It is another beautiful city placed on the west coast of Sicily It is also a city which includes many other beauties already described for other Sicilian cities and provinces. I am speaking about Trapani, the chief town of the namesake Sicilian province. Trapani is the sea, beaches, culture, good food, port, airport and much more. The city is indeed the main gateway to reach Egadi Islands and another stunning Italian Isle: Sardinia. When you visit Trapani, you can also find many monuments in a baroque style because the many ancient remains went destroyed in the past. The ruins of Trapani’s history, in fact, date back to the late Middle Age and up to the Modern age, namely baroque and following centuries.
However, Trapani enjoys a very ancient history because this city belonged to the Greek colonies and later was seized by Carthage, which gave the city to the Romans during the first Punic War. Trapani was also conquered by Vandals, Ostrogoths, Byzantines and Arabs. At last, the city also witnessed the domain of the Normans. Trapani also had a key role during the crusades and the domination of the Kingdom of Naples. At those times, Trapani was a flourishing trade center and port.
Today, the city has also an important fishing port where skilled Sicilian anglers fish for the tasty Sicilian tuna. At the center of the city, you can also admire many medieval and baroque churches among these: The medieval Church of Sant’Agostino ( see the image) (14th century), and The Church of Santa Maria di Gesù (15th–16th centuries). Another medieval church, namely the one of the Basilica-Sanctuary of Maria Santissima Annunziata ( see the image), also called Madonna di Trapani, is a magnificent monument built in the Middle – Age ( 1315) and rebuilt in 1760. In this city, Virgin Mary’s worship is strongly felt. The city also hosts medieval castle ruins, among these: Castello di Terra and Ligny Tower ( see the third image), the latter is a baroque tower today used like a museum.
But Trapani has also stunning mountains, namely mount San Giuliano and Erice The latter is very important all over the world because it is also a valley with many Greek remains. In front of mount Erice, you can also see spectacular sights, such as the one of Favignana, an Isle included in the Aegadian Islands and much visited by tourists in the summer. Leaving from the port in Trapani, you can also reach another stunning and marvelous Isle: Pantelleria. But you can also decide to stay in Trapani because this province has also a coast of 150 kilometers. Along this Sicilian coast, the most notable and famous beach is San Vito Lo Capo.
This is a Sicilian sea town in the province of Trapani. San Vito Lo Capo has fine sandy beaches and bright and blue sea, maybe it is one of the most beautiful beaches in Trapani. If you love history and culture, you must also visit the famous ancient temples in Selinunte and Segesta. These are two ancient Sicilian cities founded by uncertain origin peoples called Elimis. This people came before the Greek domination. The temples are really magnificent in Selinunte and Segesta, very high columns seem to touch the sky, the architectural style is still perfect and lets you make a travel into the ancient past of Sicily. For more information, I suggest that you also browse the pages dedicated to Selinunte and Segesta. As said above, Trapani is also the home of Sicilian food. During your holiday in Trapani you can taste the famous Sicilian pesto and other wonderful recipes I’ll describe in another section of this website.
The weather is typically Mediterranean in Trapani, with wet and mild winter and hot summer. Fortunately, for a few years, the Sicilian climate has become less annoying and the summer temperature is now more bearable. Like other Sicilian cities, you can visit Trapani all the year. Every year, in the spring, an evocative representation of the Christ Passion is held in Trapani. Along the streets, an actor who plays the role of Jesus Christ carries a heavy wooden cross on his shoulders. The representation is very poignant and followed by tourists coming from all over the world. You can also attend other events nearby the town of Castelvetrano or visit the beautiful city of Marsala. To find accommodations and hotels in Trapani, instead, see here.
Rosalba Mancuso is a freelance journalist born in Sicily. Passionate about her loved island and with extensive writing experience, Rosalba worked as a contributor to the main Sicily’s newspapers and as a bilingual Italian – English writer. Thanks to her skills, she also founded four websites in English. On Sicilyonweb, Rosalba tells every corner of her beloved Sicily. Furthermore, she writes this blog thanks to your help. Rosalba, in fact, earns a small commission, with no cost for you, when you book your travel or buy products through the affiliate widgets or links you find in her posts.
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