Scopello Baglio & Tonnara

Scopello is a tiny, picture-perfect hamlet on the north-west coast of Sicily near Castellammare del Golfo, in the Trapani province, that has become one of the island's most photographed corners thanks to two memorable sights. The first is the baglio, a fortified 18th-century courtyard farmstead that forms the heart of the village: a single arched gateway opens onto a cobbled square ringed by old stone buildings, now a cluster of cafes and craft shops, with a communal stone trough and an almost theatrical, time-stilled atmosphere. The second, just below, is the Tonnara di Scopello, a former tuna fishery in a stunning cove where weathered stone warehouses and a watchtower stand at the water's edge, looking out onto the famous faraglioni, jagged sea stacks rising from impossibly clear turquoise water. The tonnara is privately managed and charges for entry to its small pebble beach and swimming cove, a sheltered, scenic spot for a dip among the rocks, with snorkelling around the stacks. Scopello also sits at the southern gateway to the wild Zingaro Nature Reserve, a few minutes further along the coast. A visit of one to two hours suits the village and the cove, longer to swim or combine with a reserve walk. The cove is small and extremely popular in summer, so arriving early secures both parking and space on the tiny beach. The hamlet is loveliest in the soft morning and evening light, when day-trippers thin and the sea glows in this beautiful stretch of western Sicily.