Rude and charismatic, wild and poignant: this is Pantelleria and those who arrive will return home with an African sickness that will force them to return several times.
A spectacular sea where the black rock plunges, breath-taking sunsets and vines as far as the eye can see ripened in the scorching sun, dazzling white houses and elegant palm trees
that swing the long trunk in the breath of a warm and fragrant wind, ancient villages of fishermen and clear mirrors of blue and temperate waters.
This is Pantelleria, a Sicilian island that attracts like a siren's song.
The black pearl of the Mediterranean
80 km2 of land emerged off the Sicilian coast, from which it is 110 km away, the black pearl of the Mediterranean - as it is known by its admirers - stands out from all the other smaller
Italian islands for its landscape features that make it a pole of attraction international and privileged destination of many VIPs who have elected it a good summer retreat and capital
of the most exclusive social life.
A rental car in Pantelleria is undoubtedly the ideal way to discover this place full of charm and which, due to its vastness, certainly needs a vehicle on four wheels.
History
Pantelleria, Unesco heritage since 2014, boasts a thousand-year history that is lost in time. In fact, we have news already in the Neolithic age and of the first settlements
in the Bronze Age. Since that period, the island has claimed a central position in the Mediterranean, as evidenced by the many archaeological finds and re-emerged sites.
In Roman times, Pantelleria became the destination of important commercial exchanges, fortifying its economic position and its development.
The story tells the evolution of this island and the arrival of the Arab population, who left so much architectural and cultural heritage: you will see or even stay in the typical Pantelleria
houses, the dammusi, with a square plan and domed ceiling, as well as wandering through districts and localities with an Arabic name, not to mention the pottery and local
crafts strongly inspired by nearby Africa, whose coasts are clearly visible at sunset.
Itineraries
Our tour starts from the town, with the largest port on the island and all the main urban services. Here, on a promenade with many typical bars and restaurants, stands the granite
Barbacane castle, a late mediaeval fortification. Today, it houses the archaeological museum that we strongly recommend, even if only to admire the three
splendid Roman marble heads found in 2003.
On this island, archaeology reigns supreme - we recommend the village of Mursia, dating back to the Bronze Age with a spectacular wall and the necropolis of
Sesi, the Roman excavations of San Marco and Santa Teresa, and the exciting backdrop of gadir, full of Punic amphorae.
The historical richness is counterbalanced by the scenic and naturalistic beauty of the island: many districts immersed in the rows of vines cultivated as raisins, the real
specialty of the island, and many wineries that produce fine wines, thanks to the fertile land Pantelleria with its typical dry-stone walls that give life to real
panoramic terraces.
We suggest to buy capers, a characteristic Pantelleria production, and undisputed protagonists of the local cuisine.
But Pantelleria still has much more to offer you: the splendid lake of Venus, a mirror of emerald-coloured water set in a volcanic basin, and immersed in the national
park, established in 2016 and still an unmissable excursion to the Grande mountain, with its 836 metres high.
There are also numerous hilly hiking trails that offer an unparalleled view of the island. Here, you can visit the Grotta dei briganti, a very suggestive cave, famous
for having hosted young deserters during the Risorgimento.
From the mountains to the sea, we have to mention the wonderful little lake of the undines, a warm natural sea basin surrounded by rocks and the elephant's
arch, a cliff so famous that it has become an island's symbol.
To end the tour, you cannot miss the small villages scattered on the island: they are fishing villages, very characteristic and still with an ancient flavour, and then reach
Scauri, Khamma, Sibà, Rekhale by car. Sit at the bar at sunset time, when a warm sirocco starts to blow, and order a glass of passito, the sweet and
fragrant wine typical of the island. This is the heavenly Pantelleria!