Aegadian Islands, Mediterranean island group in Province of Trapani, Italy
The Aegadian Islands are an island group in the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Sicily within the Province of Trapani. The group includes three inhabited main islands and several uninhabited rocky islets that spread across an area of roughly 40 square kilometers (15 square miles) separated by channels.
A naval battle between Roman and Carthaginian fleets took place in the waters around the islands in 241 BC and ended the First Punic War. The Roman victory secured control over Sicily and marked a turning point in Mediterranean power balance.
The names of the islands come from different eras and echo in the dialects spoken by residents, who still use a western Sicilian accent. Visitors notice the small harbors where fishermen mend nets in the morning and secure their boats in the evening, while older men sit on stone benches watching the water.
Ferries run regularly between Trapani and the islands, with frequency increasing during summer months. Those planning to visit all three main islands should allow several days, as connections between the islands are less frequent than the routes to the mainland.
A cave on Levanzo preserves prehistoric wall paintings from the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods showing humans and animals. The drawings were only rediscovered in the mid-20th century and rank among the oldest known artworks in the Mediterranean region.
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