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FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Once reaching Pantelleria could be a real adventure. Sometimes it still is but things have changed a lot in thirty years.
Since 2012 the airport of Pantelleria has a new terminal and runways are now adapted to a modern air traffic.
The port of Pantelleria has been also improved, but you must always bear in mind the conditions of the sea… when the mistral blows sometimes it can happen to dock at Scauri (the secondary port) instead of the main port of Pantelleria.
PLANE
Once Pantelleria was only reachable from Palermo or Trapani.
Now in the summer you can also find direct flights from Milan, Rome, Bergamo, Bologna, Catania, Genova, Torino, Venice and Verona. (Alitalia, Blue Panorama, DAT, Volotea)
Every year, however, everything changes: airlines, destinations, schedules. A good starting point would be to check the Calendar of Flights at the Pantelleria Airport website.
SHIP
Throughout the year, two ships (Siremar and Traghetti delle Isole) depart from Trapani to Pantelleria. In the summer there is also a hydrofoil.
Pantelleria island is quite large (83 sq km) and to be explored thanks to the incredible variety of its landscapes.
To get around the island, go to the seaside, go shopping, go to the restaurant you will need a means of transport.
On the site of the Airport of Pantelleria you can find a list of Car Rentals on the island to rent a car or a scooter.
You can find also alternative means, such as SUV, Quad, vintage Mehari and bicycles, recommended only to the most trained (the streets are all an up and down).
In spring the island is full of flowers. In June days are long but the sea can still be cold. In July and August is like being in Africa. In September days are shorter, the heat is less stuffy but the sea is warm thanks to the summer just passed.
Giardini di Pantelleria is usually open from mid-April to mid-October, but also consult us for any stays out of season.
Upon confirmation of your booking we will send you the necessary data to make a deposit of 10%.
Pets are always welcome if they are well-behaved, but let us know in advance so as to avoid any undue presences.
Also remember that we are in the countryside and is the natural presence of animals of various kinds, usually harmless…
In an evening of sirocco will happen to witness the entertaining spectacle of a family of geckos, animals always live in the walls of the old dammusi, in search of food, a full-fledged hunting insects.
Since 2015 waste is collected from every house and divided in “Plastic”, “Paper”, “Glass and Cans” and “Organic waste”.
A Pantelleria non ci sono spiagge di sabbia, solo alcune spiagge di ciottoli accessibili unicamente in barca dal mare. Esistono invece bellissime scogliere lisce estese su tutto il perimetro dell’isola.
Molto importante per decidere dove andare a fare il bagno è controllare la direzione del vento (per questo vi aiuterà una manica a vento opportunamente installata sul tetto del Fico d’India) per potersi orientare verso una zona dell’isola sottovento (vale a dire opposta a quella del vento).
I venti dominanti sono il maestrale (nord/ovest) e lo scirocco (sud/est): nel primo caso andate verso sud, nel secondo verso nord…
Per camminare sulle rocce possono essere utili le apposite scarpette reperibili anche localmente nei negozi sportivi dell’isola.
In Pantelleria there are not sandy beaches, only a few pebble beaches only accessible by boat from the sea. However, there are beautiful and smooth rocks extended around the entire perimeter of the island.
To decide where to go for a swim is very important to check the wind direction (for this will help you a windsock properly installed on the roof of the Dammuso Fico d’India) to orient yourself toward an area of the island that is protected, without the waves of the sea.
The prevailing winds are the mistral (north/west) and the sirocco (south/east): in the first case go to the south, in the second to the north …
To walk on the rocks can be useful the appropriate shoes that can also be found locally in sports shops on the island.
This island is full of amazing sights accessible only by sea so at least once you have to take an island tour by boat, mainly to see the southern part. There are many and very different solutions to choose from.
Along the quay of Pantelleria town you will find a wide selection of large and small boats that carry individual or collective sea trips and island tours, even with lunch on board.
Boats and inflatable boats for hire can also be found at the port of Scauri or other marinas.
On the island there are many Diving Center that give lectures and organize scuba diving to observe the marine environment and the numerous underwater archaeological sites of Pantelleria.
The sea in Pantelleria is really nice and perfect for snorkeling, therefore if you have them remember to pack at least a mask and snorkel, and then if the baggage are not too heavy bring also the fins.
The paths of Pantelleria, once used to travel on foot or by donkey on the island, have been accurately valued by the work of the Sicilian Region State Forests Company, which selected 13 routes of natural, archaeological and volcanological interests, illustrating them in the “Map of the trails and routes” available on the island.
The Pro Loco and other private agencies also organize trekking trips guided by experts from various disciplines.
We also recommend the Volcanological Museum located in Punta Spadillo (towards the lighthouse), where you can also view an interesting documentary on the island of Pantelleria.