If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat just a short distance from Palermo, visit Isola delle Femmine, a small coastal town nestled between two nature reserves and lapped by crystal-clear waters.
Though less hectic than the nearby Mondello, famous for its nightlife, Isola delle Femmine has transformed from a quiet fishing village into a favoured tourist destination for those seeking beautiful sea and clean beaches without choosing a completely remote location.
It remains relatively untouched by mass tourism, allowing you to enjoy the natural beauty in peace, yet it still offers plenty of entertainment and a lively nightlife scene. What are you waiting for?
Most visitors come here drawn by the stunning beaches dotting the Carini Bay, where the municipality of Isola delle Femmine stands. This stretch of coastline not far from Palermo is a succession of beaches and coves, some equipped with facilities and others wild, catering to every tourist’s taste and needs.
For families, the sandy beaches are more suitable, with shallow seabeds and calm waters. You can choose from numerous equipped beach clubs for a full day at sea with all the comforts.
Other beaches are better suited for those wanting to snorkel and dive: you’ll find wonderful seabeds with red coral, Posidonia oceanica meadows and an incredible variety of fish species, plus underwater caves, ancient Greek remains and shipwrecks. A vast area of this coastline is a nature reserve, which explains the richness of species present.
If you’d rather not dive, you can join a glass-bottomed boat excursion and admire the beauty of the seabed comfortably seated. We’re sure you won’t resist the temptation of a dip in the turquoise sea.
Some stretches of coastline around Isola delle Femmine are quite windy, making the area ideal for sports like surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
In the evening, the beaches of Isola delle Femmine come alive with locals and tourists who, instead of heading home, stay on the beach for a drink. As the sun sets, the beach bars become popular meeting spots for happy hours and aperitivos that can extend with music late into the night.
Those who love nightlife will find discos and disco pubs scattered along the entire coastline, including gay-friendly venues. If you’re not a party animal, you can end your day with a romantic dinner by the sea, perhaps featuring fresh fish caught that day.
The turquoise sea and stunning beaches are certainly the main tourist attraction of the area, but equally enchanting is the small historic village of Isola delle Femmine.
An ancient fishing village, it features a characteristic small harbour where in the morning you can witness the daily ritual of fishermen returning from the sea and selling their catch, which you can then savour in the village’s typical restaurants. From here you can also hire a boat for a day trip.
The village’s ancient bond with the sea is celebrated on 29 June each year with the festivities of the Feast of Saint Peter, the patron saint of fishermen.
As you stroll through the historic centre, take a look at the artisan shops, which mainly sell ceramics, and the charming Mother Church, also known as the Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie. Built in the second half of the nineteenth century, it has been repeatedly renovated with the addition of increasingly elaborate decorations.
The name “Isola delle Femmine” sometimes causes a little confusion as it refers to a municipality whose territory also includes… an island! Part of the municipal territory is on the mainland, but opposite it rises in the midst of the crystal-clear sea an uninhabited oval-shaped small island.
The small island is visitable: climb to the top of the promontory to enjoy a stunning view of Monte Pellegrino, the Capo Gallo promontory, the fishing village of Isola delle Femmine, the towns of Terreni and Capaci, and the island of Ustica.
Since 1998 this oasis of tranquillity just a short distance from the coast has been a nature reserve managed by the LIPU, the Italian League for Bird Protection: with the creation of this reserve, the aim is to protect local flora and encourage migratory species to stop on the island during their migration movements.
Among the migratory birds that stop here during their flights between Africa and Northern Europe are buzzards, peregrine falcons, cormorants, kingfishers and grey herons.
The absence of settlements has also favoured the development of local flora, as well as fish species in the surrounding waters.
To reach Isola delle Femmine by car from Palermo, take the A29 motorway towards Mazara del Vallo, take the Alcamo-Trapani junction and then take the State Road 113. Punta Raisi airport is just 15 minutes’ drive from Isola delle Femmine.
There are also direct buses connecting Isola delle Femmine to Palermo in just thirty minutes.
We offer a selection of hotels at Isola delle Femmine to suit all categories of travellers. The most booked by tourists are the sea-facing hotels, often right on the beach. If you want to play it safe, choose one of the following: they are among the most booked hotels in Isola delle Femmine, sorted by number of reviews.
If you prefer space, privacy and the ability to prepare your own meals to a hotel holiday, book a holiday home at Isola delle Femmine. We recommend a few below, but in this case we advise you to book early because houses and apartments for rent at Isola delle Femmine are in high demand.
The uncertain origin of the name “Isola delle Femmine” has become one of the reasons for interest in this small, delightful municipality. Legends seem to have multiplied over time and each local you ask will tell you a different story.
Here are the most well-known legends explaining why Isola delle Femmine has this name:
The tower featured in so many legends was never a women’s prison, nor the home of a girl exiled by an unrequited lover.
It is simply a watchtower built in the sixteenth century that was part of the defensive system of the Kingdom of Sicily. It stands on the island’s highest point, just 35 metres above sea level, and is called Torre di Fuori to distinguish it from another tower on the mainland known as Torre di Dentro.
What's the weather at Isola delle Femmine? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Isola delle Femmine for the next few days.
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