© Lonely Planet Publications 102 Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels GOLFO DI CASTELLAMMARE •• Castellammare del Golfo 103 0 20 km WESTERN SICILY 0 12 miles To Cagliari To Ustica (40km); (140km) Naples (260km; Via Ùstica) Western Sicily Falcone-Borsellino Airport San Vito lo Capo Terrasini T Y R R H E N I A N Golfo di Castellammare To Palermo S E A Riserva Naturale (23km) Mt Cofano (659m) dello Zingaro Montelepre Custonaci Western Sicily is ancient and rugged, tranquil and sunny, a fascinating insight into the island’s Borgetto Erice Alcamo Scopello Marina Partinico history and culture. It’s one of the least touristy parts of the region and if you’re wanting Capo Trapani Valderice A29 Grosso SS187 Levanzo Castellammare del Golfo an off-the-beaten-track experience with good hotels and fantastic food, head straight here. SS113 WESTERN SICILY Grotta del Genovese Levanzo Lago In fact, it could be said without much exaggeration that this is Sicily’s prime gourmet area Nubia Paceco SS113 Àlcamo Poma SS187 and, with endless fields of Marsala grapes covering the landscape, oenophiles will spend a Marettimo Egadi A29d Marettimo Islands Segesta Favignana Stagone Islands Vincenzo Florio Airport Camporeale lot of time in local wine bars. Favignana Calatafimi SS115 Lago Rubino Though they are irresistible, gastronomic pleasures are not the only highlight of western Riserva Naturale Mòzia di Stagnone M E D I T E R R A N E A N SS624 Sicily – the beautiful coastline is absolutely mesmerising, as are the region’s towns. The San SS119 WESTERN SICILY S E A Pantaleo Nuova Salemi Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro, Sicily’s first nature reserve, is distinguished by coves and rocky ὈὈMarsala ὈSS188 Gibellina Capo Boeo beaches washed by the clearest of waters, while offshore Pantelleria and the Egadi Islands Santa Ninfa SS188 hold some 15,000 years of history between them. Trapani, Marsala and Mazara del Vallo are Same Scale as Partanna Main Map Lago della SS119 Santa Pantelleria Trinita Margherita charming, with labyrinthine old quarters sprinkled with gorgeous palazzi and churches. Gadir SS115 A29 Montevago Castelvetrano Mt Grande Sambuca Historically, the area’s roots are firmly in North Africa: the features and physiognomy of (836m) Mazara del Vallo Pantelleria Scauri the fishermen are almost indistinguishable from the Tunisian immigrants who fill the ports Campobello SS115 Lago di Mazara Arancio Pantelleria Cave di Cusa in Trapani and Mazara del Vallo. Selinunte Menfi To Pantelleria (80km; See Inset); To Agrigento For decades, western Sicily was written off as a remote and uninteresting corner of the is- Tunisia (150km) To Pantelleria (80km) (70km) land, with little to recommend it save a couple of Greek ruins and – for those fascinated by the the big, modern Punta Nord Est (%0924 3 05 11; macabre – its reputation as a hot spot of seismic instability and Mafia activity. Consequently, GOLFO DI www.puntanordest.com; Via Leonardo da Vinci 67; s €50-78, d the area never developed the mass tourist industry of Taormina and Syracuse, but it’s been €78-112; pa), with a seafront location. far better off for it. CASTELLAMMARE You’ll find good camping facilities at Nausicaa (%0924 3 30 30; www.nausica-camping CASTELLAMMARE DEL GOLFO .it; Località Forgia; per person €6-9, camp site €12-20). It pop 14,600 is well signposted on roads approaching The stunning promontory between Castellammare del Golfo. HIGHLIGHTS Castellammare del Golfo and Monte Cofano The Ristorante del Golfo (%0924 3 02 57; Via Segesta (659m) has to be perhaps the most beauti- 153; meals €35-40; hclosed Tue) has a Slow Food Feast on fish couscous or tuck into some ful in all of Sicily, and at its heart lies the Movement recommendation, and you can get delicious pasta alla Trapanese in Trapani fishing village of Castellammare del Golfo. great seasonal dishes in an elegant setting. Try ( p105 ) Erice Although it’s the least attractive town along the excellent fish and seafood, fresh pasta and, Wander through the narrow streets of Trapani the gulf, this place acts as a transport hub. in colder months, delicious beans and lentils. La Casbah in Mazara del Vallo ( p124 ) Egadi It does have a pleasant harbour that is over- Islands You can have your dolci (dessert) here, or stroll Be mesmerised by the medieval streets of looked by the remains of a 17th-century cas- down to Gelateria Tropical (Via Umberto I, 2; sweets Erice ( p110 ) while you fatten up on some tle and surrounded by sandy beaches, the from €2-5) for some creamy semifreddo (literally fabulous cannoli (pastry shells stuffed with best of which is the wide stretch of sand at ‘semifrozen’; a cold, creamy dessert), cannoli Marsala sweet ricotta) the lovely Alcamo Marina. (pastry shells stuffed with sweet ricotta) and, of course, gelato (ice cream). Taste the famed sweet Marsala wine in one of the enoteche (wine bars) in Marsala Sleeping & Eating Mazara del Vallo Castellammare del Golfo is a resort town ( p120 ) Getting There & Away with large hotels catering mainly to Italian In Castellammare del Golfo buses depart from Swim, snorkel and island-hop through the families. Two of the best are the Al Madarig Via della Repubblica, in the upper part of Egadi Islands ( p113 ) (%0924 3 35 33; www.almadarig.com; Piazza Petrolo; s town. Azienda Siciliana Trasporti (AST) runs €52-82, d €80-124; a), on the harbourfront, and a regular service to Trapani (€3.10, eight daily 104 GOLFO DI CASTELLAMMARE •• Scopello Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels TRAPANI & AROUND •• Trapani 105 Monday to Saturday); there’s also a Sunday traditional décor. You can use the kitchen, and (%0924 54 10 73; www.cetaria.com; Via Marco Polo 3) in oChiedi La Luna (%0923 62 14 01; www service from June to September. Russo (%0924 there’s a pleasant common area with a TV. Scopello organises dives and underwater tours .chiedi-la-luna.it; Via Santuario 37b; s €45-70, d €60-110; 3 13 64; www.russoautoservizi.it) runs services to Hotel-Ristorante Torre Bennistra (%/fax 0924 54 of the nature reserve from Scopello’s tonnara hclosed Nov-Mar; a) The best option in San Piazza Marina in Palermo (€4.70, nine daily 11 28; www.hoteltorrebennistra.com; Via Natale di Roma 19; in summer. Vito, this bright little B&B has a cosy atmos- Monday to Saturday, three Sunday), as well s €60-110, d €70-150; ai) This hotel has newly The main entrance to the park is 2km from phere, terracotta-coloured walls, dark wooden as services to Scopello (€1.80, 30 minutes) at renovated rooms that are elegant and comfort- Scopello. A walk up the coast between the furniture and six rooms with big comfy beds 7.10am, 9am, 1.30pm and 4.15pm. able, and a restaurant (meals €25 to €35) with San Vito lo Capo and Scopello entrances will and large windows. Breakfast is served in The train station in Castellammare is an wonderful food, sea views and an excellent take about four hours along a clearly marked a pleasant communal area, and the owner inconvenient 3km out of town, although a wine list with offerings from local vineyards. track (note that the San Vito entrance is 20km speaks English. shuttle bus (€1.40) takes passengers into town. La Tavernetta (%/fax 0924 3 26 60; www.albergo from the town of San Vito lo Capo and there Albergo del Corso (%0923 97 28 00; www.albergo There are frequent trains from Palermo (€4.25, tavernetta.it; Via Armando Diaz 3; r per person €48-80; a) is no public transport). There are also several delcorso.it; Via Savoia 25; s €55-65, d €75-160; hclosed 1½ hours, 13 daily) and Trapani (€3.45, 50 This traditional Scopello house has lovely trails inland, which are detailed on the free Nov, Jan & Feb; a) Right on the main drag and WESTERN SICILY minutes, five daily). ochre-coloured rooms with balconies and maps available at the information offices at perfect for the beach, this no-frills place has comfy beds. La Tavernetta also has one of the park’s two entrances. You can also down- 11 rooms that are clean and bright; two SCOPELLO the village’s more popular restaurants (meals load these from the helpful website, which has come with a terrace. Better value in the The gorgeous Scopello is a two-streets-and- €25 to €30), serving good fish and seafood lots of good information about the park. lower season. a-square village that couldn’t be any more indoors or on the little terrace. A car is the best way to get to Scopello Capo San Vito (%0923 97 21 22; www.caposanvito charming if it tried. Built around a baglio Ristorante La Terrazza (%0924 54 11 98; Via Marco pa WESTERN SICILY from Castellammare del Golfo. If you’re .it; s €117-180, d €130-200; ) This plush hotel (manor house) that overlooks the tonnara Polo 5; meals €25-35) This is the best place to enjoy driving from Trapani, take the SS187. Russo has its own private beach, and classy rooms (tuna-processing plant) on the beach below, soaring views down the 106m ridge to the fa- buses run from Scopello (€1.40, 20 minutes, with an understated Moorish theme. The its white houses and smooth-stone streets feel mous cove. The restaurant is elegant, and the four daily). hotel comes complete with its own well- like they belong in a 1950s Italian movie. service efficient and friendly. Try the excellent ness centre, so it’s a perfect location for This is pure holiday material, so there’s mussels in a slightly spicy tomato sauce for a SAN VITO LO CAPO splashing out.