Fascinating Sicilian Fishing Port of Trapani in Photos

Being closer to Africa than the Italian mainland, the fascinating Sicilian fishing port of Trapani is an interesting place to walk around and photograph.

Although it seems to be off the beaten path, Trapani is actually well connected by bus and train to the capital of Palermo, by air (Ryan Air and others) to the rest of Europe as well as by a Thursday morning Ferry to Tunis in Africa.

We arrived from Palermo by bus which was a good choice and left via Ryan Air (another good choice) to Trieste, the Italian town that lies at the top of the Adriatic Sea.
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Food

We tried the famous Trapanese Fish and Couscous dish.

Our Airbnb owner recommended a port restaurant to try this local speciality so we immediately booked.  The dish lacked flavour so we felt a little let down. It’s not often that a local Airbnb owner gets it wrong.

I will try the soup version in a different place. The soup is prepared with an Italian base of fish, garlic and tomatoes, the couscous being added with an African splash of chilli, saffron, cinnamon and nutmeg.

A travel memoir I read once describted the author sitting at a randomly chosen port cafe, devouring a bowl of fish and couscous. So engrossed was he that his Egadi Island ferry came and left while he asked for a refill. If only he had mentioned the name of the that cafe.

One and a half hours away in San Vito Lo Capo they have an Annual 6 day September Couscous Festival. It might be a good place to try!

The new Trapani Fish Market.

A white igloo shaped structure on Via Cristoforo Colombo, houses the harbour-side fish market. It is relatively small but cooled by ocean breezes with plenty of fresh fish daily from 6 am till 2 pm.

For 500 years, Favignana, an island off Trapani hosted a yearly Blue Fin Tuna festival, but in 2009 it was cancelled due to the lack of tuna fish. Locals blame this on Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean overfishing in the 1960’s.

Sardines at Trapani Fish Market.

Fresh Fava Beans and Dill on sale outside the fish market. I’m thinking that the locals use the beans (and dill) in a fish dish. Two men sat beside their dilapidated trucks peeling beans and dropping them into the pile.

Architecture

A Moorish influence can be found in the small lanes of the old town, but the grand buildings are all in the Spanish Baroque Style. I’ve shown some examples of Trapani architecture and Trapani travel tips previously.

Once the Senate House, Trapani City Hall lies at the east end of the pedestrianised Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Clock and Calendar look down from a beautiful Baroque facade. It’s also known as Cavarretta Palace – commissioned in 1672 by Giacomo Cavarretta.

There’s so much going on in this photo, it is one of my favourites.

In August 1937 Mussolini was photographed standing on this very balcony at Casa del Mutilato with his arm raised in Fascist Salute.

Venus statue and fountain at the old fish market.

Churches

To my mind the Chiesa del Purgatorio, is a stand out Roman Catholic Church in a Country famous for it’s churches.

The interior walls are lined with life-sized timber statues (Misteri) that get an airing each Easter. Paraded around town, they are followed by the congregation with attendant band playing dirges to an austere drum beat. It’s something not to miss.

The highlight comes on Friday afternoon when the 20 Misteri are hauled by guild members, 1km from Purgatorio up to Via Giovani Battista Fardella. The atmosphere is similar to the fervour that Andalucian Holy Week parades generate.

The workmanship of the Misteri is quite beautiful.

Book Accommodation well in advance to witness the parade.

To see the Misteri without the crowds, visit Chiesa del Purgatorio just off the main Corso. Some of the original Misteri date back to the 18th Century and are kept in tip top condition. Others of the massively heavy Misteri were destroyed in WWII bombing or by being dropped during procession. This church, with explanatory panels in multiple languages, is well worth a visit.

A Passegiata afternoon stroll down the Corso from Trapani City Hall to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo is the thing to do.

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Trapani with Mt. Eryx.

 

An intriguing thing to do that adds to your Trapani experience is to check out Trapani Salt Pans and Museum. Read about it here.

It is so romantic being in Europe and yet be so close to Africa.

Have you been to Sicily and Trapani?

Thanks for reading and commenting – we really appreciate it. If you have a blog we would love you to add your travel post to the link below for Nancie’s Travel Photo Thursday which we co-host with Ruth from Tanama Tales and Rachel from Rachel’s Ruminations.