Page 556 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

Tracino and Khamma

From Cala Levante, a stupendously steep road climbs all the way up to Tracino in
around twenty minutes, passing old dammusi, newer holiday homes, and striking
gardens of vines and flowers. The top of the road marks the centre of Tracino, where
there’s a small square and a bar-restaurant. It’s difficult to see where Tracino ends
and adjacent Khamma starts, though this matters little once you’re on the bus back to

town.

Keen hikers make Tracino the start of their route into the pretty Piano Ghirlandia.
The road runs out the other side of Tracino and soon becomes a track, which continues
all the way down to meet the road on the south coast near Rekale.

Siba and the Montagna Grande

The summit of Pantelleria’s main volcano, the Montagna Grande (836m) is the
island’s most distinctive feature when seen from out at sea. The walk up to the top
begins in the crumbly old village of SIBA, perched on a ridge below the volcano, with
views over the terraced slopes and cultivated plains to the sea. Few of the ancient

dammusi here are so much as whitewashed, let alone bristling with mod cons.
Outside, large wooden water barrels sit on the mildewed dry-stone volcanic walls,
while the hamlet’s only services are an alimentari and a tabacchino. If time hasn’t
exactly stood still here, it’s in no great hurry to get on with things either. To find the
trailhead, keep left at the telephone sign by the tabacchino here, and strike off the
main road. The mountain’s slopes afford the best views on the island, and are pitted
by numerous volcanic vents, the Stufe de Khazen, marked by escaping threads of

vapour.

Sauna Naturale

From Siba, another (signposted) path – on the left as you follow the road through the
village – brings you in around twenty minutes to a natural sauna, Sauna Naturale (or
Bagno Asciutto), where you can sweat it out for as long as you can stand. It’s little

more than a slit in the rock-face, where you can crouch in absolute darkness, breaking
out into a heavy sweat as soon as you enter. It’s coolest at floor-level; raising yourself
up is like putting yourself into a pizza oven, while the ceiling is so hot it’s impossible
to keep the palm of your hand pressed flat against it. Ten minutes is the most you
should attempt the first time – emerging into the midday sun is like being wafted by a
cool breeze. Bring a towel.

Valle Monastero

From the road that descends from Siba to Scauri and the coast, you can take a track off
to the left that runs through the so-called Valle Monastero. This lovely route leads