Every corner of the city in fact features monuments, churches and buildings that tell the story of this Sicilian provincial capital over the centuries. The heart of Trapani has always been the port, located at the foot of the old town. The city has a great deal to offer, beginning with its long history and all the must-see places around it, including San Vito Lo Capo, Favignana and, further south, Pantelleria. Our holiday packages to Trapani guarantee a wide choice, thanks to the modern accommodation facilities available throughout the year.
At the far end of the city is the Ligny Tower, home to the Museum of Prehistory. To reach it you have to walk down a narrow street, with the deep blue sea on both sides, frequented by many bathers in summer. Nearby is the fishing port, where the fishermen keep alive a tradition handed down from father to son for many centuries. In the port area, you can admire Villino Nasi, recently restored for the community, and the former leper hospital, now the local office of the Italian Naval League. Not far from here, just off the coast, the island of La Colombaia is one of the symbols of Trapani.
Walking into the city centre, you can admire the ancient buildings, monuments and churches from different eras and cultures that have made Trapani great. Much of the city centre is restricted to traffic. This has gradually transformed the old city into the perfect place to meet and socialise. Between Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the ancient Loggia, Via Torrearsa and Via Garibaldi, there is a whole succession of historic palaces and churches of considerable artistic value, where it's fun to lose yourself and smell the fragrances of this maritime city. You'll come across Palazzo Cavarretta, built on the site of the ancient Loggia dei Pisani, from which the name "Loggia" derives. The Palazzo is a three-storey building and at the top are statues of the Madonna of Trapani, St. John the Baptist and Saint Albert. It's also worth pointing out Palazzo Riccio di Morana, Palazzo San Rocco, Palazzo Riccio di San Gioacchino and Palazzo Lucatelli.
The Cathedral of San Lorenzo, on Via Vittorio Emanuele, is also a must. Built as a parish church in the 15th century, the religious building underwent various alterations over time until it gained its current appearance in the mid-17th century, based on a design by architect G.B. Amico, which included construction of the side chapels, choir, dome, bell tower and façade. The interior consists of three naves and houses, amongst other objects, a Crucifix attributed to the Flemish painter Van Dyck. Also on Via Vittorio Emanuele is the Jesuit Church and Convent with the adjacent convent college, now the site of the Classics Secondary School. The façade was designed by Francesco Bonamici with a first order characterised by cornices, pilasters and broken pediments and a second order enriched with Baroque elements, vaults, statues and a central window. The church was consecrated in the 18th century and consists of three naves, with columns and Serlian arches.
Not far from here is the Church of the Purgatory, which houses the sacred Mysteries of Trapani floats. From Via Garibaldi, proceeding up a staircase on the left, you'll come to the Church of San Domenico and the adjacent convent. Walking along Via Torrearsa you'll arrive at Piazza Sant'Agostino, home to a church of the same name, characterised by a façade enriched by a rose window and the Fountain of Saturn. Further along you'll come to Piazza Scarlatti, near which is the Church of San Giacomo, which now houses the Fardelliana Library. Walking along Corso Italia you'll arrive at the Church of San Pietro, which contains the precious organ created by Francesco La Grassa of Palermo, and you'll enter the so-called Ghetto, between Via della Giudecca and Via degli Ebrei, inhabited by the Jewish community since the 16th century.
At the northern end of the city you'll find the picturesque fish market square on Piazza del Mercato del Pesce. The seafront extends for a few kilometres and is lined with the remains of the city's ancient walls. The border between the old city and the new is marked by Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. Not far from here, on Piazza Vittorio Veneto, is Palazzo d’Alì, which now houses the city council, and opposite this is the liberty style Palazzo delle Poste. Further along you'll arrive at Villa Margherita, the city's green heart, with gigantic ficus trees dating from the 19th century.
Villa Margherita was built just after the unification of Italy, at a time when secondary trenches still existed between the Castello Aragonese, commonly known as the Castello di Terra, and Porta Osorio, known as Porta Pali, to defend the curtain walls that separated the old city from the hinterland. In the mid-18th century, the first trees were planted to create the garden and subsequently the villa was opened to the public at the end of the 19th century and dedicated to Queen Margherita of Savoy, the first queen of Italy. From Piazza Vittorio Emanuele you'll come to Via Giovan Battista Fardella, the city's main street, lined with shops and bars, from which you can easily reach the new part of Trapani.
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