NEW 2023
Panacea our beautiful boat is ready for you to experience emotions you will find hard to forget
It is a sustainable tourism project that combines the fun of a boat excursion to the discovery of the values of the area with a 360-degree involvement in the cultural, gastronomic and environmental characteristics of the Egadi Islands and Marsala
Climbing aboard there will be a chance to visit places far from mass tourism and the usual routes.
And also numerous stops at places of naturalistic interest such as the sea turtle recovery centers (CTRM) that was set up in the old TONNARA FLORIO factory in Favignana.
A visit to the former Florio Plant is essential for those who want to experience a journey into the tuna fishery’s prosperous past and what it represented for the development of the island of Favignana. The former Florio factory is a true jewel of industrial archaeology.
Favignana Island and the Bluefin Tuna
Favignana Island is the largest in the Egadi Islands Archipelago, so much so that it represents a municipality in its own right. The Beach is among the most beautiful in the Trapani area, from which it is possible to catch a glimpse of the ancient tuna nets with which residents used to fish and process tuna. In addition to beautiful vegetation, characterized by the typical Mediterranean Macchia, Favignana Island also offers special quarries that have long offered splendid minerals and stones with which sumptuous buildings and decorations could be made.
Favignana immediately imposes on the sight of those who land there the royalty of the Tonnara Florio, a superb example of industrial archaeology, which dominates the island’s harbor like a cathedral over the sea. Landing at the port, one cannot fail to notice the elegance and lightness of Palazzo Florio, a symbol of the island, built circa 1876. From here you can begin your tour of the town and, following the main road, arrive at the heart of island life, the Piazza Matrice, where everything happens.
It is here that we propose a ‘gastronomic experience with the typical products of the area and Favignana(tuna carpaccio, roe, capers, etc.) with pairing of local wines and tasting of typical Marsala.
Palazzo Florio, the Art Nouveau in Favignana :
One of the first things you see upon landing on the island is the Florio Palace with a charm brash that recalls the atmosphere of the late 19th century Built in neo-Gothic style in the exterior structure and Art Nouveau style in the interior furnishings, it was commissioned by Ignazio Florio and designed by Palermo architect and engineer Giuseppe Damiani Almeyda to become the family’s residence during the slaughter period. In the years of the Belle Époque, the palace became a crossroads for the crowned heads of half of Europe, hosted by the most glamorous of the moment, that of Donna Franca and Ignazio Florio Jr.
The Florio Palace today is owned by the City Council, the permanent home of a pictorial exhibition and the City Library. Its guided tour offers interesting insights into the history of the building and the economic and cultural life of the entire archipelago, an essential step in delving into the history of the Florios and the Island.
Marsala and the Wineries
Landing at the port of Marsala where the Expedition of the Thousand that gave birth to the unification of iItaly began and where back in 1773 an English merchant John Woodhouse by pure chance gives birth to marsala and subsequently in 1833 Vincenzo Florio came into the picture and set about making the wine and bought their cellars from the British and brought Marsala to be one of the world’s most beloved sweet wines.
Marsala Florio is part of the Marsala DOC, one of Italy’s oldest appellations, which enriches an entire territory, sustains its social fabric and enhances the value of Marsala for consumption. The Florio Cellars, built of tufa stone and equipped with a natural ventilation system, have always been an example of sustainable architecture, attentive to the use of local raw materials and craftsmanship, then as now. Their maintenance and enhancement, but especially their constant opening to the public, which allows knowledge of an important part of Sicilian productive history, is an example of cultural sustainability.
La guided tour inside the Florio Cellars is a journey that begins in front of the majestic giant vats, built in the late 1800s and still used for the aging of marsala.Here visitors are greeted by innovative spaces, in which the tasting of Corvo, Duca di Salaparuta and Florio wines is transformed into an evocative experience thanks in part to the pairing with a careful selection of typical food items.
Levanzo Island and trekking
With Levanzo Island, the smallest of the Egadi Islands Archipelago, it is possible to enjoy one of the most scenic seas in the area, with crystal-clear waters perfect for snorkeling enthusiasts. In addition to the splendid scenic presence of its beach, the island also offers its visitors the chance to admire the Genovese Cave, an important archaeological site dating back to around 10000 B.C., inside of which are visible graffiti and rock paintings that have been well preserved over time.
The area of Levanzo is only 10 km², and the highest point is Pizzo Monaco which reaches an altitude of 270 meters. The island is inhabited by approximately 200 people who live in the only settlement that is developed near the small harbor, where the only eateries are located.
TREKKING
Itinerary:
Of the island on trails and roads
Height difference: maximum altitude 251 meters
Length: about 19 km
Walking time: 6 hours (excluding stops)
Difficulty: E
To make a loop trek, once landed in the small port of Levanzo, walk along the waterfront promenade to continue on Pietre Varate Street, following the signs for Faraglione.
Here we walk on a paved road among the rare vegetation that grows in this arid land, ahead of us we can see the unmistakable outline of the island of Marettimo.
Marettimo Island and snorkeling
Marettimo Island is probably the one that has seen with greater intensity the presence of man, as well as being at the center of numerous mythological theories that would see it, as a geographical location, traceable to Ithaca Island, described in Homer’s Odyssey as the homeland of Odysseus. Both the Romans and Carthaginians contested this island in the battles that characterized the Punic Wars, eventually finding themselves on this very island to sign the final peace treaty. The island, in its rich territory, also boasts the presence of beautiful vegetation, with several endemic plants that grow only in these places, such as the Egadi Cabbage and Fennel of Boccone.
Marettimo is the realm of divers. Its coastal bottoms consisting of compact rocks that favor the establishment, within 30 to 40 meters, of vegetation typical of illuminated environments and shallow-slope bottoms, such as Brown Algae (Cystoseira sp.).
Starting from a few meters and within about 40 meters depth, most of the seabed is well lit, constituting a real must-see scenario.
About 50 meters west of the main group are an anchor of the admiralty type and an element, also heavily concreted, that may be an additional cannon.
Marsala and Isola Lunga
In the oriented reserve “Isole Dello Stagnone di Marsala,” Isola Grande or Long Island is a nature oasis, entirely walkable. Phytogeographically, it hosts a large number of protected or endangered species such as Maritime Marigold L., Cynomorium coccineum L. and many other halophytic plants. The fauna is rich in resident and migratory birds and other small animals that make it unique and full of charm.
Unfortunately, its coast is inundated with garbage every year so we would like to promote campaigns and initiatives aimed at promoting conscious and eco-sustainable behaviors for the management and care of one’s living environment, with special attention to beaches, the sea and its ecosystem.
And that is why we organize beach cleanup days for the recovery and disposal of abandoned garbage on Tahiti(Long Island) beaches, at the same time, the importance of the sea and its preservation.
Wakesurf
Starting this year, Panacea will be available for your wakesurfing and wakeboarding sessions in the fantastic waters of the Long Island. Come experience the thrill of riding a board in the magnificent, clear waters of Marsala.
