Isola Delle Femmine between Marine Conservation and Maritime History

Protected Nature by the Sea

Isola Delle Femmine combines the protected nature of the Riserva Naturale Isola delle Femmine with maritime history and local life, where fishing, religious tradition and underwater archaeology come together. For your travel planning, this means you can focus on different combinations of nature observation, seaside culture, underwater experiences and local cuisine.

The Riserva Naturale Isola delle Femmine covers approximately 15 hectares and is entirely designated as Zone A. It is home to more than 120 species of Mediterranean garrigue vegetation. In the Capo Gallo–Isola delle Femmine marine protected area, the rocky coasts also feature a vermetid reef formed by colonies of the small mollusc species Dendropoma petraeum.

Maritime History and Religious Tradition

The Torre in terra (Torre di Capaci) is a round coastal watchtower from the 15th century; its lower floor served as a cistern. On the offshore islet, the Torre di Fuori was designed by the military architect C. Camilliani and built at the end of the 16th century with two cisterns for rainwater.

Isola delle Femmine has historically been shaped by fishing, particularly lampuga fishing using traditional floating platforms known as “cannizzi”. A tonnara is documented for the year 1176 through its donation to the Bishop of Monreale. The Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie in Isola delle Femmine was consecrated as a sanctuary in 1995.

The feast of the Madonna delle Grazie is celebrated every year from 2 July until the following Sunday and includes a procession through the town. This religious event complements the enduringly visible traces of the coast and fishing history.

Underwater Archaeology and Excursions at Sea

In the waters of Isola delle Femmine, the Soprintendenza del Mare of the Sicilian Region has established three underwater archaeological routes. The eastern underwater archaeological route can be reached from the port of Isola delle Femmine in a five-minute boat ride. In Zone C of the marine park, visitors can explore the wreck of a three-engine Junkers Ju-52 aircraft at a depth of 46 metres.

EXPLORA also offers a glass-bottom boat trip in Isola delle Femmine, allowing visitors to observe underwater life. The range of maritime experiences therefore extends from the archaeological study of submerged traces to observing the underwater world.

Fish Market and Getting There

At the fish market in the port of Isola delle Femmine, visitors can buy fresh fish every morning, landed by local fishermen. The island of the Riserva Naturale Isola delle Femmine can be reached by ferry from Palermo.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Travel Plans

When choosing your hotel or accommodation in Isola Delle Femmine, you can clearly distinguish between the different focuses: nature interests concern the protected area, garrigue and rocky coasts; maritime days focus on underwater archaeology, the glass-bottom boat and the wreck; local history centres on the towers, tonnara, sanctuary and fishing. This allows you to plan your days and choose your accommodation’s location according to the experiences that matter most to you.

More Destinations

More destinations for planning your trip to Italy: Caccamo, Godrano, Monreale, Ventimiglia Di Sicilia, Altofonte, Villagrazia, Collesano, Ustica.

To the higher-level travel overview: Palermo.