Favignana Island forms with the smaller Marettimo and Levanzo the Egadi Islands archipelago and its name derives from the wind “favonio”, the zephyr that with its light breeze renders the climate particularly mild. 
Its shape remembers a butterfly with spread wings and its strategical position (opposite the west coast of Sicily in the Mediterranean sea) has favoured since prehistory human settling down as they testify some of the most ancient Neolithic and Palaeolithic graffiti discovered on the island.
The biggest among the islands of Egadi archipelago, Favignana was theatre, in the V century B.C, of the last and decisive Punic battle between Romans and Carthaginians ended with the defeat of the latters; a legend tells that “Cala Rossa” (Red Creek), one of the most enchanting places of the island, takes its name from the blood shed by Carthaginians after their rout. 
After unity of Italy in 1874, Vincenzo Florio bought the islands getting start to the legendary and so called “Florio Age” and here built up the biggest european factory for tuna fishing and working of the XIX century. 
Today Favignana shows a purely touristic mark but what makes sure a sort of continuity with the industrial one today is the “mattanza” (tuna fishing). 
Every year, from may to june it is possible to be a witness of this incredible and evocative rite by which the “tonnaroti” (tuna fishermen) push tunas towards death singing propitiatory tipical songs. It’s not really just a bloody show without an aim, but the remake of the ancient and hard battle for the survival of tuna fishermen and their families.