Pantelleria - The best beaches for swimming (BONUS: Google Map)

Pantelleria is a beautiful island with an abundance of breathtaking beaches. With its crystal-clear waters, sandy beaches and rocky coves, Pantelleria is a dream destination for sea and sun lovers. Unlike the better-known Italian islands, there are no crowded beaches or seaside resorts here. What Pantelleria offers its visitors is unspoilt nature and secret coves where you can still enjoy a taste of solitude.

So how do you discover these beaches, often hidden between volcanic cliffs and the crystal-clear sea? Follow us as we discover this little-known paradise.

Pantelleria : l’île aux paysages volcaniques et aux criques isolées

Pantelleria doesn't reveal itself to just anyone. Its charm lies in its mysterious character and landscapes shaped by volcanic eruptions. Unlike islands with long stretches of fine sand, here it's black pebble beaches, rocky bays and sheer cliffs that dominate the landscape. Every cove seems to be a reward for explorers ready to get off the beaten track. The island abounds in secret beaches, often accessible on foot or by boat, waiting to be discovered. Follow the guide...

Discover the beach map

BEACHES IN THE NORTH-EAST OF THE ISLAND

Cala del Bue Marino

Cala del Bue Marino is one of the most popular beaches on the island of Pantelleria, thanks to its proximity to Pantelleria Centro, and its ease of access.

The shallow water and the descent into the sea are facilitated by the low, smooth cliffs. These features also make it comfortable for families with children.

This cove is particularly interesting for the presence of a sea cave, where monk seals find refuge during the breeding season.

Campobello

The road to Campobello beach is not asphalted, but can be covered with a medium-sized to small Fiat Punto-type car, and then leads to a short path between the rocks, which can only be covered on foot.

This beach, which is comfortable enough even for children, is characterized by low rocks that slowly descend into the sea.

The depth of the seabed varies from 15 to 30 meters. Here you'll find sponges and coral of a beautiful pink color. Snapper, amberjack, sea bream, grouper and lobster complete the spectacle.

Kattibuale

Khattibuale beach (sometimes called “Kattibuale” without the “H”) is located not far from Lake Venus.

A long coastal strip, full of coves and access to the sea, the Khattibuale coast is protected from the sirocco wind, and is particularly popular with families with children thanks to the easy entry into the water and the presence of low, flat rocks.

Lac de Vénus

Nestled in the wild heart of the volcanic island of Pantelleria, the splendor of Lake Venus fascinates anyone who ventures to its shores. This lake of volcanic origin, fed by natural thermal springs, reveals turquoise waters with changing reflections, which seem to imprison the Mediterranean sky. Legend has it that the goddess Venus once basked in this shimmering surface before meeting Adonis, giving this magical place its poetic name. More than just a natural curiosity, Lac de Vénus is a veritable sanctuary of well-being: its mineral-rich mud offers natural treatments, renowned for their therapeutic virtues and their power to rejuvenate the skin.

Surrounded by volcanic hills and vegetation typical of arid lands, this site invites you to relax and marvel. After an invigorating bath, enjoy a hike around its shores or a moment of contemplation in this tranquil setting. More than a landscape, Lake Venus is a sensory experience: the perfect union of land, water and history. Pantelleria reveals one of its most beautiful facets, in a harmony of nature and mythology.

Cala Cinque Denti

Cala Cinque Denti, a small gulf sheltered from the sirocco wind, is located between Punta Pozzolana and Laghetto delle Ondine.

As access from land is not easy, due to the steepness of the path and the presence of large boulders collapsing from the ridge, this bay is mainly accessible by sea. However, the beauty of the place evaporates any effort required to reach it. It's a favorite stopover for yachtsmen on days with southerly winds. However, the beach is not suitable for children.

Cala Cinque Denti takes its name from the high coastline cut by the tips of large rocks collapsing from the cliff, making it very steep in places. In the shade of the hill, sheltered from the sirocco, the bay offers clear, emerald and turquoise waters, particularly cool on the hottest days. From here, the most daring can swim to the enchanting grotto Scarpetta di Cenerentola (“Cinderella's Slipper”), a magical place accessible only from the sea.

Laghetto delle Ondine

The Laghetto delle Ondine is one of Pantelleria's landmarks. Accessible both by land and by sea, but with difficulty, it's a “mini” saltwater lake, shallow and fed by the sea which, during storms, rises and breaks against the cliffs.

In fact, the surrounding sea has very deep waters with moderate to strong currents. It is particularly popular in summer, when the sea is rough and continually turns the water inside.

A mythical scene from the film “A Bigger Splash” was filmed on this beach.

Punta Spadillo

Punta Spadillo is dominated by a magnificent lighthouse built at the end of the 19th century. From this promontory, the unique panorama of rocks overlooking the sea offers breathtaking views of the Sicilian Channel. The path leading to the lighthouse passes by the volcanological museum, inaugurated in 2010. From here, there are also several hiking trails for exploring the island.

Punta Spadillo is a popular diving site thanks to its exceptional rocky and coral seabed, offering unique emotions, especially for beginners due to its shallow depth (10 to 20 meters). However, the seabed degrades rapidly over a distance of 30 meters, before sinking to a depth of over 180 meters. The strong currents present in the area reserve it for experienced divers only. The dive can be carried out either at the beginning of the rockfall, almost suspended in the void, or slightly deeper, to discover large structures of volcanic rock.

For underwater photographers, the splendid backlighting between the rocks and the beautiful families of parrotfish are particularly noteworthy. You can also observe red gorgonian sea fans, bonito, tuna, large black groupers, octopus, sunfish, manta rays, tuna and amberjack.

Cala Cottone

Cala Cottone takes its name from the fact that the cove served as a small port from which shipments of cotton produced on the island left, a crop that has now disappeared.

Located on the northeast coast of Pantelleria, in a particularly wild and isolated area, its beauty begins with the twenty-minute walk to this enchanting bay. Indeed, unlike some of the island's more popular coves, this one is seldom visited, partly due to its relatively difficult access. There is no direct road to the cove; it is usually reached via a rocky path, requiring good physical condition, or by sea via a boat, which is the simplest and most spectacular option.

This small bay of rocks smoothed by the sea is ideal for lovers of strolls amidst the greenery of the unspoilt Mediterranean scrubland.

The sea around Cala Cottone is a limpid azure. The transparency of the water is exceptional, providing excellent underwater visibility, ideal for snorkeling enthusiasts. The seabed is rich in fauna, including rock fish and the occasional ray or small school of rarer fish. The marine biodiversity around Pantelleria is well preserved, and Cala Cottone is no exception.

This is one of the many “Buvire” scattered around the island, sources of brackish water resulting from the meeting of seawater and rainwater. In the past, before the introduction of cisterns in the Dammusi, they were the main sources of water for non-food uses.

Cala Gadir

A picturesque village with a small fishing port, Cala Gadir is also one of the island's most popular spots, thanks to the presence of two very famous attractions: the natural spa with large hot-water pools and the underwater archaeological site, with numerous fragments of Punic and Roman amphorae dating from between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, at a depth of 18 metres.

In fact, this spa site of fundamental importance is said to have been discovered by the Punics. There are two reservoirs dug into the rock, where the temperature reaches 55°. In addition to the therapeutic properties of the water, the algae that grows spontaneously on the walls of the pools is particularly suitable for treating the respiratory tract.

And thanks to an easy descent to the sea, immersion in the sea begins along the ridge, where multicolored sea sponges and other typical life forms can be seen. This is the only place in the Mediterranean Sea where schools of thousands of “Menola Spicare Maena” come to lay their eggs in June, producing a phenomenon similar to that of the glass fish of the Red Sea. This attracts many dolphins, whose marvellous undulations can be seen from the nearby coast.

BEACHES IN THE SOUTH-EAST OF THE ISLAND

Cala Tramontana

Cala Tramontana, along with Cala Levante, is one of the island's most popular seaside resorts, as much for its beauty as for its ease of access.

The colorful seabed gently slopes away, allowing even the less experienced to dive into the crystal-clear waters.

This immersion is ideal for photography.

It begins at the edge of a rockfall accessible by boat, which gradually degrades. You'll be surrounded by white bream, groupers, dotti and even the rare black moray eel. From a depth of 45 metres, you can even encounter meadows of red and white gorgonians, where schools of bream and bream graze undisturbed by divers.

Fragments of Punic amphorae lying on the sandy floor complete the panorama. More than 3,000 Punic bronze coins, dated between 264 and 241 BC and probably used to finance a Carthaginian war mission against the Romans, have been found here. They are now on display at Pantelleria Castle.

Cala Levante et Arco dell'Elefante

The famous Arco dell'Elefante (“Elephant Arch”) is one of the island's most beautiful symbols, and is featured on every postcard. It owes its name to the shape of the lava rock, reminiscent of an elephant's trunk gently sinking into the water.

Easily accessible, this emblematic spot on the island is particularly magnificent. The water is transparent, and swimming under the arch is an inexplicable pleasure. What's more, if the weather isn't conducive to swimming, you can admire the site from the perimeter road.

Just a few minutes' walk from Arco dell'Elefante, Cala Levante is a small port protected from the Mistral. Separated by a rocky ridge, Cala Tramontana and Cala Levante protect each other from the wind. In the past, Cala Levante was used as a shelter to protect ships from strong sirocco winds.

Today, it is one of the island's most popular bathing spots, as access to the sea is much easier here than in the other coves. You can swim, picnic or have a drink on the panoramic terrace of the village bar. For those who wish to lie back in comfort, platforms have also been built where you can enjoy the privileged view.

As if all this weren't enough, this is one of the areas with the most beautiful seabed, and therefore a coveted destination for divers.

Cala Rotonda / Martingana

Cala Martingana is located in Pantelleria's most southeasterly area, called “Dietro l'Isola” (“behind the island”) because it lies opposite the town center. It can be reached via a tarmac road full of hairpin bends.

Martingana is ideal for lovers of tranquillity and unspoilt scenery. The small village center is made up of a few houses scattered here and there among the terraced vineyards. It's a very lonely place, which in winter is almost completely uninhabited and in summer populated by “a few” tourists.

The nearby diving area of Cala Rotonda is only accessible from the sea, as the cliff is very high and overhanging. From the boat, the spectacle is extraordinary, with numerous caves and coves where the water is crystal-clear and offers magnificent colors.

The sea here is sublime, with incredible backdrops and lots of fish. A gigantic lava flow of volcanic rock rises from the coast and ends 40 metres down in the sand, forming two great, monumental walls that rise from the sandy bottom and end a few metres below the surface of the sea. A rockfall full of life, where brown groupers, giant moray eels, octopus, sea urchins, lobsters, snappers, amberjacks and above all double-crowned spirographs live in harmony, ideal subjects for great photos and Martingana's pride and joy.

At the top of the rocky spit, at around 25 metres, stands a lithic anchor, testimony to ancient shipwrecks. On the sandy bottom, abandoned pieces of old trawls are visible, now covered with sponges and madreporic encrustations, typical of the Mediterranean.

Punta Limarsi

Characterized by the presence of a lighthouse, this tip of the island is ideal for visitors who yearn for calm and direct contact with nature.

Due to strong currents, immersion in this area is suitable for expert divers who will be amazed by the rich density of vegetation and fish (moray eels, octopus, starfish, etc.). The rocky seabed is very uneven, breaking up abruptly at over 40 meters. At a depth of around 20 meters, it is possible to observe moray eel, grouper and lobster holes.

Balata dei Turchi

This beach is accessible by road, which is a little winding and bumpy, and can be reached on foot. The difficulty of access makes this beach unique and preserves its wild soul.

With its towering cliffs and crystal-clear sea, this comfortable cove, immersed in the Mediterranean thicket among black obsidian rocks, has been used as a stopover since the arrival of the pirates in Pantelleria.

The name Balata, “Balat”, comes from Arabic and literally means “slab of stone”. Indeed, framed between imposing cliffs up to 300 metres high, Balata dei Turchi cove is a marvellous, wide expanse of stone that stretches gently from the rocks out to sea.

The seabed, first rocky then sandy, is fascinating and wonderful.

BEACHES IN THE SOUTH-WEST OF THE ISLAND

Grotta dell’amore

Between Punta Molinazzo and Punta Sciaccazza, in the rock face that falls sheer into the sea, opens another grotto, the Grotta dell'amore.

Inside lies a small marine lake, from which emerges a comforting hot spring.

Cala Nikà

Accessible by boat or after several long minutes' walk, this is one of the island's most beautiful and picturesque coves. Here, currents of cold Mediterranean water suddenly meet jets of thermal water, leaving swimmers as surprised as they are amazed.

From the cove, as you swim to the left, just past a large boulder is a grotto inside which the water temperature can reach 70°C. This local thermal spring supports the growth of many types of algae.

This unique immersion is ideal for snorkeling. Around 200 metres from the coast, the seabed suddenly plunges to a depth of around 12 metres. The seabed is full of fish and ideal for taking photos.

Punta delle Tre Pietre

Punta Tre Pietre is located near the port of Scauri. The beach can be reached via a footpath of lava rock.

The beach, made of lava rocks, is not very comfortable to lie on. However, the seabed, which is immediately very deep, is exceptional. In this crystal-clear water, you'll find corals, colonies of axinellas (orange tree sponges with cylindrical branches), schools of amberjacks, sometimes of considerable size, and moray eels.

The colorful caves nearby are swim-throughs.

Scauri

Access is easy. Here, too, you can hire boats to take you around the island to the delightful coves. What's more, the presence of bars, restaurants and basic necessities makes it suitable for those not particularly accustomed to wilderness and packed lunches!

The port of Scauri is the second largest on the island and was once used by the Romans. Sheltered from the Levant, Tramontane and Mistral winds, the area becomes dangerous with the Scirocco winds.

For diving enthusiasts, at the entrance to the port, at a depth of between 6 and 10 meters, lies the wreck of a ship that came to Pantelleria from Africa in the 5th century BC, to pick up a load of the special pottery produced on the island. It probably sank as a result of a fire.

The seabed here, which can reach depths of around 40 metres, is home to numerous underwater species, including amberjacks, spirographs, snappers and lobsters.

BEACHES IN THE NORTH-WEST OF THE ISLAND

Punta Suvaki

Punta Suvaki lies between Punta Fram and Cala dell'altura. It can be reached by taking the road from Pantelleria to Scauri, then walking along a dirt track just before the crossroads with the Madonna delle Grazie district.

This part of Pantelleria's coastline is ideal for relaxing on the island. Low and easy to access, and therefore suitable for children, Punta Suvaki is characterized by low, smooth rocks, bathed in crystal-clear waters, with an easy descent to the sea.

Punta Fram

This steep, black rock coastline, created by the eruption of the Gelkamar crater, overlooks the sea, with beautiful caves only accessible by boat.

The seabed, rich in boulders and masses of stone, breaks up abruptly and can reach depths of up to 50 metres. The area is rich in fish and ideal for underwater photography.