Spiaggia Bue Marino

Useful Information

Location:	Strada comunale corso, 91023 Favignana TP. (37.9173568, 12.3696788)
Open:	no restrictions. [2025]
Fee:	free. [2025]
Classification:	Limestone Quarries and Mine Rock Mine
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Spiaggia Bue Marino, Strada comunale corso, 91023 Favignana TP. Hotel delle Cave, Str. Vic. della Madonna, 91023 Favignana TP, Tel: +39-0923-925423. Giardino dell'impossibile, SC Corso, 10, 91023 Favignana TP, Tel: +39-380-1527808, Tel: +39-333-4136673, Tel: +39-0923-921501. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Spiaggia Bue Marino (Sea Ox Beach) is actually not the name of the site we describe here, which has no name, this is the name of the location. On the Island Isola di Favignana off the Sicilian coast to the west, only a few km from Marsala, there is a beach on the east coast of the island named after the Bue Marino, the Mediterranean monk seal or sea ox. There are numerous sites with this name, and they are easily mixed up. It’s a typical case of Topic Frequently Used Cave Names, just that this time there are beaches, quarries and more which are named after this animal.

But let’s start at the beginning. Since the Greek colonization of Sicily, man needed rocks for building temples, houses and more. The Greeks started quarrying, the Romans continued it, quarries were needed during the Middle Ages, and they are needed today. In ancient times the rock was quarried by hand, with hammer and chisel, probably with wedges or other tools. They preferred softer rocks, certain sandstone, volcanic tufa, limestone tufa, and so forth. The reason was simply, it was less work, and so they could produce more stones.

One of the quarries on Favignana was here, right at the coast. The mine a certain layer of rock, and so they started at the cliff above the sea. They followed the rock and created a platform right above sea level, then the quarry became an underground mine. The walls and the ceiling show geometric pattern the result of breaking rocks row by row. Also, a ramp in a ditch was built to bring in tools and bring out the stones. It is big enough for wooden carts.

Today the site is a popular beach, and there is a food truck offering tuna sandwitches, which is famous for the sandwiches and for the high price. People use the platform, the former floor of the quarry as beach, there is actually no beach. Some beach reviews talk about a concrete platform, that’s nonsense. There is no sandy beach, only the quarry.

We have listed this site because it has an underground section, which is easy to visit. It is level and large, no stooping necessary, but you should bring a torch. But there other sites on the island which also have quarries, and the strange rock formations the quarrying created are well worth a visit. First ther are mor quarries along the coast towards the south. There is a trail along the cliff. Another site in the northeastern corner of the island and is called Cave di fra Santo, which is a huge rectangular pit. To the north follows the Labirinto di Cave, which is actually a maze of up to 10 m deep ditches in which the rock was quarried. The overhanging cliff with the strange patters are quite interesting. On the western side of the Punta San Vituzzo cape, which protrudes to the north, lies the Cave di Tufo a Favignana. Another huge quarry further west is called Cave di Cala Rossa after the bay below. There are numerous others, these are just the most spectacular ones. The sites are not developed but as far as we know it’s not forbidden to visit them. We advise to be careful and wear good hiking shoes.

Right in the middle of one quarry is the Hotel Delle Cave, which was actually built into the quarry. It’s strange sitting at the breakfast table surrounded by quarry walls.

And there is a last site we want to mention, the Giardino dell’Impossibile (Impossible Garden). One of the ancient quarries was used to create the botanical garden inside. This is actually the only quarry which has paved trails, opening hours and an entrance fee. The garden covers about 40,000 m² of land, half of it quarry. It was created by Maria Gabriella, she did it although everybody told her this was impossible, hence the name.