Spending the Day at San Vito Lo Capo – Sicily, Italy

July 2023

Spending the Day at San Vito Lo Capo – Sicily, Italy

San Vito Lo Capo ranks as one of the best beaches in all of Sicily. Featuring 3km of white sand and crystal clear water, this spiaggia / beach has been awarded the Blue Flag Award multiple times. Surrounding the beach are mountains, most notably Monte Monaco, which are popular for rock climbing and hiking. I can only imagine the view from the top of Monte Monaco!

We rented a Vespa for the day and were ready to explore the west coast of Sicily. The drive was gorgeous as we hugged the clear water, climbed up and down the mountains, and arrived in under an hour to San Vito Lo Capo. A note on driving in Sicily (and really Italy in general) – the reputation of crazy driving and no rules is accurate to an extent. There is an understanding between all the drivers on the unwritten rules of the road. For us on the scooter, we took a very safe approach to going to speed we were comfortable and allowing drivers to simply pass us. And I think that is the trick here – do not slow down the traffic, do not be the reason for honking and “rude” driving, simply pull over and allow the rush to pass and continue on. If you are uncertain about navigating city streets, do the same – pull over or find a safe spot to park to gather yourself, observe your surroundings, check a map, and then proceed. 

The beach town of San Vito Lo Capo is reminiscent of other beach towns, including difficult parking. Lucky for us, the scooter can really be parked anywhere and we were able to find a park full of fellow scooters where parking is free (thanks to a friendly parking attendant). Note that parking for a car is paid. Public transit options are limited or you can find a tour that includes transit from Trapani. 

Our day here was actually quite simple – to enjoy the beach. We first grabbed snacks (arancini) and sandwiches from Tasty Paninoteca – highly recommend – before heading to the beach. There are both public sections of the beach though most of the sand is taken by private beach clubs called lidos. Lidos vary in amenities but all have an entry fee that includes an umbrella and two beach chairs, and typically have options available to pay for food and drinks. Some are more luxurious and have cabanas, beach service, towels, and other amenities. After looking through reviews, I booked lido Mamita’s Beach Garden which included an umbrella and two beach chairs starting at 20 euro a day and the one I booked closer to the water was 35 euro for the day. My biggest reason for selecting this one was it was a bit more private than some of the larger lidos nearby. Due to the demand for this beach, I would definitely recommend booking a spot at one of the lidos over the public spaces. Booking ahead of time is highly recommended as space is limited at each lido. 

We spent the next six hours in full relaxation mode on the beach and we were very happy with our experience at Mamita’s. The water here is incredibly clear like pool water and was refreshing for a hot day. 

Like most tourist destinations in Europe, there are numerous people trying to get you to buy something – a necklace, a towel, sunglasses, you name it. If you make eye contact, they swarm you very quickly. No matter which beach club you are in, these people make their way through the beach chairs on a continuous loop. They never made us feel unsafe necessarily, but it was a nuisance that you should know exists. Many people left all their belongings at their chairs to swim without seeming too concerned about their stuff being stolen – we were not as trusting and instead took turns going into the water. 

This area really is so beautiful and makes for a very relaxing day – it was certainly a great way for us to start the trip after a long travel day. Our drive home was equally scenic and we even stopped off at an overlook that gave sweeping views as the sun began to set. 

A visit to San Vito Lo Capo is a must-do when you are visiting the western coast of Sicily. Book a spot at a lido and enjoy the beautiful beach for a perfect vacation day.

Continue reading all the details of our trip – here!

The Perfect One Week Itinerary for Sicily – here!

To see our full itinerary – here!

My complete packing list for Sicily – here!

See all blog posts for Sicily – here!