Sicily part 2 – Erice, an excursion by cable car

One morning we decided to get the cable car from Trapani to get up to  Erice,  it’s about a 10 minutes ride compared to the 30 minutes by car. The ride is pricey but worth it, it’s our favourite way to get up, as the views are absolutely stunning. On a cloudless day, the Egadi Islands off the coast of Trapani are vividly visible, the Tyrrhenian Sea and the coastline towards San Vito Lo Capo, Monte Cofano and the Gulf of Castellammare.

Make sure it’s not a windy day or you could be swinging from left to right all the way up.

We spent half day wondering around the Medieval cobbled roads of Erice and i have attached some pictures of the most visited sights.

There is a fee to enter the Castles and some of the Churches but it’s affordable at 3Euros per person. This money is

funding projects of restoration of many Medieval buildings and churches in the town. Many churches are closed to the public because they are considered hazardous to access, but they are being restored and will be given back to the public.

Erice is a Medieval town towering over the city of Trapani at 751m above sea level. Like so many Sicilian towns, it has passed from one invader to another, as all the usual suspects came and went, leaving their architectural calling cards and their cultural footprints. The name changed from Eryx to Erice, Gebel Hamed and Monte San Giuliano, but its essential character remained.

Originally an Elymian city (the Elymians were around before the Greeks ever set foot in Sicily) Erice, or Eryx as it was first called, was a town of no little importance and renown and is said to have attracted the likes Hercules and Aeneas.

Pepoli Castle and Venus Castle. The former was built by the Arabs while the latter was a Norman construction with imposing towers that derived its name from the fact that it was built on the site of the ancient Temple of Venus, allegedly founded by Aeneas.

The Duomo, the main church is in gothic style. The inside is the most spectacular part with it’s ceiling in stucco. It’s a must see and it is the gateway of the beautiful town of Erice.

Erice today plays host to a series of renowned international scientific conferences and, in particular, an annual congress dedicated to Astronomy.

The local typical tradition is the Ceramic, here you can find any type of souvenir made and painted by local artisans. Below is a photo of a lady painting by her shop window. The pieces are certainly unique and it’s originality are determined by the colours and the patterns used.

I would give Erice a 10 out of 10, so don’t miss out on a visit if your cruise ship stops in Trapani