< 1 day
On foot
€
History
In the seventh century BC, according to Thucydides, the inhabitants of Selinunte built a castle in the Saccense area and founded a subcolony, which they called Terme Selinuntine, due to the presence of thermal springs.
In 409 BC, after the fall of Selinunte into Carthaginian hands, Terme Selinuntine welcomed part of the population who had escaped the destruction of the city.
The Arabs conquered the city in 840. They influenced the urban fabric and toponymy and gave impetus to the cotton industry. The toponym Sciacca is probably of Arab origin.
A seaside, tourist, and spa town, rich in monuments and churches, it is the most populous municipality in the province after the capital. It is known for its historic carnival and pottery.
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Photo of Sciacca from the sea, by Tiberio Frascarion Wikipedia
Attractions
In Sciacca there are several monuments and places of interest that are worth visiting:
Chiesa di Maria SS. del Soccorso
The Chiesa di Maria SS. del Soccorso or Duomo (also called Chiesa Madre or Matrice) is located in Piazza Don Minzoni and dates back to the 12th century. Founded in 1108 by Giulietta (Giuditta) the Norman, daughter of Count Ruggero in the center of the ancient Ruccera district;
Photo of the Matrice, in Archivio privato della famiglia Riggio on Wikipedia
Chiesa di San Domenico
The Chiesa di San Domenico and the adjoining convent of the Order of the Preachers of San Domenico date back to 1176 and 1538 respectively. The church, in Baroque style, has a single nave with eight chapels. It is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, at the entrance to Piazza Scandaliato. Among the works preserved, a painting depicting the Spasm by Antonello da Palermo stands out;
Photo of the Chiesa di San Domenico, in Archivio privato della famiglia Riggio on Wikipedia
Chiesa di San Michele
The Chiesa di San Michele, in Piazza Noceto, was founded by Guglielmo Peralta in 1371. The two sacred thorns of the martyrdom of Christ, donated by Eleonora d'Aragona, daughter of Giovanni di Sicilia;
Photo of the Chiesa di San Michele, in Archivio privato della famiglia Riggio on Wikipedia
San Calogero
The 18th-century Santuario di San Calogero, enriched by a rich Baroque decoration, houses the statue of San Calogero, sculpted by Antonello Gagini in 1535 and delivered by his son Giacomo Gagini in 1538. The Sanctuary is located in Monte San Calogero, also known as Monte Kronio. On the mountain, there is the museum site "Antiquarium di Monte Kronio - Stufe di S. Calogero", a thermal complex and a series of caves of karst origin, used since ancient times for therapeutic purposes.
Photo of the grotte di San Calogero, by Ravenclaraw on Wikipedia
Terme di Sciacca
As for the spas, moreover, Sciacca is also famous for its active spas. The ancient toponyms of Sciacca (Thermae Selinuntinae in the Greek era and Aquae Labodes under the Romans) recall its thermal characteristics, such as the modern name of "city of spas".
The springs and muds of Sciacca, judged to be among the most effective in the world, attract an ever-increasing presence of scholars and tourists.
Sciacca is a first-class spa that is wisely structured to welcome those in search of health and relaxation.
At the Terme di Sciacca S.p.a., the Department of Thermal Treatments and the Department of Physiokinesiotherapy and Rehabilitation are in operation all year round.
Photo of a sulfur thermal spring, by Markos90 on Wikipedia
Photo of the Terme di Sciacca, by Ludvig14 on Wikipedia
Castello Incantato
Another interesting and suggestive place to visit is the Castello Incantato. It is an open-air museum with an exhibition of heads carved and chiseled into the rock by a peasant artist. It was originally the farm of the naive
artist Filippo Bentivegna, who lived between 1888 and 1967. His sculptures depict characters, famous or not, to whom he gave a name and who, in his mind, represented the subjects of the kingdom he had created and of which he was the "Lord". Some of his works are exhibited at the Art Brut Museum in Lausanne.
Photo of the Incubo di teste, by Markos90 on Wikipedia
Piazza Scandaliato
From the main square of Sciacca, Piazza Scandaliato, it is possible to admire a breathtaking view of the sea. Sciacca is, in fact, a maritime city, also famous for its fish and the port area. Some places where you can taste the local fish will be indicated later.
Photo of the Piazza Scandaliato, by Nikolay Glebov on Unsplash
The historic center of Sciacca has been the site, in recent years, of international and exclusive events, such as the Google Camp (for 2 consecutive years) and the Dolce & Gabbana Party 2019.
Mercato del pesce
As with any place famous for fish, in Sciacca, there is a fish market, where you can buy freshly caught fish. Usually, boats moor starting at 4 pm, every 10/20 minutes at the harbor.
Photo by Diane Helentjaris on Unsplash
Ceramiche
Among all these things, the territory of Sciacca can also be considered the cradle of clay craftsmanship in Sicily: the numerous finds found testify that the clay has been worked since the fourth millennium BC.
Today, numerous local artisans have carried on this tradition and who try their hand at the production of ceramics. In addition to viewing several around, the ceramics can be purchased in the artists' workshops and laboratories.
Photo of a vase by master ceramists, by Massimo Frasson on Wikipedia
Carnevale di Sciacca
Finally, in Sciacca, there is no shortage of events and village festivals. In this regard, it is necessary to indicate the most famous of these: the Carnevale di Sciacca, a carnival event that takes place in Sciacca in the province of Agrigento, considered among the most popular in Sicily and Italy.
One of the traditional features of the Sciacca Carnival is the parade of floats and mini floats, with all kinds of masks. The floats are built by the inhabitants, who compete for the victory of the best float at the end of the Carnival.
Photo of EXPOrtiamo, the winning float of the Sciacca Carnival 2016 (Ass. La Nuova Isola), by EndrexSoft on Wikipedia
Usually, the Carnival is celebrated forty days before Easter, therefore in the months of February or March.
Food
If you want to eat in Sciacca, here is a list of places where you can enjoy tasty and traditional dishes:
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La Focaccia 2.0 is a place where you can have a traditional Sicilian gassosa, with Panino con milza, Panelle, fried fish mix, and so on;
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Cantine De Gregorio is a historical winery. You can have more information about the winery by checking their website: click here. They also have a restaurant called Ristorante Le Stranizze, where you can have delicious food and where you can taste their different wines, too;
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La Cambusa is another restaurant where the inhabitants of Sciacca love to eat. Their dishes are mainly based on fresh local fish;
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Trattoria Al Faro is a restaurant near the port where you eat mainly fresh fish;
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Hostaria del Vicolo is a growing gourmet restaurant. Their menu is typically Sicilian with Slow Food ingredients;
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Vela is a fancy gourmet restaurant in the main square of Sciacca;
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Cocciu di Luna is not a proper restaurant, but it’s definitely an experience. Their menu is mainly made of tasty Panini with fish or meat, and their cocktails are famous for their singularity. The reason why reaching this place could be considered an experience is that it is located inside an old castle, the Castello dei Luna;
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Fattoria Morgana - Cucina Rurale is the place you want to go if you want to taste good meat. Fattoria Morgana has probably the best meat in the whole territory around. The sausages, cheeses, and jams are also very good and suggested. As the name suggests, it is a real farm, where some animals live with which you can interact while waiting for food;
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If you’re looking for a pizzeria in Sciacca, the best you can choose are Pizzeria Conte Luna or Pizzeria Lo Steripinto;
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Finally, if you’re close to the Sciacca harbor, have a refreshing traditional granita at Bar Roma - Zio Aurelio, definitely one of the best granita you can taste in the whole of Western Sicily.
Tips
Parking
To visit Sciacca it is not essential, but it is certainly useful to have a car. This paragraph shows two car parks in different areas, to facilitate visiting the city. In fact, it is not essential to move the car, but it is a convenient choice considering the difference in altitude to be covered for the visit.
The Villa/Terme car park is the most convenient free car park for visiting the historic center of the city.
The harbour car park is the most convenient car park for staying in the port area and near the sea.
Agghiastru (oleastro) Inveges
Apart from the architectural and monumental works, in the Schiunchipani district, about 8 km from the historic center, stands the wild olive Inveges (Oleastro d’Inveges), a tree dating back to the fourteenth century. Local legends tell that the tree at night hosts spirits and goblins and that whoever damages the tree will have a "bad year", which is a year characterized by disasters. The tree is called Inveges because, among its ancient owners, there is the scholar Agostino Inveges, or the agghiastru di 'mmezzu.
Museo Diffuso dei 5 Sensi
The most daring project in Sciacca's most recent history is that of the Museo Diffuso dei 5 Sensi: a community spokesperson for the identity and beauty of the territory, to make known the immense historical, artistic, craft, landscape, and food and wine heritage of the Sciacca area.
Part of this widespread museum are artisans, traders, accommodation facilities, restaurants, cultural associations, trade associations, and many pieces of a mosaic of unique pieces.