Visiting Sicily’s Rabbit Beach

Halfway between the coast of Tunisia and Sicily, on the southern coast of the island of Lampedusa is where you’ll find breathtaking Rabbit Beach, or as the Italians call it - Spiaggia dei Conigli! With Lampedusa being the furthest south of all the islands in Italy, it is actually closer to Tunisia than it is to Sicily. Rabbit Beach is known for its crystal clear water, and soft white sand. It was named the World's Best Beach by travel site TripAdvisor, in 2013; and is thus sure to offer an experience like no other! At one point, Rabbit Beach was inhabited by rabbits, and this is from where it got its name. Today, Rabbit Beach features a variety of wildlife, including loggerhead sea turtles that come to the island each year to lay their eggs. This unspoiled nature reserve is only reachable by boat. Visitors will also be able to take a car or taxi to a certain point, and because of an unmade road, they will have to walk the rest of the distance to the beach. While popular amongst locals; Rabbit Beach it is also visited by tourists from all around the world. The best time to visit the beach is between March to October, with July and August being hotter than the other months. Although the climate in Lampedusa is subtropical and therefore almost always hot, during a couple of months each year, the temperature drops and the climate gets quite cold. It is thus best to avoid visiting Rabbit Beach during this time, since water-related activities won’t be enjoyed as much due to the cold weather and water. Visitors to Rabbit Beach – young and old - will be able to enjoy a variety of fun activities. They will be able to swim in the pleasantly warm water and go diving and snorkeling for picture-perfect underwater views and glimpses of fascinating marine creatures. Those who do not wish to get wet, can relax on the beach and bask in the warm Mediterranean sun, or explore the cliffs surrounding the beach. The Island of Lampedusa also offers numerous interesting historic sites, a variety of attractions and an abundance of natural beauty. Tourists must therefore make it a point to tour as much of the island as they can, and also to sample its delicious local cuisine. While Muslim visitors will not be able to find any Halal certified restaurants here, they are sure to come across restaurants serving a variety of delectable vegetarian and seafood dishes, as these are a main part of Italian food. But because alcohol is widely used in Italian cooking, Muslim tourists will have to make sure the items they order consist of only Halal ingredients. Tourists could also take along some food and enjoy a picnic on beautiful Rabbit Beach. Finding prayer facilities at Rabbit Beach and on the island of Lampedusa will also not be possible. Muslim tourists will therefore have to locate a secluded area outdoors to offer their prayers. .