A medieval village in the clouds above Trapani, with almond pastries
At 750 metres on the summit of Monte Erice, overlooking Trapani, the salt pans and the Egadi Islands, Erice is a medieval village of grey stone, cobbled lanes and secret courtyards, often wrapped in mist. In antiquity it was famous for the temple of Venus Erycina, whose site is now occupied by the Norman Castello di Venere.
The village has dozens of churches, among them the Chiesa Madre with its separate bell tower, once a watchtower, and a triangular plan of streets protected by Elymian and Phoenician walls. The quickest way up is the cable car from Trapani, a ten-minute ride with spectacular views. From the castle's gardens you can see, on clear days, as far as Cape Bon in Tunisia.
Tip: taste the almond pastries of the Pasticceria Maria Grammatico, heir to the recipes of the nuns of the convent of San Carlo, and the genovesi, warm pastries filled with custard.
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