Trapani e provincia

Trapani, the ancient Drepanon, just out into the Mediterranean sea in the shape of a sickle. The Ligny Tower, an imposing watchtower built in 1761, stands on its extreme tip and now houses the Museum of Prehistory.

Walking down the streets of the oldest part of the city centre one can easily notice the indelible marks left on Trapani's town planning architectural styles by various civilizations. It is worth mentioning the Jewish quarter with the Palazzo della Giudecca  and the oldest quarter of the town called Casalicchio, characterized by an Arab-like labyrinth of narrow alleways.

Another notable building is the Church of Purgatorio: here twenty holy groups, called the Mysteries of Trapani, are preserved and on Good Friday they are carried through the streets of the town centre in a 24 hour huge procession.

Such streets lead all to the sea, the typical fish market, the western town walls and the port, protected from the sea by the Castello della Colombaia.

Nowadays fishing provides a means of support but in the past the Mediterranean was a source of wealth because of the coral industry. A collection of very fine coral works is displayed at the Pepoli Museum, inside the Carmelite monastery.

Along these streets one can smell the scents of the local cuisine, characterized by strong and spicy flavours. A typical dish, of Arab origin, is couscous served with fish soup.