The Perfect West Sicilian Road Trip

Most visitors to Sicily fly into Palermo and head out to Cefalù and Agrigento, or land in Catania and take excursions to Taormina and the Val de Noto. Both fabulous options, but Sandy King, of local realtors Property in Sicily, thinks you’re missing out on some of the best the region has to offer.

Here’s his guide to a perfect little road trip you could pull off in a weekend. But be advised, a weekend might not be enough – the writer took this trip ten years ago and now calls the region home!

The coastline, hilltop towns and islands of the Trapani province in Sicily’s west remains blissfully uncrowded for much of the year. Rent a car and follow this itinerary for a magical four day trip.

NB. This route is perfect from Palermo airport, but you can also fly into Trapani and start at step 4.

About an hour west of Palermo airport, the tiny hamlet of Scopello sits above one of Sicily’s most photogenic coves. A former tuna fishery is framed by the giant limestone pillars known as the Faraglioni, rising out of shallow turquoise water. Cool off here after a short hike north into the raw beauty of the Lo Zingaro nature reserve.

Nearby Castellammare del Golfo is perfect for dinner and a night’s stay. If you can get a room overlooking the picture-perfect marina tucked into a steep natural amphitheatre, it’s worth every cent.

An early rise is unforgettably rewarded if you head south to watch the sun rise over the Greek temple and amphitheatre at Segesta. Then turn west to Erice, the thrillingly atmospheric medieval walled town perched 750 metres above the port city of Trapani. Mentioned in The Odyssey, many local historians believe it to be the oldest settlement on the island. On a clear day the views stretch to the Egadi Islands and across to Cap Bon in Tunisia.

The scenic road down to Trapani is a joy, or you can take a cable car in the summer months for the best views of all. The pedestrian old town of this historic city is well worth a wander as the sun sets across the two seas it bisects.

A hydrofoil from Trapani gets you to Favignana in under half an hour. The largest of the Egadi Islands, it is small enough to explore by bicycle in a day, with old tufa quarries carved into swimming pools by the sea and water so clear it barely looks real. As an alternative, many operators offer day trips around both Favignana and its less developed sister island, Levanzo.

Back on the mainland, the coast south of Trapani passes through a landscape unlike anywhere else on the island: the salt pans of the Stagnone lagoon. In the opinion of this writer there is no better sunset than the one here, reflected in the coloured water of the shallow basins and punctuated by the silhouettes of the windmills that once powered the water pumps and, if you’re lucky, of the seasonal population of flamingos. You can take it in from the restaurant Mamma Caura and if there’s time, a short boat ride across the lagoon brings you to Mozia, a tiny island that was once a thriving Phoenician trading colony.

Head south to Marsala, and who can resist the temptations of its vineyards and winery tours? The historic cantinas of Florio and Donnafugata are personal favourites. Beyond this on the island’s south coast is the the nature reserve of Foce Belice, a paradise of deep, wild sand dunes that back onto protected wetland. It is one of the few stretches of Sicilian coast that feels entirely undeveloped, and in spring the birdlife is remarkable.

Just inland, the archaeological park at Selinunte is the largest in Europe, sprawling across a hillside overlooking the sea. Despite its huge scale it’s far less visited than Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples. From here the journey back to Palermo is just one hour up the E90 highway.

Real estate prices on this side of Sicily are significantly lower than the provinces of Palermo, Catania and Syracuse. Whether you want an old-town apartment to renovate, a rural farmhouse or a sea view villa there are great options to be found at all price points.

You can get in touch with Sandy King at Property In Sicily via their website link here.