Hotel Achibea
San Vito lo Capo - Via Verdesca 26
Hotel Achibea is located on the slope of Mount Passo del Lupo, part of the Zingaro Nature Reserve in Sicily.
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A must-visit destination during a holiday in western Sicily is San Vito Lo Capo, a charming town nestled between the iconic Monte Monaco headland on one side and the rocky Piana dell’Egitarso on the other.
This ancient fishing village is one of the gateways to the magnificent Zingaro Nature Reserve, with its paradisiacal hiking trails and secluded coves.
Nature is certainly one of the area’s greatest attractions, but man-made structures such as the ancient tuna fishery, the Moorish chapel and the romantic Bourbon lighthouse will captivate you with their echoes of distant times and the profound bond between man and the sea.
Of a more social nature is another famous tourist attraction in San Vito Lo Capo: its succulent couscous, to be savoured in a traditional restaurant, perhaps overlooking the sea, or during the Cous Cous Fest held every September.
San Vito Lo Capo has all the ingredients for an unforgettable day trip or, better still, a memorable holiday: what are you waiting for?
Before or after a day at the beach, take time to visit the charming historic centre of San Vito Lo Capo, starting with one of its symbolic monuments: the Sanctuary1.
This magnificent sanctuary-fortress was built around the chapel dedicated to San Vito, a martyr, for defensive purposes to protect the faithful from the numerous pirate raids.
A museum is now housed in the Sanctuary rooms, featuring an interesting collection of precious silverware, paintings, furnishings and objects donated by Italian towns linked to the saint. From the museum terrace you can enjoy a spectacular panorama.
From the Sanctuary square you can reach Via Venza2, a small street that has become a tourist attraction for its murals and ancient drinking troughs transformed into flower boxes.
Just outside the town you can admire the small Chapel of Santa Crescenzia3 in Moorish style, built in the 13th century in honour of San Vito’s nurse.
For a romantic walk, head to the 19th-century Lighthouse4 located at the tip of Capo San Vito, one of the town’s symbols and one of Sicily’s most important lighthouses. Its tower is 43 metres high and at night the lighthouse beam can be seen from a distance of twenty nautical miles.
Another evocative spot is the Tonnara del Secco5, just 3 km from San Vito Lo Capo’s centre. Built in the 15th century and closed in 1956, it retains the charm of tradition and man’s bond with the sea. In recent years it has also become famous as a film and television location: for example, some scenes from the TV series “Il Commissario Montalbano” were filmed here.
The Zingaro Nature Reserve is located between San Vito Lo Capo and Castellammare del Golfo and is one of Italy’s most famous trekking destinations.
You can choose from several hiking trails suitable for different fitness levels, from beginners to advanced. Some routes run along the coast, while others venture inland, where peaks rise to 900 metres.
The San Vito Lo Capo town beach is a fine sandy shore about 3 km long and quite wide, in a splendid location at the foot of Monte Monaco.
Set in a landscape of rare beauty, this beach is easily reached from the town’s historic centre with a walk of about 10 minutes: here you’ll find free areas interspersed with equipped zones offering all essential facilities such as toilets and showers, umbrella and deckchair hire, bars and restaurants.
Thanks to its gently shelving waters and the almost complete absence of currents, this is a beach suitable for inexperienced swimmers and families with children, but also for experienced swimmers and divers who, venturing further out, can enjoy wonderful seabeds.
Just 4 km from San Vito Lo Capo is Cala del Bue Marino, which in 2015 won the title of “most beautiful beach in Italy” in a web contest launched by Legambiente, beating the competition thanks to the beauty of its rocky landscape and crystal-clear waters.
An alternative to San Vito’s beach, which can be quite crowded in summer months, is the Santa Margherita bay, a small wild-looking beach washed by crystal-clear waters, with a wonderful view of Monte Cofano and the Cala Mancina cliffs.
The beach can be reached by the tourist train that connects Santa Margherita to the Monte Cofano nature reserve and allows you to visit the entire cliff, stopping at various beaches and coves: the train journey will entertain the little ones and fascinate adults.
You shouldn’t miss the stunning beaches of the Zingaro Nature Reserve, which has one of its access points right in San Vito Lo Capo.
With a splendid walk along the coast, considered one of Italy’s most beautiful trekking routes, you can reach coves washed by pristine waters and surrounded by wild nature.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
One of San Vito Lo Capo’s main tourist attractions is its signature dish, a delicious fish-based couscous that you can enjoy in one of the town’s restaurants.
An important international festival is dedicated to this San Vito culinary tradition, held every September: the Cous Cous Fest is both a celebration of traditional cuisine and cultural integration.
The programme includes tastings, cooking shows with prestigious chefs, cooking classes, as well as free concerts and meetings with famous guests.
The most eagerly awaited event of the Cous Cous Fest is undoubtedly the World Couscous Championship, preceded by the Italian Championship: this is an exciting gastronomic competition in which international chefs compete by proposing their own couscous recipe.
The couscous masters are judged by a technical panel of professional chefs and food and wine journalists as well as a popular jury.
You too can be one of the popular judges who will choose the world’s best couscous: simply purchase a ticket for the semi-finals or finals on the festival’s official website, but hurry as they sell out quickly!
Another evocative food festival not to be missed is Tempu Ri Capuna, a traditional event dedicated to fishing and capune, the delicious blue fish of San Vito Lo Capo.
The festival precedes the Cous Cous Fest and is an opportunity to discover traditions and legends linked to the sea and to savour its scents and delights.
We offer a selection of hotels at San Vito Lo Capo 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 San Vito Lo Capo, 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 San Vito Lo Capo. We recommend a few below, but in this case we advise you to book early because houses and apartments for rent at San Vito Lo Capo are in high demand.
San Vito Lo Capo is located roughly halfway between Trapani and Palermo but cannot be reached by public transport.
With a hire car you can easily reach San Vito Lo Capo from Palermo by taking the A29 motorway to Castellammare del Golfo and continuing along the SS187 state road. The distance is approximately 110 km.
What's the weather at San Vito Lo Capo? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at San Vito Lo Capo for the next few days.
San Vito lo Capo is situated roughly 35 km by car from Trapani, on the island's western coast, within the eponymous peninsula. It's just over 110 km from Palermo by car.
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