Marettimo, Island in the Aegadian Islands, Sicily, Italy
Marettimo is the westernmost island of the Aegadian Islands, a small archipelago off the northwestern coast of Sicily, Italy. The island has a small village with narrow lanes and white stone houses, surrounded by a rocky coastline dotted with caves, hidden coves, and forested slopes.
People have lived on Marettimo since the Neolithic era, and over the centuries Phoenicians, Elymians, and Romans each left traces on the island. The waters nearby were the site of the Battle of the Egadi Islands in 241 BC, which ended the First Punic War between Rome and Carthage.
Most visitors explore on foot or by boat, since there are almost no cars on the island. Fishermen sell their catch directly at the pier, and the small bars along the port serve granita made with mulberries, a local specialty the island is known for across the region.
Marettimo is accessible only by ferry, with departures from Trapani and Marsala on the Sicilian coast as well as from the other Aegadian Islands. There are almost no cars on the island, so comfortable shoes for rocky paths are a good idea.
Some researchers believe Marettimo may be the island of Ithaca described by Homer, and in the 19th century the writer Samuel Butler traveled here specifically to investigate that idea. Near the summit of Mount Falcone, there are also strange groups of standing stones oriented toward the sunrise, resembling a smaller version of Stonehenge.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
