San Vito lo Capo, Sicily; a popular beach town

Visit San Vito lo Capo

The town of San Vito lo Capo is situated on the peninsula north of Scopello, itself in north-western Sicily, and a little way north of the Zingaro Natural Reserve.

The small town of San Vito lo Capo is in a fine setting between the surrounding mountains with olive groves dotted across the hills, and overlooking the town harbour and large sandy beach.

Explore San Vito lo Capo

Sicily Visitor comment: While the town contains a couple of buildings of note eg a church and a chapel it is for the beach that most people visit. The town is also very lively with pubs and clubs, restaurants and nightlife.

The beach at San Vito lo Capo is very popular with locals and visitors alike and is one of the best in Sicily - the beach is about three kilometres long, broad, and has fine light sand. Because it falls within a natural bay the waves are gentle and the beach is ideal for children and families. As it also has a huge rocky cliff called Mount Monaco at one end it is very scenic.

The main San Vito beach has both private and free beaches and in the height of summer you may well want to pay for the private beach. Usually it is not expensive and you get an umbrella and a sun lounger but more importantly it keeps away the hordes of beach sellers that are extrememely prolific on this beach.

In the main summer months the main beach can be pretty packed. Nearby beaches such as Isuledda beach, Santa Margherita Bay and the Macari beach are usually a little less busy.

The harbour is home to both local fishing boats and visiting pleasure boats. It is also the place to head if you hope to explore the sea, with diving and windsurfing schools available.

As well as the beach and harbour the small town of San Vito lo Capo is quite attractive. It is made up of lots of low rise white buildings and with the beach to the front, the sea behind and lots of colourful awnings and sun umbrellas outside the cafes and restarants as well as the palm trees and flowers it has a nice summery feel.

The main square is next to the Sanctuary of San Vito church and is a popular spot to meet. Whilst the Sanctuary has almost a military look from the outside, inside it is a small church that you can visit.

Whilst San Vito lo Capo has a huge sandy beach if you explore just around the coast the coastline changes to a wilder more rugged scenery which is very beautiful.

Away from the beach, the mountains are worth exploring and are also very popular with climbers and those wishing to discover the many caves that are dotted around above San Vito lo Capo and Mount Cofano. You can walk up to the top of Mount Monaco for excellent views over the beach and sea.

Note; the local speciality is an unusual dish combining cous-cous and fish and is well worth enjoying in one of the many local restaurants - preferably during the annual San Vito lo Capo cous-cous festival which takes place in September. Many other dishes are prepared from locally caught fish. Don't like fish? There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy high quality Italian pizzas and ice cream if you prefer!

Where to visit nearby?

Tonnara del Secco is a short car drive away and was once the location of the important tuna industry in this area. There is no longer a tuna industry in Sicily but you can learn about the history here and more importantly it is a beautiful location that is often used by Italian film makers and if you watch the Italian 'Inspector Montalbano' series you may recognise it.

Blue Marino's Cove which is south-east of San Vito lo Capo on the way to Macari is another beautiful spot. Indeed it won the "the most beautiful is you" title in 2015 as the most beautiful beach in Italy. It is a small cove without facilities and does not have easy access but is worth checking out if you get the chance.

The Zingaro Natural Reserve is beautiful and has some lovely beaches and some great walks. You can also take a boat trip along its shore line from San Vito lo Capo.

The lovely seaside village of Castellammare-del-Golfo is a short distance to the east.

You can find more local travel ideas in the West Sicily guide,