventure holidays for families, along with other travel matters, for a range of blogs and websites. A keen skier, as well as white water rafter, his own family adventure holidays have attained an epic status in the annals of his own household, where his family attempt to keep his boundless enthusiasm for the outdoors bottled up, at least until he’s in range of the mountains.

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Photo by cera1980

Gioiosa Marea is also known as spa town, which has retained its unique peaceful atmosphere to these days, despite of the development of tourism in Sicily. Lots of great romantic restaurants, cafes and bars are waiting for you in the town centre and invite you to sit and taste a glass of good wine. Shopping lovers will be pleased of shops with all sorts of souvenirs. You can stay in the small holiday village Piraino, that is just few kilometres from Gioiosa Marea.

Approximately 2 km away of Gioiosa Marea you can find a picturesque beach, above which rises a granite rocks Capo Calava’s. Do not miss a visit to three local caves, which are interconnected with corridors and wells. Caves are not yet fully explored. Interesting trips can be taken to Tindari, Milazzo, or to the historic town of Cefalu, Taormina, Etna and others.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Carlo Columba

Visitors of Scillato can admire the typical Sicilian Baglio house from the 19th century. Its owner is old aristocratic Sicilian family since its inception. It is surrounded by extensive parks full of rare trees and centuries-old trees. This house is nowadays used as a hostel for tourists and there is even a swimming pool with cloak-room. The house stands on the edge of a protected natural park, the Parco delle Madonie and is situated near a large golf course.

Do not look for the sea in Scillato (in fact, not all of the places in Sicily offers swimming in the sea), but if you have a car, you can go to the beach town of Cefalu, which is located approximately 40 km away. Cefalu preserved its picturesque and medieval atmosphere. Above the town rises interesting reef La Rocca resembling a fortress, which was once overlooked by the temple of Diana. Cefalu’s dominant is the cathedral of 1131, which was originally a royal tomb, and the main temple of the kingdom of Sicily. The coast is lined with some beautiful sandy beaches.

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Monte Cofano Nature Reserve (La Riserva naturale orientata Monte Cofano) offers to Sicilian visitors an unspoilt beauty and presents a significant value for natural and anthropological features.

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The mountain is formed by a combination of dolomite, carbonate rocks that are the oldest outcrops in the province and date back to the Triassic, about 200 million years ago. They are separated from neighboring area Gnarosa Marcato by a small saddle. You can follow the marked trail starting from the beach Cala Buguto that leads all around the perimeter of the mountain. From the top of the mountain you can enjoy a splendid view of the coastline.

There are many signs of human presence in this area since prehistoric times as evidenced by the graffiti and stone tools which were found in caves Miceli, Buffa, del Crocefisso and Mangiapane.

In June 1991 the area was declared a nature reserve.

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The main characteristic feature of the landscape Nebrodi is a great diversity of landforms, rich vegetation and wetlands. The Arabs called Nebrodi as “Island in the Island” and the reason was the richness of forests, green pastures, quiet lakes and bubbling streams – the country so different from the image of dry and sun-scorched Sicily.

Nature Reserve (Parco naturale) Nebrodi was founded in 1993 and covers the most important and largest forested area of Sicily (about 50,000 ha). Despite of the deteriorating conditions of environmental, Nebrodi still offers the greatest wealth of fauna from all over Sicily. Some species have disappeared, unfortunately – the last wolves were killed at the end of twentieth century, the population of vultures extinct during the 60′s due to poisoned baits for foxes. Among the current, often scarce inhabitants of Nebrodi are porcupine, wild cat, pine marten, greenish turtle, mud turtle, frog, and colorful green jumper. Area of Nebrodi includes 150 bird species, many of them are endemic.

The hiking trails lead through the protected area from the west to the east. In the ridge you can find the only wetland in Sicily, which offers also the beautiful natural scenery.

The highest peak of Nebrodi is the Monte Soro (1,817 m).

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Caltagirone is famous for the production of hand-made ceramics, particularly maiolica and terra-cotta wares. Production of grapes, olives and peaches is also typical for this region.

In the city you can visit Museum of Pottery which is dedicated to the history of pottery, where you can see a collection of ancient and modern pottery and terra-cotta, dating back to the Magna Grecia period.

The biggest attraction of the city is 142-step monumental Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, built from 1608 in the old part of the town. The speciality is that each stair is decorated with different hand-made ceramics, using styles and figures derived from the millennial tradition of pottery making.

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During the summer there are lots of concerts in Caltagirone, theater performances and dance celebrations, but the most important event is on 24 and 25 July each year called La Luminaria – feast of San Giacomo, saint patron of the city. The staircase is illuminated with candles of different colours arranged in order to reconstruct an artistic drawing of several tens of meters.

During the winter Caltagirone is much more picturesque thanks to the temperature differences between day and night, that often rise to a dense fog, familiarly called “A Paisana“.

The historical center of Caltagirone extends along two main streets: Via Roma and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Here you can see beautiful baroque buildings, including Palazzo Gravina, and the norman Basilica di San Giacomo which houses precious works of art.

However the city offers much more and it really worth to see it.

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Greek theatre Teatro Greco, Taormina, Sicily, Italy by Dennis Jarvis

The most important monument of Taormina is the Greek theatre Teatro Greco, built in the 3rd century BC, rebuilt later by the Romans in the 1st century BC. Theatre offers a magnificent view of snowy Mount Etna and the sea coast. During the summer there is a popular Art Festival in Taormina.

The city also offers other historical monuments such as Odeion – used for music shows and recitation. Another monument is the Palazzo Corvaia. On the Piazza IX Aprile you can find Torre Dell’Orologio built in the 12th century, with a terrace offering views of Mount Etna and the bay. You can visit a fortress of Castelo Saraceno which is still situated on the hill of Monte Tauro, not far from the town of Taormina.

Taormina at night, Sicily, Italy by Christine Zenino

Coast around the town is very attractive as well. You can find beaches, caves and rocky bays here. Currently, the city has about 11,000 inhabitants and if you are heading to Sicily, never miss this great Sicilian jewel.

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The ancient town is really well preserved. The monument complex contains also a smaller ancient theater, located on the hill of Monte Barbaro, from which you can enjoy the beautiful views of the Castellammare del Golfo.

At Segesta’s archaeological park, there’s a shuttle bus to take you from the parking area to the amphitheatre and urban excavations. The nearest locality is Calatafimi. During Summer, several classical Greek dramas are performed at Segesta’s ancient amphitheatre, but many of these productions feature actors and actresses wearing casual clothes instead of classical costumes.

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Agrigento Greek colony was founded in the 6th century BC but already in 406 BC the town was destroyed by the Carthaginians. Until now there are still well-preserved ruins of ancient town.

The local archaeological area of Agrigento is the richest group of well-preserved Greek temples in the world. You can find here the remains of buildings from the later Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Since 1997, the archaeological area of Agrigento is registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

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