What to See and Do in and around Trapani, Sicily, Trapani, Italy

After a couple of days exploring the ancient temples around Agrigento, I set off by bus for a three-hour journey to the lovely port town of Trapani.

Trapani is located beneath Mount Erice between the Mediterranean and the Ionian Sea on Sicily’s northwest coast. It’s not as popular with tourists as some of Sicily’s east coast towns. Its primary industry sources come from salt extraction and trade, bluefin tuna fishing, and marble exportation. But there’s plenty to do and see in the area, and Trapani makes an excellent base for exploring this side of the island.

Trapani’s old town is a delight to wander. Although Trapani suffered extensive bombing in World War II, the old town largely escaped damage and is certainly worth exploring.

The best way to see old Trapani is to lose yourself in the old streets and alleys. The oldest and most characteristic streets in the old town are Corso Italia, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Garibaldi.

The Cathedral of Trapani, with its impressive ceiling artwork located in the city centre, was built back in 1102. It’s been renovated many times over the centuries, and for lovers of Baroque interiors, it’s well worth a visit.

The Clock Tower is part of the oldest city gate in the town centre. The clock is one of the oldest astronomical clocks in Europe, dating back to 1596. It has two circular dials: the sundial whose hands indicate the zodiac signs, the equinoxes, the solstices and the seasons, and a moon dial that shows the moon’s phases. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).