With a population of 72,000, Trapani is Sicily’s fifth-largest city and, thanks to Trapani Airport, one of the starting points for travelling around Sicily. All boats and ferries to the popular Egadi Islands also depart from Trapani, and the resort of San Vito lo Capo and the ancient ruins of Segesta are also nearby.

Sights and attractions

The town itself lies on a narrow peninsula, on which the historic centre is situated. It boasts typically narrow Italian streets and many restaurants and bars. Trapani has the advantage of lying in the shadow of better-known cities such as Palermo and Catania, and therefore feels much more authentic. Don’t forget to visit the following in Trapani:

• The town of Erice: a beautifulhistoric town high up in the mountains, about 3 km from Trapani
• San Lorenzo Cathedral: Trapani’s largest church, dating from the first half of the 17th century
• Madonna di Trapani: a14th-centurybasilicahousing the statue of the Madonna of Trapani, the city’s patron saint
• Torre di Ligny: a watchtowerfrom the mid-17th century situated on the very edge of the peninsula, which today houses a small maritime museum

Salt is worth its weight in gold, or the salt pans of Trapani

Trapani is renowned for producing the highest-quality Italian salt. To the south of the city, towards Marsala, you’ll come across extensive salt pans – large tanks of seawater from which table salt is extracted through evaporation. Here and there, old windmills appear amongst the salt pans; together with the hills of white salt and the pinkish water in the basins, they lend the whole area a magical air.

You’ll come across the salt pans along the roughly 20 km stretch between Trapani and the town of Marsala; you’ll also see them on the bus journey from the airport.

Beaches in Trapani

Right in the city, you can go for a swim at the extensive Lido di San Giuliano beach; however, it tends to be very crowded and is best suited for short visits before departure or after arrival, when you have a few extra hours to spare in Trapani. The beach stretches along the entire northern coast of the city.

For more beautiful natural beaches, head to the nearby resorts:

• San Vito lo Capo (40 km)
• Castelammare del Golfo and the surrounding area (40 km)
• the beaches south of the town of Marsala (35 km)

Accommodation in Trapani

The city serves as an excellent base for exploring western Sicily. Stays of 1 or 2 nights are particularly popular. Prices in apartments and smaller hotels range from around 53 eur per night for two people, whilst larger hotels charge between 1 500 and 82 eur per night for two.

Take a look at the specific hotels and accommodation we’ve selected for you:

• Well-reviewed budget hotels (up to 62 eur per night for two):Bed and Breakfast Sapore di Sale, Hostelleria, Palazzo dei Corsari
• Top hotels in Trapani: Hotel Punta Tipa,Residence La Gancia, Hotel Vittoria

Transport

Trapani is one of the transport hubs of western Sicily and has its owninternational airport. There are also many car hire companies based here. Take a look at which operators run services from Trapani to the main destinations:

• Palermo –Segesta coaches,Trenitalia trains, fare around 10 eur
• Marsala –Trenitalia trains, fare approx. 3 eur
• San Capo lo Vito– AST buses, fare around 4,60 eur

The main bus stops in Trapani are at the harbour and near the railway station; seethe map.

Public transport in Trapani

Although Trapani is small and you can walk to most of the attractions, it may be useful to know about the local public transport. This is provided by several bus routes operated by ATM Trapani (official website and timetables).

Bus routes 21 and 24 are particularly useful for tourists, as they run between the city centre and the cable car to Erice.

Trapani–Erice Cable Car

One of the tourist attractions is the cable car to the town of Erice, which has its lower station to the east of the city (exact location on the map). A return ticket costs 9 eur , a single ticket 5,50 eur . The cable car is out of service from autumn to spring (usually November–March); for further information, see:www.funiviaerice.it.

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