The Suggestive: the caves of Marettimo

It is thought that the island of Marettimo was inhabited for the first time around 5,000 BC and there are several finds found on the island and preserved today in the museum of the sea that confirm and testify it, with arrows and obsidian splinters.

The ancient populations that inhabited it, such as the Phoenicians, the Elimi and the Sicani, attributed a sacred character to the island, as, according to the Trapani theory of the Odyssey, Marettimo coincides with Ithaca, the famous homeland of Ulysses.

Although its origins are very ancient, Marettimo is remembered in particular from March 20, 241 BC, for the battle that ended the First Punic War and after a series of endless invasions by Arabs, Swabians, Angions and Spaniards, in the middle of 800 was finally able to take some serenity brought by King Ferdinand II of Bourbon. Finally, thanks to the arrival of the Florio family in Sicily, the inhabitants of the island finally abandoned the caves in which they hid to build houses.

Its unspoiled nature is partly due to the fact that Marettimo broke away from the mainland several millennia before the other two islands of the archipelago, with the consequent result that there are various endemic plants and ancient trees. Nature wins on the island, without allowing man to change its shape.

Among the attractions the main ones are the houses of the Romans and the Byzantine church, which have remained intact since their construction and the Castle of Punta Troia, which has accompanied the island at all times and manages to tell its story. Perfectly restored and can also be visited inside. It has been kept in the same structure as when it was conceived and houses in its rooms the Prisons Museum of Punta Troia and the Observatory for the Monk Seal of the Protected Marine Area of the Egadi Islands.

Among the main reasons to visit Marettimo we have the caves and the infinite hidden coves.

Along the coast you can meet more than 400 caves and inlets, many of which can only be reached by sea. Among the most beautiful caves we have the Grotta del Cammello, Grotta del Tuono, Grotta della Pipa, Grotta Perciata, Grotta della Ficaredda, Grotta del Presepe, Grotta della Bombarda and the Ruttiddi, small and fascinating ones that lead up to the Grotta degli Innamorati.

This is the perfect excursion that allows you to take a complete tour of the island of Marettimo to discover hidden coves, excellent for snorkeling.

1. 1

   Departure from Trapani at 09.30

2. 2

   Arrival on the island of Marettimo

3. 3

   Stop in Marettimo Stop of 1h 30m to visit the town

4. 4

   Complete tour of the island Complete tour of the island with a visit to the most beautiful coves and caves with stops for swimming and snorkeling

5. 5

   Light Lunch on board

6. 6

   Panoramic visit On the return there will be a panoramic visit to the island of Levanzo with a last stop for swimming

7. 7

   Return to Trapani at the port, scheduled for 18.30

Your boat excursion to Marettimo awaits you!