Indeed, 'Capo Maluk' on Lampedusa has the honor of being the most southerly tip of Europe sitting at a latitude of 35"30' north.

Lampedusa itself is a barren, scorched anvil of an island, yet amongst Italy's most exclusive tourist destinations.

The rocky northern and western coast is high and steep, some 130 meters, and it slopes gently to a southern and eastern part where the main port and small resorts are located.

The austere charm is not to everyone's taste and there is a 'sands of time' feel to the island. It was once covered in lush vegetation and attempts are being made to recapture this oasis with some success.

Turtles still breed on the beaches and the once thriving sponge industry is just about surviving.

Interestingly, despite being surrounded by some of the most fantastic water you can imagine the population of the island only turned to the sea after they had exhausted the resources on land.

Today, tourism is the main source of income, but recently the construction of a casino has been proposed to stimulate visitors to the island.

See also Egadi Islands and Aeolian Islands