Isola delle Femmine (Palermo Province) is 15 km. from Palermo, alt. 6 m., on the Tyrrhenian coast between Capo Gallo and Punta Raisi, area 3.5 sq. km., pop. over 5,200, post-code 90040, tel. 091. Economy: agriculture, fishing, various industries, tourism.
In the 16th century a coastal tower was built here and a number of tunny-fisheries were set up. The Count of Capaci and the Archbishop of Monreale each claimed those valuable fisheries. The town developed mostly after the 18th century.
The territory of the comune also includes the island of Isola delle Femmine, 600 m. off Punta del Passaggio The name, which in Italian means "Island of Women", appears to be a dialect corruption of the Arabic word fim, meaning "Harbormouth". The islet, which is uninhabited, is easy to reach by boat, and is a pleasant trip. There is a ruined 16th century watch tower.
Churches (Monreale Diocese) include the following:
Links to other sites about Isola delle Femmine include:
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