Spiaggia dei Conigli
Lampedusa sits closer to Tunisia than to Sicily, and its most famous beach looks it: a white crescent under low limestone cliffs, water that shades from clear to milk-blue, and an islet close enough to wade to when the sandbar is exposed.
- Best forBeach lovers · Couples · Wildlife & nature
- Ideal stay4–5 nights
- Approx. flying time~13h 25m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyEUREuro
- LanguageItalian
- Local time15:10same time as the UK
- PlugsType C / F / LBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+39
Why go
This is Africa's continental shelf rather than Europe's, and the beach shows it: bleached limestone, no trees, and water that runs from glass-clear at your ankles to a flat milky blue further out. A small islet sits just offshore, close enough to wade to when the sandbar dries. The bay is a protected reserve, which is why it stays quiet, why numbers are limited and why nesting turtles still come ashore.
Access is controlled, with a daily cap split between morning and afternoon slots that must be reserved online, free of charge, before you go. From the road it is a steep ten-minute walk down and a hotter one back up. Lampedusa itself is small, bare and best in June and September; much of it closes in winter. Come for the sea and the boat trips rather than for nightlife or sightseeing.
- Ideal stay
- 4–5 nights
- The vibe
- Bare, blinding, distinctly North African
From our guides
It is a nature reserve and one of the few Italian beaches where loggerhead turtles still nest, so numbers are rationed — 550 people a day, split between a morning and an afternoon shift, free but booked online in advance. Fly in from Palermo or Catania; the ferry from Porto Empedocle takes most of a night.
Featured in Ten European beaches for your next summer escape
Things to do
-
The walk down
A stepped path drops from the clifftop car park to the sand in about ten minutes, with the whole bay opening up as you descend.
-
Wading to the islet
When the sandbar is exposed you can cross to Isola dei Conigli on foot in shallow water. Landing on the islet itself is restricted.
-
Cala Pulcino
A neighbouring cove reached on foot down a dry valley or by boat, smaller and rockier, with the same extraordinary water and far fewer people.
-
Tabaccara by boat
A bay where boats appear to float in mid-air over pale sand. There is no land access, so it only happens on a boat trip.
-
The island circuit by sea
Half-day and full-day boats round the island, taking in sea caves, the sheer northern cliffs and swimming stops on the sheltered southern side.
-
Linosa
The Pelagie group's volcanic sibling, an hour or so away by ferry, with black rock, coloured houses and almost no visitors.
Getting there
-
Fly to
Lampedusa (LMP)
Nearest airport to Spiaggia dei Conigli, about 6km away as the crow flies.
-
Then
To Lampedusa
Lampedusa (LMP) is five minutes from town by taxi, with flights from Palermo and Catania year round and direct summer services from the Italian mainland. The ferry from Porto Empedocle takes most of a night.
-
On the ground
Getting around
The beach is about twenty minutes west of town by road, then a walk down from the car park. Entry is rationed and booked in advance, and a scooter or small hire car is how most people get there.
Public transport: A seasonal bus runs from town towards the beach, but scooters and hire cars are what almost everyone uses.
Flights
Los Angeles Spiaggia dei Conigli, Lampedusa, Italy
Fly from anywhere — search 4,000+ airports worldwide.
Roughly 13h 25m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
Check dates and prices
Pick your departure date, then your return.
Search flightsNot sure when? Compare fares across a whole month.
Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
Where to stay
Small family hotels, bed and breakfasts and apartments, mostly in and around town, plus a couple of larger resorts. Nothing is built on the reserve coast itself.
-
Best base overall
Lampedusa town
Around Via Roma and the old port, where the restaurants, hire cars and boat trips are, with the beach a short drive west. It is lively and noisy in August.
Find stays in Lampedusa town -
Best with children
Guitgia
The town beach, a sheltered crescent within walking distance of dinner, so no driving and no rationed entry. It is busy and small compared with Conigli.
Find stays in Guitgia -
Best for couples
Cala Croce
A quiet cove on the south coast between town and the reserve, with small hotels and clear swimming below the cliffs. You will drive or walk a while to eat.
Find stays in Cala Croce -
Quietest
Cala Pisana
On the eastern side near the airport, with apartments, a small bay and almost no passing trade. Everything except the swimming needs a scooter or a car.
Find stays in Cala Pisana
Worth knowing before you book: Entry to Conigli is capped daily and booked free online in advance, in morning or afternoon shifts, so reserve the slot before the flights. Most places close outside summer.
Search everything else in Lampedusa by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Book ahead
- Entry is capped daily and split between morning and afternoon shifts. Reservations are free but must be made online in advance, and are checked at the top.
- No facilities
- There is no bar, no shade and no fresh water on the beach. Carry water, food and an umbrella, and take everything back up with you.
- Turtles
- Loggerheads nest here in summer. Stay within marked areas, avoid the roped-off sand, and keep lights and noise off the beach at night.
- Getting there
- Flights connect Palermo and Catania in about an hour, with more routes in summer. The ferry from Porto Empedocle takes most of a night.
- Timing
- June and September give heat without the August rush, when Italian holidaymakers fill the island. Winter is very quiet and largely shut.
Similar places
Further afield
Malta and Gozo
164km away →
Swimming Comino's Blue Lagoon
Malta · 170km away →
Palermo
Sicily · 297km away →
Cefalù
Sicily, Italy · 309km away →
Taormina
Sicily, Italy · 356km away →
The Aeolian Islands: Lipari
Salina and Stromboli, Italy · 434km away →Elsewhere in Italy
Related articles
Quick answers
How long should I spend in Spiaggia dei Conigli?
Our suggestion: 4–5 nights.
How do I get to Spiaggia dei Conigli?
Lampedusa (LMP) is five minutes from town by taxi, with flights from Palermo and Catania year round and direct summer services from the Italian mainland. The ferry from Porto Empedocle takes most of a night.
Do I need a car in Spiaggia dei Conigli?
Yes, a car makes a real difference here. A seasonal bus runs from town towards the beach, but scooters and hire cars are what almost everyone uses.
What currency and language are used in Spiaggia dei Conigli?
Currency: Euro (EUR). Language: Italian. Plugs: type C and F and L.
Who is Spiaggia dei Conigli best for?
Best for beach lovers, couples and wildlife & nature. In a phrase: bare, blinding, distinctly North African.