“SCOPELLO IS ONE OF SICILY’S HIDDEN GEMS,” my writer friend Maria Lisella told me. She lives in Queens, New York, and often visited Italy with her Sicilian-American husband. They were always getting off the beaten path to seek out unusual places. Scopello, a two-via fishing village on the west coast, is one of her most beloved spots.

It has a horseshoe-shaped beach that’s free and tiny, made up of a mix of white pebbles and fine sand. Warm, transparent turquoise waters, framed by faraglioni (limestone towers), cover an amazing seabed, where colorful sponges and anemones cling to the rocks.

If you’re up for diving to see astroides illuminating caves or a World War II shipwreck, the Cetaria Dive Center (www.cetaria.it), rents out equipment and is even kid-friendly, offering classes for those over seven years old. But just swimming around here is spectacular, and in spring and fall you may be joined by stenelle, a breed of dolphins who migrate through the area.

Though the village of Scopello is tiny, it’s rich in history. Two medieval watchtowers and the tonnara, a twelfth-century tuna processing building that was in use until the 1980s, accent the surroundings. The piazza has charming B&Bs and restaurants, where you should definitely order the tonno (tuna). Not many Americans get here, but it has become a popular spot for Italian and German tourists.

Adjoining Scopello is Lo Zingaro National Park, a fantastic seaside nature preserve. There are easy hiking trails set along the 4.5-mile/7.5-km rocky shoreline, where you get breathtaking panoramic views from the cliffs. Paths are surrounded by dwarf palms and wildflowers—from sea lavender to crocuses, irises, and orchids. It’s also great for bird lovers, who’ll enjoy watching eagles, peregrine falcons, partridges, and owls.

You may want to use Scopello as your base to explore the nearby hill town of Erice, the salt towers of Trapani, or the Temple of Segesta.

But best of all, as Maria puts it, “Scopello is the perfect place to end a vacation and let go of your tourist agendas. Just flop there, relax and swim.”

Golden Day: Settle in for relaxing swimming and sunning at Scopello beach. For lunch, stop by the best bakery in the village, Panificio di Stabile e Anselmo (Via Gallupi 5), and pick up a pane cunzato, the town’s signature panino, freshly baked bread saturated with local olive oil and filled with eggplant, tomatoes, olives, and anchovies. A pretty bed and breakfast in town is Pensione Tranchina (www.pensionetranchina.com). It’s owned by a Scopello native and his Chinese wife, Marisin, who speaks English. The couple are passionate about sharing all they know regarding the region with travelers and they serve up delicious dinners of catch-of-the-day seafood.