Trapani

Trapani is the province in the west of Sicily. The capital of this region is Trapani.

The name Trapani originates from a Greek word “Drepanon”, which means “sickle”. The cape, where Trapani was founded looks like the sickle or the half-moon. There are a lot of different archaeological relics in Trapani’s environs. Phoenicians founded their first settlement here at the dawn of their civilization (10 B.C.). Then ancient Greeks came. They built Sellinunt, the oldest town of Sicily (7 B.C.). Hannibal’s forces destroyed it and now Sellinunt is picturesque ruins. The Temple is another well-known memorial in Trapani. It is situated in Segesta, which used to be a Greek colony.

The capital of Trapani is a kaleidoscope of mixed Arabian, Greek, Norman, Spaniard and Roman traditions. The tourists appreciate the St.Virgo Mary Church. It is a unique monument of the Middle Ages. The Church embodies the consummate skill of the Arabian architects, the Gothic style and the Renaissance epoch. There is Madonna statue at the sanctuary of the Church. It is a well-known sculptor’s Nino Pizano masterpiece. There is a beautiful legend about this statue: there was the storm and one survivor, he was the knight, made an oath to present with the statue the first settlement to pull in to the shore. It was Trapani.

Holiday in Trapani tourists can have perfect rest not only at the sea coast. The most well-known resort of the province is three islands of the Isole Egadi: the Favignana, the Levanzo and the Marettimo. Castelmarre del Golfo and San Vito are also very popular resorts at the sea coast.

Besides, you may have a wonderful exotic rest in the numerous villages: Сalatafimi, Val del Belise, Gibellina. Quiet and tranquil lifetime of the Sicilian fishermen reigns here. If you are lucky man you’ll be invited to tunny fishing, which is known here as “mattanza”.