Little Marettimo is a beautiful chunk of green-covered mountain, dropped into the azure Tyrrhenian Sea.  The most westerly of the Egadi archipelago, this tiny island is situated approximately 40 kms off the west coast of Sicily and covers an area of only 12.3 kms². It has one cute little blue and white town (village), one (very short) road, 2 ports (old and new) and lots and lots of boats! Boats everywhere! I only had 24 hours to see as much of this little gem as possible and, without a boat, the only way to do that is to walk!

The journey from Favignana only took a few minutes on the hydrofoil but very few people got off at Marettimo!  The hydrofoil drops passengers at the end of the ‘new’ harbour – a large, and not particularly attractive, lump of concrete that juts into the sea on the opposite side of the town to the more sheltered ‘old’ port.  A wide promenade bordered by the sea wall links the two causeways – old and new – and the whole area – land and sea – is covered in boats – all painted in various shades of white, red and blue.

The little town nestles comfortably into the mountainside behind it with the sea at its feet. Narrow streets of whitewashed, cube-shaped houses with blue shutters and trailing magenta bougainvillea slope upwards and peter out at the top of town where steep pathways head on up into the mountains towards the Roman ruins. Rows of houses spread across the foothills from the town centre like tentacles, all with blue doors and windows opening onto breathtaking views out across the open sea. The island’s only proper road (apart from the narrow town streets) leads southwards from town towards the island’s cemetery, a short distance away, where it abruptly end! On the other side of town, a path carved out of the red earthy hillside continues along the coast to the imposing Norman fortress, the Castello di Punta Troia, which perches precariously on top of a steep rocky outcrop – almost an island in its own right but linked to the main island by a narrow isthmus. The island has a well sign-posted network of hiking trails and some significant Roman ruins and a Byzantine chapel on top to walk to (I didn’t go that far!).

The locals had a good look at me as I wandered nervously into town. I find a cheery  and bravely direct ‘Buongiorno!’ usually deals with any unwanted attention.  I expected to be one of the only tourists at this time of year but discovered that a group of 30 or so photographers from a well-known wedding magazine were there at the same time. Trendy youngish people dressed in black and all wearing sunglasses, were all over the place, touting obscenely long camera lenses and snapping each other looking beautiful.  I found my accommodation (B+B Isola del Miele http://www.booking.com) at the top of town with a bit of difficulty (in places like this google maps doesn’t always get it quite right!) The door was open but there was no-one there. I called the owner and he directed me by phone to my room and kindly said I could check in early as it was empty and he’d come by later to take my details.  Spacious and clean but not at all stylish like my beautiful Favignana room, I dumped my bags and headed off to explore Marettimo on foot.

Second largest of the Aegadian Islands, Marettimo apparently has a population of only 300 people in winter which swells to 700 in summer (not counting the tourists).  Tourism is big here and in addition to the B+Bs in town, offering boat trips around the island to swimming spots inaccessible by any other means is a very popular way to generate income in the summer months.  Fishing (particularly in summer) and selling local produce such as honey and various products made from tuna are also a source of income.  There seemed to be two main bars – one in the square next to the church (full of photographers) and another, La Scaletta, a friendly place with tables and chairs outside on the coastal walkway with a view out to sea and steps cut into the wall leading down to the grey pebbly beach and the water.  I made the latter my local for the duration and started with breakfast of espresso and another delicious croissant (cream or jam they asked – no such thing as an empty croissant here!)

The whole of the island had been shrouded in a low and menacing looking grey cloud when I arrived so I’d set off dressed for wind and rain.  By the time I arrived at the cemetery at the end of the very short road it was warming up nicely.  The cemetery was looking spick and span following the previous day’s attentions for the Day of the Dead commemoration and graves were all decorated with bright bunches of chrysanthemums. I followed the path which leads along the coast from the cemetery gate and came to a rocky high point from which I could look down over a nice little grey shingle beach lapped by crystal clear water.  Sadly (for me), the family of German tourists I’d shared the hydrofoil with had made it before me and had claimed it for their own and were happily splashing around in the shallow waters. It wasn’t really a big enough beach for all of us without awkwardness so I strolled back to town in the warm sunshine.

Now that the cloud had cleared I could see the densely wooded island rising up steeply on my left as I headed back – its highest point is Monte Falcone with a height of 686 ms. I watched the car ferry dock and leave again down in the harbour and walked through the town’s quiet streets towards the old harbour.  A flatbed truck had arrived on the ferry and was parked in the little square selling vegetables from a couple of trestle tables and the back of the truck.  Local ladies were there with their wheeley shopping trolleys inspecting huge green cauliflowers and other merchandise. Down by the water, the photographers had gathered and were having a noisy meeting.

The wide promenade rises steeply above the old harbour, benches and large shady palm trees line the way whoever might sit there on warmer days. The promenade becomes a path which eventually becomes nothing more than a narrow track. I carried on out of town along the coastal path towards the Castello Punta Troia – Marettimo’s most stunning landmark.  Thought to be of Saracen origin, the original tower was transformed into a proper castle by King Ruggero II of Sicily in 1140 and it became an import part of Sicily’s western defenses.  It is thought to have been developed and changed by many subsequent residents over the years, achieving its present appearance under Spanish rule in the 17th century. It’s stunning location on top of a steep and rocky promontory off the island’s north east coast offers unchallenged views out to sea for miles around.  For centuries, it has served as look-out post and prison. Today it is home to a prison museum and serves as an observation station for monk seals as part of the islands’ protected marine status.

The path was clear and well signposted but narrow, unpaved and covered in loose stones and pebbles. It was cut from the red earth into the steep and wooded hillside through beautiful trees, shrubs and typical Mediterranean vegetation. The pathway wound around the contours and trees of the natural landscape past some enormous natural caves above me and, as I climbed higher, I had amazing views back down over the town behind me and of the castle up ahead. It was a fairly steep drop down into the sea on one side and a steep slope up the mountain on the other.  On a clear day like the day I was there, it’s a spectacular walk!  Around 3.30 pm the sun disappeared over the mountain to go and set over the sea on the other side of the island.  It started to get cooler and as it would be getting dark quite early, I decided it probably wasn’t very sensible to be out walking on such a path by myself in the twilight so I turned back – sadly without making it to the castle.  It was still a great walk and I’ll make it there next time!

I wondered around the town’s fairly deserted streets and then, back at my local, I ordered a huge plate of antipasti (€10) consisting of caponata – a Sicilian dish made from aubergines and tomatoes, some meaty cold fish – tasted something like a mackerel – and some Melanzane parmegiana – more aubergines! Delicious and filling. I washed it down with a couple of small bottles of Nastro Azzurro (a staggering €4 a bottle but I suppose it has to get here by boat!) The bar was full of a selection of locals and the Germans from the beach but no photogs!  I headed home for an early night via the tiny supermarket.  I find that the Sicilians have an interesting way of chatting to strangers – they use the polite form of address but treat you like they’ve known you for years – I like it. The lady in the supermarket chatted amiably and didn’t have enough change so told me I could owe her for my postcards!

The next morning, my hostess Rosa, plied me with leaflets for summer boat trips (run by her husband) for my next visit. I ambled down for breakfast at La Scaletta via the tiny hole-in-the-wall ticket office that opens half an hour or so before each departure in time for people to buy their tickets and read some of the poems displayed in ceramic tablets fixed to the church walls. I enjoyed another coffee and cream croissant outside on the terrace and watched the dogs running along the wall and down the steep staircase to the pebble beach below. Marettimo seems to be full of free-running dogs, most of them spotted pointers of some description. (The concept of clearing up after your dog is an alien one here though so streets are a bit…..grubby!) Down at the sloping causeway behind the new harbour, several fishermen were trying to winch a tiny fishing boat out of the water and manoeuveur it up onto the slope, several more were enjoying the spectacle!

I went to pay my debt at the supermarket – the signora still didn’t have change so we did a deal which involved me buying more postcards! I amused myself taking pictures of the fishing boats as I watched the hydrofoil speeding across the water towards us – the islands of Favignana and Levanzo clearly visible on the horizon. Joined by the entire group of photographers,  I boarded the hydrofoil for Levanzo.  (Happily, they were going to Favignana!)

Marettimo is a picturesque little heaven for out-of-season hikers (in good weather) but, if you’re not a keen walker, the percentage of it available to you without a boat is very limited.  I found the people friendly and welcoming and I’m glad I came in winter but it  is quite small and would probably be lots more fun in summer with a group of friends, a nice rental house with a roof terrace and a great big BOAT!

 

NEXT ISLAND:  From Marettimo I am heading to Levanzo – the last of the Egadi Islands.