Palermo : Mondello - Isola delle Femmine Boat Tour with Drinks
Description
Boat trip from Palermo to discover the beauty of the coast with snacks, drinks and more. Swim and snorkel in the clear waters of the Gulf of Mondello and Isola delle Femmine. The tour starts from Tonnara Florio, near Arenella beach, and sails along the coast to the Gulf of Mondello. Here you can admire the Art Nouveau Old Bathing Establishment and stop for an hour, swim and snorkel in the crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Mondello. We will continue towards the Capo Gallo Nature Reserve, famous for its biodiversity, where you will see the Bourbon lighthouse. We will continue the journey to the Isle of Ladies. Here, we will stop for another swim of about an hour in an area rich in underwater life. We will end the excursion with an aperitif on board, enjoying a drink and savoury snacks, before returning to the starting point.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Break, Stop for photos, Stop for swimming and snorkeling. The Gulf of Mondello, located between Monte Pellegrino and Monte Gallo, is one of the most renowned destinations in Sicily. With its crystal clear waters and white sandy beach, it is an ideal place for swimming and snorkelling. Mondello beach is home to the Antico Stabilimento Balneare, a splendid Art Nouveau structure dating back to the early twentieth century. The gulf is surrounded by a lively beach area with restaurants, bars and leisure facilities, making it a perfect destination for relaxing and enjoying the sea.
Passage for photos or videos. The Capo Gallo lighthouse, located on an imposing promontory in the Capo Gallo Nature Reserve, is an iconic landmark along the Palermo coast. Built in the Bourbon era, the lighthouse dominates the coast with its historic structure, guiding boats with its light. Surrounded by a natural landscape of great beauty, the lighthouse offers spectacular views of the sea and represents an important habitat for the biodiversity of the area. Its panoramic position makes it a fascinating destination for lovers of nature and maritime history.
Break, stop for photos, aperitif, stop for swimming and snorkelling. Isola delle Femmine is a small and charming island located off the north-western coast of Sicily, near Palermo. This islet, which is part of a protected marine reserve, is famous for its crystal clear waters and seabeds rich in marine life, ideal for swimming and snorkelling. Its history is shrouded in mystery, with legends telling of women's prisons or a refuge for women. Today, Isola delle Femmine is an unspoiled natural paradise, attracting visitors for its wild beauty and tranquility, as well as being an important stopover for migratory birds.
Starting in mid-September, due to shorter days, the tour will take place once a day and we will add a stop at Capo Gallo beach, a lovely place, where the sea shows shades ranging from turquoise to emerald green.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We inform our valued customers that, in order to guarantee an efficient service to all participants, it is required to arrive 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time, with an ID Card or Passport. In case of delay of one or more participants, we will contact the customer by phone or via WhatsApp to obtain further information. Please note that in order to guarantee service to customers present, we will wait up to 10 minutes after the departure time, after which absent customers will be reported as no-shows
- Take with you: Passport or ID card, comfortable shoes, sunglasses, hat, swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, Comfortable clothes, Climate-appropriate clothing, Hair elastic.
- Not allowed: Pets, unaccompanied minors, strollers, smoking, alcohol or drugs, explosive material, heeled shoes, weapons or sharp objects, large luggage, suitcases or duffel bags, e-cigarettes, umbrellas, sprays or aerosols, glassware, littering, cooler, chewing gum, baby carriages, surfboards, fireworks, explosive material, Lighting fires.
- This activity is not suitable for those who can not swim! The staff reserves the right to refuse boarding to those who cannot swim, without the right to a refund, as clearly indicated.
- For safety reasons, passengers over 120kg are not allowed on board a boat of less than 10 metres. The grant staff will apply this restriction at check-in.
- In the event of a sudden deterioration in weather conditions during the tour, if the captain or staff decide to return to the starting point to ensure the safety of passengers, no refund will be made. This is because worsening weather conditions are out of our control and sometimes unpredictable.
- Subject to favorable climatic conditions. In case of cancellation due to bad weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- At sea weather conditions can vary quickly, please dress appropriately
- The boats have small compartments for luggage storage, many of which are already occupied by legally required safety equipment. We therefore invite you to limit your luggage to a minimum, to ensure that all tour participants have a small space for their belongings. Cabin staff will verify and enforce this restriction during check-in.
- You can take food and drinks with you, as long as they are in moderate quantities. However, before consuming them, you must ask permission from the captain or staff. It is not permitted to consume food without the prior consent of the crew.
- The means of transport for this activity is a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat), known to be virtually unsinkable thanks to its air-filled structure. Unlike traditional boats, which can be more prone to sinking just think of well-known cases such as the Bayesian or the luxury yachts Lamborghini 63 the RIBs offer superior safety.
- People with mobility difficulties
- People suffering from motion sickness (motor sickness, seasickness, etc.)
- People with heart disease
- People in wheelchairs
- People who cannot swim
- People with epilepsy
- People weighing more than 120 kg
- People over the age of 65
- Visually impaired persons
Reviews(5)
Giovanni was an amazing captain for this experience! He provided us with snacks and drinks on the boat and taught us all about the city and sea. We loved swimming in the cave and would recommend this experience to anyone visiting Palermo!
The boat was clean and stable during the tour. Water was calm and therefore great for swimming and diving. Our guide Giovanni was a pro!! We had a pleasant day!
We had a fantastic experience and it was one of the highlights of our trip to Palermo! Despite booking with less than 24 hrs, we were still able to secure seats on Giovanni's inflattable boat. Our 4hr tour passed through Palermo, Mondello's main beach area, Mondello's smaller more private beach area, Grotta Dell'Olio, Sferacavallo and Isola Della Femmine. At both Mondello beaches Giovani stopped the boat and we were able to swim and enjoy the sun with some snacks and beverages. As we toured in the middle of May, the water was still a bit cold (ranging from 17-21C) and the water was a bit choppy—we decided not to swim at the Grotta or Isola Della Femmine. A native Palermitano, Giovanni was able to communicate easily in English for my partner, and we were able to speak Italian. He shared so much local history and knowledge that we would not have received from any guidebook or travel website. He was friendly and knowledgeable about local and global events—it felt as if we were on an afternoon ride with a friend. He answered any questions we had about the sea, Palermo, and Sicily overall—and gave us some great suggestions for future explorations. Some suggestions for your trip with Giovanni: *If in downtown/central Palermo, schedule a ride with itTaxi; or use a map to show your taxi driver the exact drop off location. Our cab driver was not familiar with the dock. *Take and use sunscreen and glasses. *Even if it is a hot day, take a long shirt or rain jacket for the ride back. We ran into some wind and a bit of rain, which made the 45minute trip back from Isola della Femmine a bit cold and choppy. Enjoy yourself!
This excursion was a highlight of our stay in Palermo. We stopped in the Bay of Mondello for swimming and snorkeling, then on to Isola Della Femina and then stops for swimming in two grottoes/caves. The water was clear and we saw a variety of fish. We were a group of 8. Giovanni was a great skipper explaining the history of the area and providing us with drinks and snacks.
A really fun morning out exploring the coast of Palermo. Giovanni was an engaging guide and had a mix of historical facts as well as jokes. We enjoyed the swimming and snorkelling at each stop as well as getting to see inside the cave and the isola delle femmine (although due to conservation you are not allowed on the island). He provided a snack and a drink as well as a remedy stick for jellyfish stings! Thanks Giovanni!
