Lampedusa

Lampedusa is geologically part of Africa, sitting on the same continental shelf, which is why it is limestone and arid rather than volcanic like its neighbour Linosa. The Spiaggia dei Conigli, a bay of white sand with very shallow clear water and a small islet offshore, is one of the main loggerhead turtle nesting sites in Italy; the beach is inside a nature reserve, with access limited by numbers and hours, closed at night in the nesting season, and umbrellas and dogs prohibited. Sea turtles are treated at a rescue centre on the island. The waters are also used by monk seals only rarely.

What you actually see

• Spiaggia dei Conigli - a white bay with an islet and shallow clear water.
• The turtle nesting - loggerhead nests protected under reserve rules.
• The African shelf - limestone geology unlike volcanic Linosa nearby.
• The rescue centre - a facility treating injured sea turtles.

When to go

May to October; access to the beach is capped and regulated, with night closure during nesting. Flights and ferries are weather dependent and expensive in August.

Honest expectations

Beach access is limited by daily numbers and hours, with umbrellas banned. Getting there is expensive and weather dependent. The island is arid with little shade.

Nearby

Linosa lies north; Sicily is a long crossing away.