{"id":6317,"date":"2022-06-28T12:11:37","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T10:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.traghettiup.com\/blog\/?p=6317"},"modified":"2022-06-28T12:11:39","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T10:11:39","slug":"10-things-to-do-in-pantelleria-absolutely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.traghettiup.com\/blog\/en\/10-things-to-do-in-pantelleria-absolutely\/","title":{"rendered":"10 things to do in Pantelleria absolutely"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What to do in Pantelleria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When there is the island of Pantelleria on your travel program, do not expect stretches of sand but rather enchanting rocky coves bathed by the pristine sea<\/strong>, natural spas<\/strong>, unique landscapes and food and wine<\/strong> of a certain level. The central territory is largely an Oriented Nature Reserve<\/em>, created to protect the richness of the biodiversity of flora and fauna in the area. You can go horseback riding, you can go hiking and trekking, visit the archaeological sites that testify the passage of different peoples on the island, called the Daughter of the Wind<\/em>, starting from the presitoric tribes up to the Arabs and the Byzantines. Even today, however, the architectural symbol of Pantelleria remain the dammusi<\/em><\/strong> (and other agricultural constructions created by the locals, such as the adjacent gardens and dry stone walls), built starting from the 10th century AD. and then perfected over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agricultural practice of growing the Zibibbo sapling vine<\/strong>, typical of Pantelleria, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grapes produced with this cultivation are used to produce the Passito di Pantelleria DOC, with a complex process that ends with the ritual of the harvest at the end of July. But, if you don’t need to know how to reach Pantelleria by ship or hydrofoil<\/a>, let’s immediately see what to do absolutely on this volcanic island geographically closer to Tunisia than to Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


1) Go to the beach at the Lake of Venus<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Lake of Venus<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Lake of Venus, also known as the Mirror of Venus<\/em>, was formed inside the crater of an extinct volcano. The beach that surrounds it is bathed in warm thermal water <\/strong>which in some places becomes boiling. The bottom of the lake, which can reach a depth of twelve meters, is made up of thermal mud. Near the stretch of water there is no shortage of plants and birds, and there are also the remains of a temple transformed several times in various historical periods, from the Bronze Age to the Imperial Roman age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


2) Take a natural sauna in the “dry bath”<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Benikul\u00e0 Cave<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In the Benikul\u00e0 Cave<\/strong>, called dry bath<\/em>, water vapor escapes<\/strong> at a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius. The maximum capacity is three or four people, who can enter together to enjoy a natural sauna. In addition, the landscape of the itinerary leading to the cave, to be taken after traveling the main road that connects Sib\u00e0 to Scauri, is very scenic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


3) Go to the sea<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Arco dell’Elefante<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Starting from the assumption that there are no beaches in Pantelleria, one of the most beautiful places to swim is certainly Cala Levante<\/strong>, a small rocky bay with spectacular backdrops, from which both the Great Faraglione<\/strong> of Punta Tracino and, on the right, the famous Elephant Arch<\/strong> are clearly visible. The Arco dell’Elefante<\/em> is a rock formation with the trunk that plunges into the crystal clear waters. On the side there is Cala Tramontana<\/strong>, where you can move if the Libeccio wind blows (from the south east).<\/p>\n\n\n\n


4) Visit the Pantelleria Garden of Donnafugata<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Pantelleria garden in Khamma<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Pantelleria garden of the Khamma district, a typical example in excellent condition (recently restored) of the buildings dating back to 3,000 BC. which protect plants from strong winds and intercept and deposit rainwater and water from the atmosphere thanks to condensation, was donated to the FAI (Fund for the Italian Environment) by the Donnafugata winery<\/strong>. A centuries-old orange of the Portugal variety benefits from the ancient architecture characterized by the dry lava stone enclosure. It is in this area that Ben Ry\u00e9, Passito di Pantelleria Doc is produced. Donnafugata in fact cultivates Zibibbo (Moscato d’Alessandria<\/em>) with Pantelleria sapling and centenary prefillossera vines. You can visit the garden among the vineyards for free, or even have wine or food and wine tastings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


5) Have lunch – or stay – in a dammuso<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Old dammuso<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Only in Khamma there are almost 2,000 dammusos<\/em><\/strong>, the houses built with lava stones typical of Pantelleria, currently (in many cases) modernized. On the sea, in Cala Gadir, where two pools carved into the rock contain thermal water at 55 degrees Celsius, there is one of the many belonging to famous people: that of Giorgio Armani. A little further down, in the small port of the cove, there is the dammuso of the Murana family winery, where you can sit for a lunch<\/strong> based on typical dishes, washed down with wine and passito at km 0. You can also stay and sleep in a dammuso: there are, in fact, those used as tourist accommodation facilities, those for rent or even for sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


6) Go and see the sapling vineyards and caper orchards<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Zibibbo grape (Muscat of Alexandria)<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The agricultural practice of the sapling vine<\/strong><\/em> in 2014 became an Intangible Heritage of Humanity due to its uniqueness. The vines characterized by the Pantelleria sapling are grown in small hollows that protect the vines from the wind and ensure the collection of rainwater. This ancient Phoenician technique generates the Zibibbo grape, from which the famous Passito di Pantelleria <\/strong>is born. The largest vineyards are located in Bukkur\u00e1m<\/em>, Piana di Ghirlanda<\/em>, Piana di Monastero<\/em>. In Tracino<\/em>, from where the Arco dell\u2019Elefante<\/em> is a stone’s throw away, the countryside is cultivated with both vines and capers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most interesting capers are those of Mount Gib\u00e9le<\/strong>, in a terraced area with dry stone walls included both in the National Register of Historic Rural Landscapes as “Pantelleria dry stone landscape”, and in the UNESCO World Heritage List.<\/p>\n\n\n