Gesualdo Bufalino in his 'Cere Perse' speaks of Tante Sicilie (Many Sicilies), one for each nuance of the personality of its inhabitants. This itinerary will take you on a discovery of western Sicily and the must-see sights on the road.
How many days do you need to visit western Sicily? Where to stay? If you are thinking of a road trip to discover the Sicilian coastline, we have put together a guide with a map to the things to see, the most beautiful villages and beaches
From Palermo, you can travel to discover the stretch of the island between the provinces of Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento. Here are the stops and attractions not to be missed.
Western Sicily
Palermo deserves a long stop, to admire its jewels and architectural wonders, palaces and markets where you can eat the best of the city's street food. From here we move on to Monreale where the beautiful village and the Duomo of Monreale, known as the most beautiful temple in the world, are worth a visit.
Don't miss a visit to the sanctuary of Santa Rosalia by hiking up Monte Pellegrino. If you are looking for beautiful places to go to the beach, there are numerous beaches around Palermo that are worth a visit.
(S-F / Shutterstock)
From here, the ideal itinerary continues to Trapani, where you can visit the beautiful Colombaia castle and admire the beautiful Egadi islands on the horizon. If you are thinking of making a stop here, we have selected the most beautiful beaches in the Trapani area. In Trapani, stop at 'Culicchia' for its famous granitas.
The Museo del Sale (Salt Museum) is well worth the trip. The advice is to go there around sunset: it will give you a rare spectacle with the light reflected on the mirror of the Saline waters.
In the Trapani area, the Salinas are everywhere, and if you walk along them around five in the afternoon, you will be able to admire an expanse of elegantly posed flamingos: a marvellous sight, to say the least.
The road from Trapani to Marsala is also known as the Via del Sale (Salt Road), this beautiful road is the gateway to the Stagnone Nature Reserve. Here the territory is rich in salt pans and ancient mills, a marvel to drive through to discover incredible natural landscapes. From Trapani you can set off to discover the Egadi Islands, some of the most beautiful islands in Sicily. Here, Favignana, the butterfly-shaped island, Levanzo and Marettimo are worth a long stop.
A compulsory stop is Erice, the town from the Middle Ages where a beautiful castle, often shrouded in fog, towers above the village.
Reach San Vito lo Capo and don't miss the beaches and villages protected by Monte Monaco. We also recommend doing a little reading - even tourist reading - on the history of San Vito to appreciate monuments such as the Chapel of San Crescenzia and the custom of throwing stones at it. Not far from here, you absolutely must see the Mangiapane Cave.
If you love nature, don't miss an excursion to the Zingaro Nature Reserve, where you will find the Museum of Agriculture (where you can witness live the art of weaving), several caves and its beautiful Cale. Do not miss a relaxing day at the sulphurous baths of Castellammare del Golfo and then visit the Tonnara di Scopello.
Among the places worth a long stop is undoubtedly Marsala, a city famous for its wines that stands on the ruins of the ancient Punic cities of Lilybaeum and Mozia, in the Regional Nature Reserve of the Stagnone Islands of Marsala.
An essential stop for nature lovers is the Island of Mozia, bought by the Englishman Whitaker, after whom a small museum with ruins is named.
Here, too, you can enjoy a pleasant walk circumnavigating the island.
We then continue to Mazara del Vallo, where the Mazara Del Vallo Satyr Museum is worth a visit. This is a small and well thought-out exhibition, which tells the story of the encounter between the sea as seen by the crew of the fishing boat Capitan Ciccio, who 'caught' the Satyr in 1998, and the sea as seen by science: a meeting of life and culture. Mazara is delightful, from the waterfront to the Kasbah, but the latter is a meeting of cultures that should not be missed. We recommend seeing the remains of the Basilica of Sant'Ignazio and the Garibaldi Theatre.
The route continues to Segesta where the Temple and Amphitheatre are worth a visit. After a stop in Sciacca, the route continues on to Agrigento where the Valley of the Temples is worth a visit and the beautiful Scala dei Turchi in Realmonte.
Western Sicily what to see
Castle of Erice, Erice
Ballarò Market, Palermo
Mangiapane Cave, Custonaci
Tonnara di Scopello, Castellammare del Golfo
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento
Stagnone Nature Reserve, Marsala
Selinunte Archaeological Park, Selinunte
Historic Centre of Mazara del Vallo
Zingaro Nature Reserve, San Vito lo Capo
Most beautiful beaches in western Sicily
The stretch of coastline from Palermo to Agrigento is characterised by a continuous alternation of sand and rock and will lead you to beautiful beaches and ravines as far as Gela. From Mondello beach, visit the Zingaro Nature Reserve and San Vito Lo Capo, and then reach the long sandy coastline inside a gulf that stretches between the mouths of the Selino and Belice rivers.
Some of the most beautiful beaches include:
Mondello beach, Palermo
Macari beach, San Vito lo Capo
Scala dei Turchi, Realmonte
Punta Barcarello, Sferracavallo
Punta Barcarello, Sferracavallo
Marinella, Selinunte
Tonnara di Scopello, Scopello
Reserve of Capo Rama, Terrasini
Heraclea Minoa beach, Heraclea Minoa
Torre Salsa Nature Reserve, Siculana Marina
Cala Mazzo di Sciacca, Scopello
Map and Map of Western Sicily
On the official tourism page Visit Sicily, you will find a map with itineraries and a map for visiting western Sicily by car.
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