Isola delle Femmine is a small seaside town north of Palermo, set on the bay of Carini between the clear Tyrrhenian water and the foothills of Pizzo Mollica and Monte Raffo Rosso. Its identity is inseparable from the small offshore islet that shares its name, also known as Isola di Fuori, giving the village a distinctive double presence of land and sea.
The area has long been tied to maritime life: the islet was known at least from the Hellenistic period, while the mainland settlement grew from a fishermen’s nucleus near the tuna-fishing economy that shaped local work and community life. In 1854, the municipality was founded when land formerly connected to the counts of Capaci was entrusted to fishermen living by the tonnara.
The origin of the name remains uncertain, surrounded by legends and linguistic interpretations rather than one fixed explanation. That ambiguity adds to the character of a place defined by fishing memory, coastal defense, and a close relationship with the sea.
Patron Saint:
St Mary of Graces (Madonna delle Grazie) – 2 July
Nearest Airport:
Palermo (Falcone-Borsellino) – (18 km, 00:22)
Neighboring Cities:
