Marsala
Western ** Sicily ** goes a long way. While most of the tourism is directed towards the east of the island - to cities such as Syracuse, Taormina, Catania or Messina - the Trapani region goes unnoticed. Always to the fortune of the most sedate travelers.
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean . They would fit in it up to seven Mallorcas . It is not easy, then, to organize a trip. The highways are fine, but they are basically limited to connecting the three main cities; Catania, Palermo and Messina . Outside of these —and also due to a complicated orography— the roads are not too fast.
Due to its dimensions, visitors are often advised to focus on the eastern part either in the west of the island . Seeing everything with a certain dignity would mean a trip of at least a month, which would be the equivalent of spending 4.28 days in Majorca . It's not too much, right?
Trapani salt pans
When choosing between one part of the island or the other, first-time travelers tend to lean east. Reasonable decision, since it is where most of the tourist work and the sicilian beauty . When they return to the island they will already see the western part. However, how many times do we make a second trip? This probably explains why the province of Trapani is less exploited and for the most part by Italian and even Sicilian citizens. The proximity to Palermo also diverts potential visitors.
Let us think then that we have already enjoyed the eastern part. That we have seen all there is to see—or that we don't want to see it. That we are deeply exhausted and that we deserve lying on some salt flats in front of a beautiful sunset with a glass of sweet wine in hand . Let's think we have a couple of weeks to tour Trapani.
TRAPANI
The capital of the region In this case, it is not its most populous city. Peter of Aragon arrived here in 1282 . Its old town, surrounded by the sea, enjoys the characteristic and elegant sicilian decadence , halfway between Spanish baroque and chipped paint.
Its narrow streets are home to tiny workshops, the occasional palazzo and chairs with grandparents chatting. It is interesting to visit Cathedral of San Lorenzo and the Church of Purgatory , where the 20 wooden effigies with which devotees carry during Holy Week are preserved. Still, the most visited in the city of Trapani are the ferries that go to the Aegadian Islands.
Trapani
THE AGAINST
This small archipelago is made up of three islands, all three connected by sea with the Trapani post. Favigliana —the main one— and I raise for just €9.7 and Marettimo for €14.6. In all you can upload the car. There are also rapids that arrive in just over half an hour and cost just two or three euros more. If we do not go by car this is the best option.
During the summer the islands are also connected with the hydrofoil to Marsala. All of them are recommended, they all have a beach but if we can only choose a better one, go to Favigliana. If we are going to spend a few days we can rent bicycles or mopeds.
Favigliana
MARSALA
We take advantage of the fact that Pantone has declared Classic Blue as color of the year to claim here another Pantone, the 18-1438, Marsala color , the color of this sweet wine that we can taste in one of the terraces of this beautiful city.
Streets paved with luxurious marble, elegant and well-kept baroque buildings, quiet restaurants. A place that contrasts with the humble Trapani where we come from.
The Phoenicians founded Marsala in 397 BC. Proof of this is the impressive Phoenician ship hull that we can find in the Archaeological Museum of the city , one of the must-sees on this trip.
On the road that brings us from Trapani to Marsala we will cross a large number of salt pans, the idyllic scene that has brought us here. At the **Mammacaura restaurant** we will have a glass of wine or have dinner while watching the sun set over the salt flats. If we wish, a ferry leaves from there to the nearby islet of Mozia.
Marsala
MAZARA DEL VALLO
Between Marsala and Mazara there are very long beaches with many lidos where we can enjoy in summer, if we go in summer. As we get closer to the next stop we have more the feeling of entering some town in North Africa than in Sicily.
From afar, observing it from a slightly elevated position and with the sea in the background, Mazara del Vallo it looks like a kasbah and, in fact, that is how the old part of this city is known. The best we can do with it is walk through its streets , which alternate Baroque constructions with Saracen or Norman influence.
Apart from the walk through the kasbah there is something especially important to visit: the dancing satyr . A Greek bronze statue that was literally fished by neighbors who fished in the area . First an arm appeared, in 1997, the following year the rest of the body.