| Volcanic temper, Mediterranean character and an Arabic outline: this is PANTELLERIA, known as the “Black Pearl” of the Mediterranean sea owing to its peculiar dark and intense colouring deriving from the matching of lava rocks with the cobalt blue waters. The island, which is closer to the Tunisian coasts (70 km away) than to the Sicilian ones (110 km away), seduces thanks to that certain Mid-oriental touch – heritage of the Arab rule (800-1000 A.D.) – sounding most of all in the names of its villages such as Khattibuale, Khamma and Muègen and which is findable and visible in the architecture of its “dammusi”, the typical houses of Pantelleria, made out of lava stone and characterized by white dyed cupola-shaped roofs. And not in these things only but that particular touch is also verifiable in the never ending train of dried low walls revealing the island’s agricultural soul especially based on the caper groves and on the vineyards of “zibibbo” grapes…producing also the renowned “passito di Pantelleria” (sweet white wine). The island – which is totally lacking of sandy beaches – is the ideal destination for anybody searching for a place out of the traditional schemes, a spot where nature is the real and absolute protagonist. Main examples of this leading role played by nature are the marine sceneries with dreamlike bays such as Punta Spadillo, overlooked by a white lighthouse, and Cala Levante with its majestic natural sculpture nicknamed Arco dell’Elefante (Arch of the Elephant) - which has now become the symbol of the island - and in addition to all this the rural landscapes of the inland propped by rows of vineyards and “guarded” by the Montagna Grande (Big Mountain – 836 meters high on the sea level), covered by thick woods of pine-trees and conifers and on which extend different pedestrian routes. Besides, the spontaneous thermal phenomenon en plein air - residue of the volcanic phenomena of the past times - characterized by thermal founts as Gadir, Nicà and Grotta di Sataria where one gets the possibility to have some hot sea-baths with different temperature degrees or by the alkaline-sulphurous springs of the enchanting little lake Specchio di Venere (Mirror of Venus) from whose activity derives a particular mud rich in minerals. All these aspects and so many other more are meant to be discovered quietly and make of Bent el Rion (Daughter of the Wind), ancient Arabic name of Pantelleria, a real unique place in the “Mare Nostrum”.
Flights from different Italian airport: Trapani and Palermo (daily), Milano, Roma, Venezia, Bologna, Bergamo. Links to Trapani and Palermo from the main European airports. Hydrofoils and ships from the ports of Trapani and Mazzara del Vallo (daily). |
