The secret Sicilian island that will soon welcome Hollywood royalty

Favignana, a diminutive island located just off the northwest coast of Sicily, is beloved by Italians but has somehow managed to escape the attention of international tourists – until now.

The island will soon become home to a glittering cast of Hollywood actors including Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson and Charlise Theron, among others, when Christopher Nolan begins filming his adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, this spring.

I first came to ‘Goat Island’, as the Ancient Greeks knew it, four years ago, following in the footsteps of Odysseus, who supposedly stopped here on his epic journey home in The Odyssey. I was on a quest to map the real-life islands that inspired the fantastical lands of famous poem, which traces the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who wanders for 10 years trying to get home after the Trojan War. Scholars across the ages have obsessed over mapping Odysseus’s route: pouring over clues and descriptions in the original text to theorise about which islands correspond to the places in the fictional world.

Of course, it’s impossible to map imaginary islands and their hypotheses may seem whimsical but, for me, something about the idea of searching for magical places where mythology and geography collide caught my attention and held it.

As I read more, this 3,000-year-old myth became a kind of travel guidebook, and eventually I was inspired to set out on an island-hopping odyssey of my own.

I visited lots of beautiful places on my adventures, but Favignana stood out. It has an allure that’s difficult to put into words. It’s more scruffy than smart, with a relaxed vibe. Reaching the island is a journey in itself, often necessitating a stay in Trapani as flights and ferries don’t always line up. But when you arrive on Favignana, your shoulders drop a few inches. It feels far from everything, even though it’s only thirty minutes from the Sicilian mainland.

Most people get around by bici – the island is tiny: just under 20 square kilometres, and mostly flat. There are also plenty of electric bikes and scooters for hire (favignananoleggi.it) if you feel like making life a little easier.

My days consisted of riding my bicycle to different beaches and reading and writing in-between dips in the astonishingly clear electric-blue waters. Cala Rossa is the most famous spot for a swim and is often offered up as one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy, but I preferred swimming laps across the bay at the appropriately named Cala Azzurra, and plunging into the deep waters around the old quarry at Bue Marino.

Bar New Albatros (039 346 757 6883) in the main village is a favourite local spot in the evenings, run by the charismatic Gianluca, who plays great tunes and serves excellent Favignana-made gin. I ate the most divine pasta con le sarde the last time I was there.

Camarillo Brillo is a good spot for a cold beer or a strong negroni. Most evenings you’ll find local jeweller Salvatore propped up at the bar, ready and willing for a chat or to open up his atelier in the street opposite for you to browse.

Owing to its proximity to northern Africa, this part of Sicily is famous for couscous served in a rich fish broth, and one of the best places to try it is Cuscusera (039 0923 187 3528), a takeaway spot down a side street. Owners Davide and Anna showed me how they make the broth, trying and failing to teach me their technique for making the couscous respiro (light and fluffy).

For an upscale dinner, try Scaliddre (39 329 078 0337) where chef Roberto presides over an inventive Sicilian kitchen, or Formica for Japanese-inspired dishes. More relaxed and family friendly is La Bettola (039 0923 921 988) which serves good busiate alla trapanese, a local speciality made with a pesto of fresh tomatoes.

In the 19th century, a state-of-the-art vertically integrated tuna factory was built on the island by the Florio family and tuna were fished here in eye-watering numbers. On tours you’ll hear how at the end of the 19th century, Ignacio Florio invented the revolutionary method of preserving tuna and had the adjoining facility built.

Luckily, tuna is better protected today. The factory still dominates the skyline but is now an excellent museum that’s well worth a visit, while the old boat yard opposite has been transformed into Camparia, a chic beach bar with a boho vibe: the kind of place I can imagine Matt Damon, Zenaya and Tom Holland relaxing with an Aperol spritz at the end of a long day of filming.

These days, as far as I know, there are no goats on Favignana, but there are still plenty of enchantments. I like to think Odysseus would still recognise the place.

How to get there

Ryanair flies from London to Trapani in the summer months. Alternatively, fly to Palermo and take a bus to Trapani (about 1 hour) and hop on the Hydrofoil from Trapani port (30-45 minutes – book tickets in advance).

There are plenty of small hotels and apartments for rent in the main village, but in summer it can be noisy so choose with care. I stayed at Casa Giorgia set on a quieter side road which can accommodate up to four (039 380 3444544, from €190 (£157) per night, minimum three nights).

Situated on the wilder west coast of the island, Dimora Cala Del Pozzo (039 338 4354 484, doubles from €400 (£331), including breakfast, minimum three nights in high season) feels secluded and luxe yet personal.

Laura Coffey is the author of Enchanted Islands: Travels through Myth & Magic, Love & Loss, a book about her travels through several Mediterranean islands, including Favignana.