This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

The wonderful island of Favignana, a pearl among the Egadi Islands off the coast of Trapani, is characterized, among other things, by the presence of several abandoned tuff quarries, still featuring huge squared-off excavations in the open.

Those quarries were eventually turned into productive and ornamental green spaces: the so-called “underground gardens”. Layered with earth on the ground, they have welcomed visitors ever since, with their unique wealth of fruit trees, vegetable gardens and beautiful flowers – what grows there is perfectly sheltered from the wind and saltiness, thus constituting, in the past, a valuable natural resource for the island self-support and economy.

Today these gardens, also visible in the town centre, look abandoned, although a couple of them has been recently reclaimed and exquisitely restored. One is the “Garden of the Impossible”, which has now become a wonderful huge ornamental garden open to visitors.

The other is the “Vase Garden”, surrounded by high tuff walls and belonging to one of the most beautiful resorts on the island: Cave Bianche Hotel. The latter stands a few meters from the bay of “Cala Azzurra” and is also close to the celebrated beaches of Cala Rossa and Lido Burrone.

The super cool and eco-friendly-looking hotel is fitted the latest renewable energy systems and enjoys a peculiar position, also thanks to its beautiful surrounding garden. In the latter, there’s a magnificent and huge carob tree, some pink oleanders arranged in neat rows, agave, fragrant jasmine and many other plants typical of the Mediterranean climate.
Occasional visitors can enjoy the garden as well, having some refreshment of dinner at the hotel restaurant.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)