Yay to Erice, Sicily

Exploring Sicily: Erice – A Medieval Town

Usually, I plan my trips, I plan the places I want to visit, I list them and prepare accordingly. However, the historic town of Erice caught me completely unprepared as I was driving towards Trapani and saw it on top of the mount Erice. You can see a castle or stronghold from far away on top of a hill in Erice. So, curiosity got the better of me and I started following the road signs to this new place.

Milena wasn’t happy with my decision, especially after we started getting higher and everything below us was quickly minimizing as we drove further. Still, I’ll never regret that decision and Milena always mentions our adventure to Erice as one of the best experiences ever.

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First Impressions

We were quite anxious on our way up to Erice, but when we got there we found lots of tourists and cars that kind of calmed us. All of them were appropriately prepared for this visit with comfortable shoes, hats, and jackets; we, on the other hand, we were just happy to be there.

Opinion on Erice:

The place in general – Erice is a historic town placed on top of the Mount Erice, overlooking Trapani. It is an authentic Sicilian town, where people still live. So, don’t be surprised to see a local putting clothes on a wire as you’re exploring the narrow cobblestone streets. Erice is high up on a mountain, so expect clean air, strong sun, and wind.

There are several landmarks to visit and a few places where you could have a coffee or eat. I must say, Erice is marvelous, it’s so rich and old and simply gorgeous; it feels amazing to walk those streets and imagine how people used to live in the past and how some of them are still combining their tradition with the modern life.

Parking – unfortunately, I don’t remember the price of the parking, but I don’t think it was something overly expensive. You can leave your car in any dedicated parking space throughout the complex. The parking lots and spots are asphalted.

Nature – Erice itself is mainly made of stones and cannot boast with nature too much; however, it is on a mountain and offers magnificent views of the entire area. So, nature lovers would certainly love it.

Shops – as far as I remember, there were some souvenir shops as well as a bar and a restaurant. We bought a fridge magnet for a reasonable price but didn’t stay for a drink since Trapani was still waiting for us.

During the Stay

Okay, so we were in Erice for a single afternoon and I can’t reveal any insider info. However, I can recommend wearing comfortable shoes, a hat since it gets hot and a jacket because it gets windy. If you don’t want to risk ending without drinks or food, it’s maybe a good idea to bring food and drinks with you and have a picnic overlooking the sea.

Things to see in Erice:

• Walk around Erice
• Pepoli Castle
• Venus Castle build on top of the Temple of Venus
• Main church Chiesa Madre or Real Duomo
• Porta Trapani and Porta Spada
• Venus Fountain
• Garden of Balio

Sad to Leave

Oh, leaving Erice was a really hard thing to do. This place is magical and wonderful in so many ways; it is definitely one of my favorite historical sights alongside the gorgeous Bavarian castles.

Pros of Erice

• Stunning views of the area
• Many things to see
• Awesome for one-day adventures
• Incredible historical value

Cons of Erice

• Gets hot and windy
• Takes a lot of driving to get there

Concluding Thoughts

What I experienced there is something everyone must experience in order to understand. You walk on cobblestone streets, you witness authentic buildings, you visit castles that have been there hundreds of years ago. Erice is a reminder of a time that is probably forever over; nonetheless, this town stands strong and forbids us from forgetting.