< 1 day
On foot
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History
Erice is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. According to legend, it was founded by Aeneas to house the remains of his father Anchises, who died in these places.
The name of Erice comes from Eryx, a mythological character, son of Aphrodite and Bute, killed by Heracles.
From 1167 to 1934 it had the name of Monte San Giuliano. Only a small percentage of inhabitants live in the city center, located on the summit of the homonymous mountain, while the majority of the population is concentrated downstream, in the town of Casa Santa, contiguous to the city of Trapani.
Photo of Erice from a drone view, by Luiz Cent on Unsplash
Attractions
The history and attractions of Erice are intertwined to the point that it is already possible to continue with this section.
Chiesa Madre
Immediately after entering the village from Porta Trapani, on the left is the Chiesa Madre, dedicated to Maria Assunta: it is the most important religious monument in Erice.
Built in the period of Constantine (4th century BC), it had the aim of distancing the people from the cult of Venus Erycina which had its center in the castle which can still be visited today.
Photo of the Chiesa Madre, by Bertrand Borie on Unsplash
It is possible to visit the external bell tower, from which you can admire a wonderful panorama over the roofs of the village, it was actually an old watchtower built at the end of 200 by Frederick III of Aragon. 28 meters high, you reach the top by tackling a staircase of 108 steps.
Photo of the interior of the Duomo, by Carmen Laezza on Unsplash
Along the steep slope of the village, you will come across shops and restaurants, until you reach Piazza Garibaldi, or Piazza Municipio.
Castello di Venere
From here every path leads to the Castello di Venere, a building built on the site of an ancient rite dedicated first to the Phoenician goddess Astarte, then to Aphrodite, and finally to the Roman Venus.
Photo of the Castello di Venere, by Freysteinn G. Jonsson on Unsplash
Castello Pepoli
Walking on the circular walls of the village you can admire a splendid panorama of the Egadi Islands: looking down you can see the pretty Castello Pepoli, built in 1870, which today houses a multimedia museum dedicated to Erice "City of Peace".
Photo of the Castello Pepoli, by Jakub Flis on Unsplash
Food
If you are looking for food, while you are in Erice, you can have all the traditional Trapani food, such as Busiate con pesto alla Trapanese, Cous cous, and so on.
Genovese
Erice is particularly famous for its desserts: the Genovese, typical desserts of the Erice village, made with a shortcrust pastry filled with custard and sprinkled with icing sugar. The name probably derives from the shape of these sweets which recalls the hat of the Genoese sailors who often passed through Trapani, since trade between Genoa and the Sicilian port was frequent. The cloistered nuns of Erice gave birth to these sweets.
Photo of the Genovese, by Enzo Rippa on Wikipedia
Mustazzoli di Erice
The Mustazzoli di Erice, also prepared in the convent of cloistered nuns, are rather robust and dry biscuits with an elongated shape that are dipped in a glass of liqueur wine (passito, malvasia, marsala).
Bocconcini di Erice
The Bocconcini di Erice is prepared with real marzipan, or marzipan, which is filled with citron jam in liqueur.
Photo of the Bocconcini, by Lidine Mia on Wikipedia
Cabbucio
Another typical, non-sweet food is Cabbucio from Trapani, a stuffed focaccia created with pizza dough that is cut in half and stuffed with oil, anchovies, rosemary, and sliced tomato.
Obviously, in Erice, it is possible to eat many typical dishes of Sicilian cuisine and, in particular, Trapanese.
Here is a list of pastry shops and restaurants where you can have traditional pieces
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La Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico, is a pastry shop where you can eat typical sweets;
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La Pentolaccia, inside a 17th-century convent, is a rustic but at the same time elegant restaurant where you can taste local dishes, such as Ravioli di Cernia, or Cous cous;
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La Tonda Fritta, ideal for a mid-day snack or street food;
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Gli Archi di San Carlo, in a former medieval convent with a beautiful internal courtyard, offers typical Sicilian dishes, such as caponata, Busiate al pesto alla Trapanese, and grilled octopus.
Tips
Access
Erice can be reached by car, bus, or cable car.
In the first case, the advice is to rent the car upon arrival at the airport and follow the road that leads to Erice. Below are the directions from Trapani and Palermo airports.
In the second case, it is possible to reach Erice by bus, taking a total of 45 minutes. The cost of the ticket is €2.70.
The third possibility is the cable car, a convenient solution but, above all, with breathtaking views. The rides are frequent, the duration of the journey is counted in minutes and the cable car is active from 6.30 am to 11.30 pm every day, while on Mondays starting from 1.00 pm.
The ticket costs €5.50 for a single journey, while if you chose to purchase both the outward and return tickets, the cost would be €9.
The cable car is operational except in bad weather conditions: in this case, an alternative taxi will be provided whose price will be identical to that of the tickets.
From Trapani, the cable car can be reached from the center, taking buses 21 or 24, with stops from the port or Via Fardella.
Clothing
Erice is located at an altitude of 750 meters, which means that the temperature you will find will be a few degrees lower than usual. A tip is to bring something with you to cover yourself.