Trapani and Erice

Another beautiful coastal town in northwestern Sicily that awaits our visit is Trapani. Besides the beach and a beautiful old town that Trapani shares with other cities we have seen, the special feature here is that Trapani is connected to the nearby mountain village of Erice by cable car.

Trapani and Erice are part of a coastal strip in Sicily that was placed on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage in 2002. It obviously didn't make it to the final list, but the fact that UNESCO has been dealing with it for a few years demonstrates the outstanding status of this region.

Of course, there are also two roads leading up to Erice - we couldn't take the cable car ride due to its inconvenient opening hours. The road itself is already quite a challenge. The parking lot in front of Erice (which is not yet the highest point of the mountain) is 717 meters high; the beach in front of Trapani is only 3 km away as the crow flies. On the way up and also in Erice itself, you are part of a very unique microclimate. Clouds are constantly blowing through the town, at times we could only see 50 meters ahead, it was so foggy. Accordingly, it is moist and fresh up there, while you have to roast on the beach at 30 °C in the (non-existent) shade.

The area is also known for its salt production in salt pans. Ancient mills for water transport between the basins still testify to the high importance of this local management centuries ago.