Hiking in Sicily: Circling Mount Cofano

Did you know that there is a trail overlooking the sea that surrounds the imposing Monte Cofano?

One of Sicily's hidden gems in plain sight.

It is impossible for its profile to go unnoticed if you visit the west of this Italian island, but very few come close to its base.

We felt an almost magnetic attraction the first time we saw it from the Quartiere Spagnolo. Quartiere Spagnolo of Erice.

We could not leave Sicily without approaching him.

We saved it for the last day, but what we found exceeded our expectations 😉.

Hiking around Mount Cofano

Technical specifications

Difficulty: Easy.
Length: 8.2 km (round trip).
Slope: 20 m.
Travel time: 3 h.
Start: Monte Cofano beach parking lot.
Return point: Tonnara del Cofano.
End: Monte Cofano beach parking lot.
Date of realization (photographs): April, 2014.

The walking route

View of the Sicilian coast from the trail around Monte Cofano.

After leaving the car in the parking lot north of Monte Cofano beach (marked on the map at the end of this entry), follow the coast road until you find the regional park signs indicating the trailhead.

And from that moment on, you can't get lost. You just have to continue along the path that runs parallel to the sea.

On your way you will find:

Small outings to "rocky beaches".
The Cofano Tower.
The so-called Grotto of the Crucifix.
The Tonnara tower of Cofano.
Flowers, insects and lizards everywhere.
And, above all, the views are breathtaking.

The trail goes beyond the Tonnara del Cofano tower to the coves in front of Castelluzzo and Macari.

Tower of the Tonnara of Monte Confano, Sicily.

However, as we had no food for lunch, we returned to the car when we reached this point and looked for a place to eat before it got too late.

We were lucky enough to find an outdoor table in the restaurant of the hotel Il Cortile.

We made a bit of a mess of the menu (I still didn't have a good grasp of Italian) but I remember the place was lovely.

A wilted flower on the trail around Mount Cofano

What to bring

Food: if you don't want it to happen to you like us, remember to pack sandwiches, fruit, nuts...
Water: carry at least 1 liter of water per person (in the middle of summer, better one and a half liters).
A bag: to collect all the waste you generate. Please do not leave trash in this paradise.
Sun protection: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses... The usual.
Comfortable footwear: hiking boots or, failing that, sneakers that grip the foot well.

Want to swim or sunbathe? Then don't forget your swimwear and rock shoes. You will find it very difficult (if not impossible) to approach the water without them.

What to see in the surroundings

Macari Beach

To end the day we decided to drive to Macari beach and walk along this rocky coast full of coves.

A storm was approaching from the east, so we didn't even think of getting in the water.

However, even under a gray sky, the contrasting colors of this coastline were tempting to say the least 😉.

Where to stay

San Vito lo Capo

When I was in Sicily in 2016 for work, I spent a couple of nights at Villa Relais Le Nereidi, just outside San Vito lo Capo, the last town you must pass through before reaching the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro.

Although the town is very touristy in summer, this hotel is quite quiet, with a swimming pool, terrace and gardens to relax.

Ruins in bloom next to the Tonnara of Monte Cofano, Sicily

It is also located on a residential street where parking is easy to find.

Any negative points? Perhaps that it is a 20 minute walk from the center of town (including the hill).

But this is exactly what makes it such an idyllic place.

In high season it costs between 70€ - 80€ per person per night in a double room, but during the week at the end of September you can sleep there for about 50€ per night (approximately).

Rocky coastline visible from the trekking around Monte Cofano

Trapani

Another good alternative is Villa Delle Palme Delfina, our base camp for a week in 2014.

It is a beautiful B&B on the outskirts of Trapani, very well kept and comfortable.

In our case we enjoyed a terrace area next to the room for exclusive use and we were given a photographic book of the area and a bottle of Sicilian wine that was delicious.

In addition, the breakfast included in the price was spectacular. Not a single detail was missing.

Sunset over Erice at Villa delle Palme Delfina.

The only downside (to name a few) is that in the morning the noises from the kitchen woke us up earlier than we wanted and that breakfast was served at a huge round table, with the rest of the guests and Antonio, our host.

If you like to wake up slowly and without much conversation, you may have to calculate at what time the others have finished (we did it on occasion to have breakfast more quietly).

We spent 7 nights for 541€. in a double room (77€/night, 39€ per person).