Pantelleria Travel Guide
Pantelleria, a small volcanic island 100km off of the coast of Sicily, might be best known as the filming location of the Luca Guadagnino movie “A Bigger Splash” and as a remote hideaway for Giorgio Armani and his famous friends. But, more importantly, it is a brilliant vacation destination for anyone looking for a place far away to escape their every day for a moment.
I came across Pantelleria when researching vacation destinations for June 2018 and was immediately intrigued. After checking flights and accommodations, we booked the trip almost instantly.
While it belongs to Italy, Pantelleria is, in fact, closer to Tunisia than to Sicily. On clear days you can see the Tunisian coast. The cuisine, dialect and architecture of Pantelleria have Arabic influences.
Life on Pantelleria is frugal. There are days when some products are not in stock at the grocery stores because the ferry from Sicily was delayed. Also, the internet connection is spotty. The climate on the island is hot, windy and mostly dry, but capers, wine and olive trees still thrive on Pantelleria – and have been grown here for centuries thanks to nifty agricultural methods. The Panteschi, as the inhabitants of Pantelleria are known, seem as hardy as the plants they grow. They were very welcoming as well, despite our inability to speak Italian.
As the island is not easy to reach and lacks white sandy beaches, it remains largely untouched by mass tourism, which makes a trip to the small island in the Mediterranean all more intriguing.
Oh, I would head back to Pantelleria in a blink of an eye.
How to get to PantelleriaThere are daily flights to Pantelleria from Palermo or Trapani on Sicily all year round. If you want to travel via Sicily, you can take the ferry or a hydrofoil boat from Trapani. But, services might get disrupted due to bad weather conditions.
Flights leave from several Italian cities, like Bergamo, Milan, Bologna, Venice or Rome, in the summer months. We flew from Bergamo with Volotea.
getting around on PantelleriaYou do need to rent a car to explore Pantelleria. There is a bus line, but a car will make you much more flexible. There are different car rentals available. We had a good experience with renting a Citroën Mehari through Autonologgio Brignone. Also, Policardo is an alternative option.
The roads on Pantelleria are narrow and winding, so leave your big SUV at home.
Stay at Tenuta Borgia
As we arrive at Tenuta Borgia, we find ourselves in a small paradise in the southwest of the island. The property is sweeping, so its seven different accommodations are located far enough from each other to ensure complete privacy. An extensive Arabic Garden with hibiscus and lemon trees that grow protected from the strong winds by walls made of volcanic rock is available to all guests.
Our home for the next two weeks is called Palmeto. It is a Dammuso built in the traditional architectural style of Pantelleria, with thick walls to keep out the heat and a domed roof to collect rainwater. The building is surrounded by palm trees, wines and the ubiquitous caper plants that grow all around the island. A massive pink bougainvillaea climbs the walls of the building.
Inside, we are welcomed by a perfectly equipped kitchen where I would cook many simple meals using produce from the island. The adjacent living room feels spacious with its large window. The bedroom is minimal but cosy. An ensuite bath leads back out onto the patio. There we also find some steps up on the roof – and we are encouraged to use them – such a good spot for morning yoga! A smaller second wing with a separate entrance houses another bath and bedroom.
The best part of the place is the outdoor space with sweeping views across the island to the Mediterranean sea. There are several spots to sunbathe or read in the shade and a huge dinner table. Another highlight is our private heated plunge pool.
The Dammuso Grande at Tenuta Borgia is where “A Bigger Splash” is set. It includes exclusive access to the iconic pool that looks like taken from a David Hockney painting. It is still a dream of mine to swim there one day.
Experience Island Life in Scauri
Being closest to our accommodation, Scauri quickly became our go-to destination for grocery shopping, drinks and dinners. I found it to be a cute little village with a certain allure. But opinions might differ – our host from Tenuta Borgia exclaimed at one point: «Your pictures make even Scauri look beautiful.»
This bakery sells delicious bread, pizza and other baked goods. They also have a small terrace, high above the sea, where you can enjoy coffee and listen to locals chatting in their Pantesco accent.
Azienda Agricola Di Emanuela Bonomo
A little farm shop outside of Scauri that sells organic fruit and vegetables from their own farm, homemade preserves, olive oil, wines and jams. They also serve aperitivo with local wine and snacks in their beautiful outdoor area overlooking the farm.
This family restaurant right by the sea became a quick favourite. They serve delicious seafood, pasta dishes and more. Try the Insalata Pantescu (Pantelleria salad recipe) – and the Baci Pantesci, a sweet dessert of crispy fried dough filled with sheep ricotta from the island.
Another good restaurant in Scauri. They serve pizza from the wood oven, seafood and more in their beautiful secret garden.
A small and simple bar by the harbour in Scauri that is the perfect place for a cold beer or pre-dinner drink.
Explore Hot Springs & Take a Volcanic Mud Bath
The last volcanic eruption on Pantelleria occurred 5km outside of the Port of Pantelleria in 1891, but even today, the island is still an active volcanic complex. Constant reminders of that volcanic activity are hot springs all around the island.
Most of these spots are accessible by car but include a short walk or hike. But you can also hike from the Monastero Plain via Grotta di Benikulà to Favara Grande. Just be aware that there is hardly any mobile reception on the mountain, so be better at planning your hike than we were. Otherwise, you might end up lost amidst a field of thorny thistles, an experience I would not recommend to anyone.
Often referred to as the only beach on Pantelleria, Lago di Venere is a lake of sulfurous water fed by thermal water. The mud that contains a specific type of algae is also said to be beneficial for the skin.
Above the Monastero Plain, you can find a small cave called Bagno Asciutto (dry bath). Here hot steam evaporates from a crack in the rock at about 40°C.
Up on Mount Gibele, the second-highest mountain of Pantelleria, you can hike to Favara Grande, where hot steam and hot water bubble up from the ground.
There are no beaches on Pantelleria, but…
Have you ever felt vertigo while swimming? It was a completely new sensation for me, but the one I got while floating in the clear blue waters of Pantelleria, looking down onto the steep underwater cliffs below me. I was spooked but exhilarated at the same time.
As I mentioned, Pantelleria has no stretches of endless sandy beaches with lounge chairs, lifeguards, and beach bars. But, there are many rocky yet stunning coves with more or less easy access to the water. Pantelleria may lack beaches, but it is a perfect spot for wild swimming. So, pack your beach towels, underwater goggles, a snack and water. Bathing shoes might also be a good idea as the dark rock heats up quite a bit in the sun.
This large crystal clear natural rock pool is one of the most stunning places I have ever been to, so do not miss out on a hike to Laghetto Delle Ondine, even if you want to go for a swim. It is also a great spot to relax and listen to the waves crashing against the rocks. You can reach Laghetto Delle Ondine from Punta Spadillo, where parking spots are available.
One of the most popular attractions of the islands and a favoured spot for swimming is the so-called Elephant Arch. It is uncomplicated to reach by car. Also, getting in and out of the water is rather convenient here. The coast is very steep with different colourful fish and other sea creatures, making it a popular spot for snorkelling and diving.
This cove below a massive cliff is a bit harder to reach by car via a bumpy unpaved road. But, we found the rocks here to be very smooth, so it is nice to lie down with a book and read in the sun for a while.
More Accessible Swimming Spots
There are spots around the island, like Cala Levante and Cala Tramontana, where concrete platforms make access to the water easier. The seabed in these locations is less steep, so they are also more suitable for less experienced swimmers. Also, at the end of the promenade in Cala Gadir, you can find a part of the ocean closed off by concrete walls and enjoy thermal waters mixing with fresh seawater.
Discover the Villages on Pantelleria’s east coast
If you have enough of nature, quite a few small villages dotted across the island are worth visiting. They might not seem remarkable at first glance, but like Scauri, they all have a unique charm. They also provide an insight into what life on the island might be like. Personally, I found Cala Gadir and Khamma to be worth a closer look.
When you approach this small fishing village, you drive through luscious green hills as the climate is milder here than on the rest of the island. While most of the island feels frugal, Cala Gadir is also where you will encounter a few expensive villas tucked away between palm trees and gates.
But, down by the harbour, everything feels remarkably down to earth. The small promenade is perfect for a short stroll. When we went here, people were sunbathing on the jetty as a fisherman was painstakingly restoring his boat. There is an eatery, Da Angelo, that is nothing special but nice enough for a drink and snack in the sun.
The village of Khamma stretches along the inland parts of the island and might seem plain, but I found it quite endearing. Steep roads lead down to the coast, yet if you head further on Via Khamma, you will reach Donnafugata Vinery, one of the biggest producers on the island. Here you can book a degustation to sample the local wines, Zibibbo and Passito, and learn about the specific wine-growing practice on the island. You can also visit the Giardino Pantesco, a traditional garden hidden behind walls of lava stone to create a micro-climate that allows plants to thrive in the dry and windy environment on the island.
A decent place for dinner on the coastline of Khamma is Le 2 Cale on the edge of Cala Levante.
Disclaimer:
This is not an exhaustive guide to Pantelleria; there are surely plenty more things to do, like hikes, boat trips and diving tours. I aimed to share what left a lasting impression on me when we visited the island in 2018.
Most links in this post will lead you to Google Maps for exact locations, etc. You can find all places linked on this Google map as well.