Of the three Aegadian Islands, the island of Marettimo is the quietest and most remote with a distance of around 46 kilometers from Trapani on the Sicilian mainland. Unlike its near neighbors Favignana and to a lesser extent, Levanzo, Marettimo remains largely untouched by tourism although that's not to say there's nothing here for those that do choose to make the journey.
The arrival port is pretty and welcoming. Low-rise, whitewashed buildings hugging a traditional fishing port with the traditional fishing vessels providing a splash of color. The white houses have blue shutters with on each of them magnificent ceramic plaques mentioning the names of their residents. Life on the island still takes place mainly at sea and the fishermen of Marettimo are considered the most skilled in the Mediterranean. For some historians, the mythical Ithaca, which the hero of The Odyssey sought at all costs to reach for ten years, is called Marettimo. The ancient Greek name of the island, quoted by Polybius, was Hier à Nésos meaning “Sacred Island”. The ancient populations of this restricted land of the Mediterranean (Phoenicians, Elymes, Sicanes) indeed attributed to this island a sacred character which it still enjoys today.
Marettimo's main attraction is its rugged natural beauty which you can enjoy by exploring its many, well-marked pathways.