L’ìsula dî Cunigghi (Rabbit Island)
in Lampedusa is one of the most enchanting places in Italy, visited every year by thousands of tourists fascinated by the beauty of the landscape and the seabed. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world for many reasons: the crystal clear waters, the wild terrain, the animal life, the possibility of snorkelling and other nautical activities.
It is a place that many describe as heavenly, where boats seem to float in the void, given the clarity of the water surrounding them. For diving enthusiasts, Rabbit Beach is a much sought-after starting point for one of the most beautiful experiences of a lifetime.
Part of the ‘Isola di Lampedusa’ nature reserve, this small beach is still largely unspoilt, thanks also to the restrictions imposed in recent years on the number of entrances, especially during the summer season.
Curiosities
The Rabbit Beach, on the south-west coast of the island of Lampedusa, is located in the centre of a bay, closing off a unique panorama. Not surprisingly, in recent years it has been voted by travellers as the most beautiful in Europe and tenth in the world.
Specifically, it is a strip of land of about 4.4 hectares that has been proclaimed the kingdom of many animal species not found elsewhere in Italy, such as the Caretta Caretta turtle, a type of lizard the psammodromus algirus and the herring gull.
The name of the beach is still very controversial today. Contrary to the literal fact, there are no rabbits on the beach. It is therefore thought that its name derives rather from a mistranslation. Legend has it that the name ‘rabbit beach’ was first attributed to it on maps of the area in 1824 by Admiral Smith, who named the beach ‘Rabit Island’, which was mistranslated into ‘Rabbit Island’, instead of ‘Link Island’. In fact, the term ‘rabit’, in Arabic, means ‘connecting’.
This basic ambiguity has given rise to multiple legends and myths, including one that sees it as the island housing a colony of rabbits that became trapped at high tide.
What to see
The Bay of Rabbits Beach is renowned for its wildlife, landscape and crystal-clear waters. This strip of land is, in fact, the nesting place of the herring gull, a native species that now numbers about a hundred pairs.
Not only: the rabbit beach is an important stopping point for many other species of birds that stop here in April and September, waiting to migrate elsewhere.
This magnificent shoreline also sees one of the few proven egg-laying sites of the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta Caretta, a species that has chosen this corner of unspoilt nature to lay its eggs on a regular basis.
The Rabbit Beach is a natural and scenic wonderland where one can enjoy many water activities, including diving and snorkelling. The crystal-clear water is home to a variety of colourful fish, more or less large, which you can admire up close.
Even if you are not a water lover, a visit to the Bay of Rabbits is worthwhile, to fully immerse yourself in nature and recover an unprecedented state of psycho-physical well-being.
Beach access
Not everyone can have this privilege of access to the beach. Due to the large influx of tourists from all parts of the world, and especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic, access to the rabbit beach has been restricted from 2021 and throughout 2022. The aim is to preserve the beauty of this small strip of land and to protect the species of flora and fauna present.
As of today, it is, in fact, only possible to access the beach in summer by booking online, in two time slots (8.30-13.30; 14.30-19.30). The possibility, therefore, is to stay on the beach for a maximum of half a day, then having to leave room for other users. Once the maximum number of accesses has been reached, entry is precluded.
Moreover, the beach tends to be open from June to October. In all other months of the year it is not accessible.
Further limitations are specified on the official website.
Since this is a nature reserve, please note that there is no lifeguard or medical service. Users may access the beach exclusively on their own responsibility.
Only residents of the municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa will be able to access the island without having to make reservations, for a maximum of 25 people per day.
In short, those who have planned a trip to Lampedusa and wish to visit the much sought-after bay will have to arm themselves with patience, book access through official channels, and hope to find a place (not always easy, especially in high season).
What to eat
There are no refreshments, toilets or drinking water on Rabbit Beach, so the advice is to organise a packed lunch.
Alternatively, you can enjoy the best fish specialities (and more) in neighbouring areas on the island of Lampedusa: prawns with mint, seafood spaghetti with botargo, swordfish, king prawns from Mazara, tuna, squid in various ways and many other delicacies of Sicilian cuisine, accompanied by a cool glass of local white wine.