Trapani is a city that is located on the western coast of Sicily; it is also the capital of the province of Trapani. It is still a very important fishing port, as well as being the main port for transportation to the Aegadian Islands. The summer months here have average temperatures ranging from lows of 19 degrees to highs of 30 degrees, with the norm usually sitting around the mid 20’s.
The old city of Trapani dates back to medieval times or the early modern era, however there are no remains of the ancient city today. Most of the buildings are in typical Baroque style, such as the Church of Sant'Agostino, which was built in the 14th century and is home to the famous Rose Window.
The Basilica-Sanctuary of Maria Santissima Annunziata is a stunning sight, which was originally built back in the early 1300’s and was then rebuilt in 1760. It is where the marble statue of Madonna of Trapani is housed. The Cathedral was erected in 1412, but was renovated in the 18th century to what can be seen today by the architect Giovanni Biagio Amico.
Other places to visit include the Meseo delle Salline, or the Museum of Salt, which is about a half hours drive out of the city. There are also several beaches along the coastline, the best one however is about 9km from the city and is called Marausa.
Monte Erice is a wonderful cable car ride from the city, above the cobbled streets to take in views of the medieval castle; on very clear days it is even possible to see Africa and Tunisia. The town of Erice itself is a must see; it is made up of forts and churches and was the centre of the cult of Venus. In the most northeastern part of the town there are the remains of the ancient walls from both Elymian and Phoenician times. There are two castles here: Pepoli, which dates from the Saracen times and the Venus Castle, which dates from Norman times.
Holy Week, Easter, is very important here and there are a whole host of activities and traditions that the locals adhere to. The Misteri di Trapani is a day-long passion procession that has on average 20 different floats that depict scene events form the Passion. The Misteri are one of the oldest and continuously running religious events in all of Europe, they are played out every Good Friday and have been since the Easter of 1612.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Trapani? Then below is a selection of Apartments in Trapani and villas in Trapani that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
