TRAPANI | SICILY

Discover Trapani

Trapani is located on a flat promontory on the Sicilian west coast. Known as Drepanon in ancient times, it was a Carthaginian base conquered by the Romans in 241BC and a thriving city in medieval times. Visit the proto-history museum in the Ligny Tower containing various finds from the Stone Age. Trapani-style pesto, made from tomatoes, basil, garlic and almonds, is a delight for food enthusiasts.

The Egadi Islands, situated directly opposite the provincial capital, are part of the province of Trapani and form an archipelago consisting of Favignana, Levanzo, Marettimo, and the islets of Formica and Maraone.
Favignana is the largest island of the group and it is interesting to circumnavigate the island by boat and discover the many caves along its coast. On Lèvanzo is the celebrated ‘Genovese cave’, with wall paintings from the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. Other evocative caves to visit are the Camello, the Bombarda and the Presepio. The underwater marine life of this area is very rich and offers a wonderful experience for sea-lovers.

The island of Pantelleria is dominated by a large castle. Situated in the Strait of Sicily, the island has much to offer visitors, such as the typical, vaulted-roof ‘Dammusi’ houses, caves with natural vapours, and thermal springs. There are no natural lakes other than the Spechio di Venere (Mirror of Venus). This freshwater volcanic lake occurred 16,000 years ago and has a depth of 12 metres. It is home to many rare species, including six types of dragonfly.
Pantelleria is also famous for cultivating capers and the Zibibbo grape. The Zibibbo, a large grape, and Tanit, a muscat, have made the island famous throughout the world and are enjoyed by many wine lovers.

The town of Marsala is the centre of Sicilian wine production and produces the well-known wine, Marsala. The heart of the city is Piazza della Repubblica, where the Cathedral is located, and Palazzo VII Aprile, also called Palazzo della Loggia due to its arched loggia. At Capo Boeo you can visit a Greco-Roman archaeological park containing the remains of a Roman camp, Roman baths, and mosaics such as the beautiful Medusa mosaic.