Discover the breathtaking beauty of Sicily on the Monte Cofano hike. A dream of blooming flowers, picturesque views and a fantastic coast!
As we approach Trapani airport in Sicily, we can clearly see the silhouette of Monte Cofano. It rises 659m from a peninsula - everything together forms the “Monte Cofano Nature Reserve”. Around it there is a 10 km long hike with breathtaking views.
♡ factor: ♡♡♡ ♡♡
Walking time: 4:00
Altitude: 315 m up and down
Length: 10 km
Accessible by public transport: ja
Suitable for families: yes
Stops along the way: No
Best time: Spring and autumn are particularly beautiful. The flowers bloom here as early as February. In midsummer from June to mid-September it is usually too hot for hiking.
I have saved the tour on Komoot:
Starting point: Castelluzzo the last parking lot before the Monte Cofano nature reserve begins. Circular route
End point: Castelluzzo
Alternative:
If you want, you can also walk directly from San Vito. The path leads out of the city on the SP16. On the right, a dirt road turns into Via Salina, which goes slightly uphill. At the end of the road, a gravel path leads steeply down to the sea, which you can take to the left towards the campsite and tower, always along the sea. From now on this path continues on a gravel road towards Cofano. The goal is the mountain - you can't actually get lost. However, you should add another 12 km each way, which makes the whole thing a tough hike.
Another option is of course to rent a bike to make this route easier.
A 10 km long hike leads around Monte Cofano, which is located in the extreme northwest of the Italian island of Sicily.
It's spring, flowers are blooming everywhere: next to the path, on the path... I don't even know where to put my feet anymore.
Everywhere it shines in the colors blue, yellow, pink, orange, of course framed by fresh green. Even my sister - a master gardener after all - reaches her limits when it comes to identifying all this floral splendor.
Our first destination on the hike around Monte Cofano is one of the towers that was built to protect the tuna factories here in Sicily. As early as 1560, tuna was caught on a large scale, which brought considerable wealth to this stretch of coast. A tower was therefore necessary to protect the treasures against pirates. Today the small houses - around the tower, which has arched outer walls - lie idyllically in the sun, and the benches with a view of the sea already entice you to take a break. But since we pass here again on our circular route on the way back, we postpone our break...
When hiking around Monte Cofano in Sicily the motto is: always along the sea
For the next few hours we walk just above the sea through beautiful landscapes. On the left side rises the steep, rocky side of the Cofano, which then drops away into a wide strip of green covered with palm trees and flowers.
On the right side of the path, the azure sea crashes against the rugged rock. So we hike directly above the surf!
There are several sights along the way such as the bridal veil, which according to legend you can see in the sea, or a deep cave that you can explore. For me the path was between mountain and sea However, it is undoubtedly the biggest attraction!
When you get to the south side of the mountain, beautiful white wildflowers are blooming, which together with the scattered boulders form an absolutely picturesque ensemble.
Excursion to the Grotta di Mangiapana
Instead of climbing straight to the saddle, it is worth taking a detour to the huge Grotta di Mangiapana, which has been inhabited since prehistoric times and is now known as Local Museumserves.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Mangiapane family built five small two-story houses, a warehouse and two stables in the approximately 70 meter high and 50 meter deep cave .
A visit is recommended in the late afternoon, when the low sun illuminates the grotto optimally.
Our gate was also open in the evening and only a chattering goose and a cartwheeling peacock ensured that I didn't dare go into all the alleys...
Climb to pass
The steep path to the pass always offers breathtaking views of the sea in the truest sense.
Once at the top, shaggy cattle await us, their fur fluttering in the strong wind.
The wind also ensures that we don't climb to the summit. Because this probably also includes some climbing areas - but it should be easy to do. We choose the easy option and walk in serpentines back to our “tuna tower” to finally sit in the sun. Now could someone please bring me another cappuccino? Then the hike would be perfect!!!
Key Facts:
Get there:
Ryanair flies - depending on the season - 2-3 times a week from, for example, Karlsruhe or Frankfurt Hahn to Trapani. Our flight cost a spectacular 50 euros (without check-in baggage).
Getting away:
Rental cars - directly at the airport - are available from €55 for a week, for example at billiger-mietwagen.de
Sleeping:
We booked an apartment through Airbnb, which was well located and had a sunny terrace. For €41 per night you really can't complain.
If you want to sleep very close to Monte Cofano, book the Agriturismo Rocca del tuono. The site www.agriturismo.it is one of my favorite sites for accommodation in Italy.
Food:
We became a big fan of Café Pino, where we got so many snacks with our sunset Aperol Spritz that we were full for a few hours. Via Savoia, 22, 91010 San Vito Lo Capo