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The best way to know
Marettimo is to make a tour round the island to admire the seaside,
the marvellous sea caves and the extraordinary clear back-drops.
Starting from the Scalo Vecchio of the village, we suggest to
go northwards, where you will meet the Scoglio del Cammello ("Rock
of the Camel"), not far from the homonymous cave: clear and
transparent sea, with shades of green and sky-blue, and a pebbles
small beach where the seal used to rest until last century.
A little forward you will meet Cala Manione and soon after Punta
Troia, about 100 metres high, on the top of which stands out the
homonymous castle.
Then you will find the beautiful Grotta della Pipa ("Cave
of the Pipe"), narrow on the top and then squared. Going
on from Punta Due Frati you could see a beautiful green marble
quarry. Crossed Punta Mugnone, famous for the passage
of tunnies and "ricciole", you will get to the marvellous
Cala Bianca, with the high coast falling sheer to the sandy beach,
where you will enjoy a silent and solitary little beach not far
from the Grotta delle Sirene ("Cave of Mermaids").
Going on to this side of the island, the rocks fall sheer to the
sea which becomes deeper and deeper. In these waters, among the
expanses of Posidonia, you can find moray eels, "gronchi",
pelamyds, salpas, white breams and other types of fish and, if
you are lucky, you could see the dolphins accompany your craft
for a stretch.
Arrived at the beautiful Grotta Perciata, rich in stalactites,
you have to go on to Grotta del Presepio and Grotta della Bombarda
("Cave of the Mortar"), which takes its name from the
rumblings you can hear during a storm. In the inside there is
a limestone in the shape of the papal mitre.
After the lighthouse of Punta Libeccio, next to Secca Cretazzo,
the back-drops aren't deeper than 1 m. until about 100 m. from
the coast.
Following again the high and steep seaside, you will reach Punta
Bassana, where
the back-drops fall in depth until 50 m., so the sea is reach
in Posidonie, sponges, "ricciole", groupers, crawfishes,
sea breams, tunnies.
After Punta Bassana, in Cala Marino, the coast degrades again
before arriving at the village.
Sea Natural
Preserve
A submerged natural grassland
concerning all the islands of the archipelago of the Egadi, the
sea natural preserve is divided into four areas (A, B, C, D).

The area A concerns the sea stretch between Cala Bianca and the
lighthouse to the south of Punta Libeccio and is Total Preserve.
With the authorization of the Comune di Favignana it is possible
to do underwater or surface guided visits.
The area B includes the stretch facing the shore between the
headland which delimits in the south-west Cala Bianca and Punta
Troia, and the stretch between Punta Bassana and the lighthouse
to the south of Punta Libeccio. It is General Preserve, where
bathing and immersions are permitted. The authorization to sail
and stop inside 500 m. from the coast is necessary, while underwater
fishing is forbidden.
In the area C, Partial Preserve, bathing and sporting surface
fishing are allowed; inside the area D, Protection Preserve,
professional fishing is allowed too.
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