Trapani (province)
Trapani is the westernmost part of the island of Sicily, in Italy. It is a major centre for viticulture.
Cities
- 🌍 Trapani — attractive city and gateway to Pantelleria and the Egadi islands
- 🌍 Alcamo — a provincial town known for its wine production
- 🌍 Calatafimi Segesta home to the Castle of Eufemio, is characterised by its lanes and small streets of Arab derivation
- 🌍 Castellammare del Golfo
- 🌍 Erice — stunning medieval town, castle and great views over the west-coast. The cannoli at Cafe Maria are incredible and should not be missed.
- 🌍 Marausa — town and beach just south of Trapani
- 🌍 Marsala — interesting museum, home of the famous wine
- 🌍 Mazara del Vallo — Arab influences including a couscous festival
- 🌍 San Vito lo Capo — beautiful beach surrounded by mountains
- 🌍 Scopello — a maritime village near the Nature Reserve dello Zingaro
Other destinations
- 🌍 Aegadian (Egadi) Islands — relaxing islands off the west coast
- 🌍 Mozia — ancient Punic city built on the island of Mozia overlooking Marsala
- 🌍 Pantelleria — Arab-influenced solitude between Sicily and Tunisia
- 🌍 Segesta — a Greek temple, theatre and ruins
- 🌍 Selinunte — a group of impressive Greek temples and ruins of Greek city
Understand
Trapani encompasses the western tip of Sicily. It is surrounded by the sea on three sides, with higher mountains only in the northeast. Trapani includes the offshore Aegadian Islands and the island of Pantelleria.
The area was occupied successively by the Carthaginians, Greeks and latterly by the Romans. The port of Trapani, first known as Drepana, then Drepanon, was inhabited by the Sicani and the Elymi becoming a prosperous Phoenician trading centre by the 8th century BC. It was taken by the Carthaginians in 260 BC and by the Romans in 240 BC, becoming a civitas romana until 440 AD when it was sacked by the Vandals, then by the Byzantines and ultimately by the Muslims in 830. In the 16th century, it received privileges under Emperor Charles V of Spain, who also strengthened the town walls.
Climate
Sicily has an arid Mediterranean climate. In midsummer, temperatures become almost unbearable for some Central Europeans. Early summer and autumn are ideal months for travel, although occasional thunderstorms must be expected. In winter, daytime temperatures around 10°C are often pleasant even for walks. The last snowfall years ago is still a bad memory for most Sicilians.
Get in
By plane
Trapani-Birgi Airport (IATA: TPS) receives flights from a number of airlines, including international flights by Ryanair.
By car
The northern part of the province can be reached from Palermo on the toll-free A29 Palermo - Trapani motorway; from the junction west of Alcamo, the access road to Trapani is called A29dir.
The southern part of the province, including Mazara del Vallo, can also be reached from Palermo via the A29 motorway, but at Alcamo, you stay on the motorway heading south, which ends just before Mazara del Vallo.
To reach Marsala from Palermo, you can take the route via Trapani or Mazara del Vallo (a little further away). A large stretch of country road remains in use in both cases.
From Messina (ferry port) or Catania the easiest way is via Palermo, from Syracuse and the towns in the south (Gela, Agrigento) you can use the southern coastal road SS115, which runs along the entire south coast of Sicily from Syracuse to Trapani.
By bus
Bus connections are provided by numerous companies, with buses operated by Autoservici Segesta or AST (Azienda Siciliana Trasporti) providing regular connections between Palermo and all major cities in the region.
By train
Palermo - Trapani and Trapani - Marsala lines of the Ferrovie dello Stato
By boat
Ferry connections from Civitavecchia and Tunis (Grimaldi Lines) arrive at the Trapani ferry port. There are also ferry connections to Pantelleria and the Aegadian Islands.
Get around
There is a railway connection between Trapani and Marsala, but otherwise the best way to get around is by road, either by car or motorbike or by using the well-developed public bus service.
See
- Segesta: excellently preserved Doric temple
- Selinunte: Greek temple complex and Acropolis (ancient city)
- Mozia with the archaeological finds of ancient port facilities
- Erice: the ancient town with its churches
- Marsala with its wine-growing areas and the salt pans with the famous windmills
Do
- Excursions to the nature reserves around the Monte Cofano and from Zingaro Crossing to the island of Mozia
- Excursions to the Aegadian Islands
Eat
In the west of the island, more fish dishes are served, and due to the short distance to the fishing ports, the fish can often be enjoyed freshly caught. Trapani and its territory are affected in their gastronomy, more than other areas of Sicily, by the greater number of foreign influences and in particular by the Arab domination. But it assumes a fundamental difference in the massive use of fish instead of meat.
Typical dishes
- "Cuscus alla trapanese" is semolina steamed in a special enamelled terracotta pot. But the seasoning, unlike the Maghrebian one (based on legumes and mutton), is a mixed fish broth.
- 'A pasta cull'agghia - the "Pesto alla trapanese", a pesto made with basil, oil and garlic, but with the addition of raw almonds, raw tomatoes and grated pecorino cheese.
- Among the sweets, in addition to those widespread in Sicily, such as the Sicilian cassata and cannoli filled with ricotta, in particular in the Trapani districts of Dattilo and Napola, there are the cassateddi, cassatelle filled with sheep's ricotta or the cosi duci typical of Castellammare del Golfo and the Agro ericino; the bocconcini di Erice, sweets made of marzipan with a core of citron jam in liqueur, and the cassata ericina with a citron-based filling.
Drink
Trapani has among the most land cultivated with vines of any probvince-level jurisdiction in Italy. The typical vineyards of the area are of the Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Zibibbo, Trebbiano, Nero d'Avola varieties and produce highly prized wines appreciated throughout the world, some of which are recognised as having a controlled designation of origin.
Worthy of mention are the Marsala in its many variations and flavours, the Moscato di Pantelleria and the Passito di Pantelleria, the Bianco d'Alcamo, and the white wines produced in the countless wineries in the area. Of great importance are the sweet and dessert wines of good alcohol content. The Trapani area has six types of DOC wines: Marsala, Delia Nivolelli, Bianco d'Alcamo, Moscato di Pantelleria, Erice, and Salaparuta.
Stay safe
Even though Trapani has made headlines as a mafia stronghold, tourists aren't effected. Mafia activities primarily involved diverting funds from road construction and infrastructure projects.
Petty crime is at a normal level, so the usual security measures are sufficient. Valuables should not be left openly in cars, and men should not carry their thick wallets in their pockets in the crowds at the market.
Go next
- Agrigento province – next province on the south coast, featuring ancient Greek temples and ruins
- Palermo province – next province on the north coast, including the city of Palermo with its monumental art and culture