Spotlight On Levanzo Island

In the prehistoric age, the Aegadian islands were joined to the mainland; thus facilitated human settlements in this area. Evidence of this is the Genovese cave in the homonymous bay. It was called in this way because in the 16th and 17th centuries, merchant fleets from Genoa used to stop. Inside the cave, there are some representations of animals next to some very stylized human figures dating back to the Palaeolithic and Neolithic ages. Perhaps Levanzo's first inhabitants were the Phaeacians (sailors) and the Laestrygonians (farmers) coming from Epirus. As a matter of fact, today the island microeconomics is based on sea and the fruits of the land, even though over time the breeding of animals has become prevalent over agriculture. Around 1200 BC, there were in Sicily the Sicanians, the Sicels, and the Phoenicians. These last ones also settled in Levanzo.
This stretch of coast between Trapani and the Aegadian islands strongly comes to the fore from 249 up to 201 BC. In those years the sea in front of Levanzo was the scene of clashes between the Romans and the Carthaginians in the "Punic Wars". Even today, the mediterranean sea gives us great historical finds. The most recent is an almost intact roman ship which was found and recovered in Marausa, a seaside resort a few kilometers from Trapani.

The absence of roadways allows you to go hiking through charming and easy trails. You can reach small bays or climb up hills meeting many wild plants by the strong aroma. It is highly recommended a boat trip in order to give you a different and more intriguing point of view. A crystal clear water with intense shades of green and blue will tempt you to dive into the sea and look up to its fabulous depths. Any way you like... Just explore and enjoy.