Guided tour of the Trapani Salt Pans and Salt Museum
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The guided tour between the Saline Culcasi of Trapani and the salt museum is something unique in the province of Trapani.
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From 22,99€ per person
Trapani is often overlooked by tourists, who treat it merely as a stopping point on the way to other famous destinations in western Sicily, yet this city is truly a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.
From above, Trapani has a curious crescent shape that seems almost to cut through the sea. Once the heart of maritime trade routes connecting Carthage to Venice, today’s busy port of Trapani bustles with tourists heading to the Egadi Islands, mainland Italy or Tunisia.
To immerse yourself in the distinctive atmosphere of this elegant city, rich in Baroque palaces and stunning churches, wander through the maze of narrow streets in the old town, then head to the romantic seafront for a breath of fresh air.
The countryside around Trapani is equally captivating: rolling hills and the unusual and striking sight of the salt pans await you, vast expanses of salt like white desert dunes.
The two main streets in Trapani are the pedestrianised Via Garibaldi and Corso Vittorio Emanuele, overlooking the impressive Cathedral of San Lorenzo1, in Baroque and Neoclassical style, and the Palazzo Senatorio2.
A particularly special place to visit is Fish Market Square3: perhaps not the most picturesque corner of the city, but with its vibrant atmosphere and the bustle of vendors and customers, it exerts a truly enchanting appeal and will delight street photography enthusiasts.
From here you can continue on a romantic stroll along the seafront, passing the Bastione Conca as far as the seventeenth-century Torre di Ligny, which today houses the Museum of Prehistory and Marine Archaeology.
Four kilometres from the centre lies the Sanctuary of the Annunziata4, a fourteenth-century church that houses the Madonna of Trapani, a sculpture attributed to the artist Nino Pisano.
In the centrally located Church of Purgatory, I Misteri are kept: twenty life-sized wooden effigies depicting scenes of the Passion of Jesus.
The Misteri are carried through the city’s main streets during the religious procession held between Good Friday and Saturday, a tradition that has lasted for over 400 years.
The Holy Week celebrations in Trapani represent one of the oldest and longest religious events in Italy and are observed by locals with fervent and passionate participation.
It’s impossible not to be captivated by the Trapani and Paceco Salt Pans Nature Reserve, a natural area managed by WWF Italy and established in 1995. Its vast expanse of 1,000 hectares makes it one of Sicily’s largest protected areas, divided fairly evenly between the municipalities of Trapani and Paceco.
The reserve is largely made up of salt pans still owned and operated by private companies today, where salt is extracted using centuries-old techniques by renowned businesses. Beyond discovering an area unique in Italy for salt production, the Trapani and Paceco Salt Pans Nature Reserve is also an important wetland area, used by migratory birds on their journeys from south to north and back again.
To visit the Trapani and Paceco salt pans reserve, head towards the Maria Stella mill, located in the Nubia district, along provincial road 21: this is where you’ll find the park’s visitor centre, where you can receive useful information and leaflets. Guided tours can also be arranged here.
To highlight the ancient tradition of Trapani’s salt pans, a visit to the salt museum is essential. Located inside a baglio – an old seventeenth-century farmstead-fortress with an adjoining mill – in the municipality of Paceco, the salt museum was established by Alberto Culcasi. Today it is part of an itinerary known as “the salt route” and is included in the official guide of the European Union of Mediterranean museums.
When visiting the salt museum, you’ll discover all the secrets of extracting this precious mineral, from ancient times to the present day, and once you’ve finished your museum tour, you can walk inside an actual salt pan, admiring the pools up close and strolling through a truly unique environment.
The museum is located on Via Chiusa in the Nubia Paceco area, in Trapani province. It is open every day of the week from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm.
If you’re in Trapani and want to experience one of the finest days western Sicily has to offer, a boat trip to Favignana is something you shouldn’t miss.
The largest of the Egadi Islands is reached in just over half an hour from the city port, but the real magic begins once you’re on the water: boat excursions organised by local operators take you to discover the island’s most unspoilt coves, with stops for snorkelling in crystal-clear waters that shift from emerald green to deep blue.
Cala Rossa is the stop that leaves an impression, with its red rocks towering over the sea and water colours that are hard to forget. It’s the kind of day you’ll still be talking about long after you get home.
Trapani’s old town sits on the tip of a peninsula, with its southern side facing the port. For this reason, there aren’t many city beaches; the only one worth mentioning is the Beach of the Tramontana Walls8, facing north. As the name suggests, it’s just outside the walls and is a public beach overlooked by some old town buildings. Being practically in the city, it’s very crowded in summer, especially with locals.
Just outside the old town, in the newer part of the city, on the Dante Alighieri waterfront you’ll find the popular Vittorio Emanuele Square Beach9, and continuing along the waterfront heading east, at the eastern edge of the city, you’ll find the San Giuliano Beach10, equipped with numerous beach clubs, bars and restaurants, though there’s also a section of free beach. Fine sand and clear water, with a gently sloping seabed, make San Giuliano beach an ideal destination for families with children.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
Depending on what type of holiday you’re planning, there are many accommodation options in Trapani. First and foremost, if you’re planning to combine beaches with cultural activities, the ideal solution is to stay near the old town. The location is also strategic for those continuing their journey by ferry to the Egadi Islands or to Tunisia, since the city’s port is here too.
If you move to the new part of Trapani, you’ll be further from museums and churches, but you’ll have access to numerous services, shops, pharmacies and supermarkets, and you can take advantage of city beaches like Vittorio Emanuele or San Giuliano.
Finally, staying near the salt pans will give you the chance to experience a unique environment, made up of water, salt and spectacular reflections.
If you’re on holiday in Palermo, you can easily reach Trapani by hiring a car and driving along the A29 motorway towards Mazara del Vallo; if you prefer public transport, you can take a direct bus or train.
If your flight to Sicily lands at Trapani airport, you can reach the city centre by shuttle bus or by hiring a car directly at the airport.
From Trapani you can easily reach the most famous destinations in western Sicily, such as Erice, San Vito lo Capo, the Zingaro Nature Reserve, Marsala and the islands of Favignana or Marettimo.
Trapani’s port is an almost essential stopping point for reaching the Egadi Islands, along with the port of Marsala. The splendid islands of Favignana, Marettimo and Levanzo are reachable daily by ferries and hydrofoils.
What's the weather at Trapani? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Trapani for the next few days.
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