General Information/Map

Map of Erice

Erice is a beautiful village nested on Mount San Giuliano at about 750 meters above sea level and it has become one of the main tourist destinations of Sicily.
Erice is located in a spectacular position, near some of the most beautiful Sicilian places like San Vito lo Capo, Segesta, Trapani, Palermo and offers visitors the unique views over much of the northwest coast of Sicily.
The views of the city of Trapani and its salt flats, of Mount Cofano and of the archipelago of Egadi are unforgettable.
It appears like an ancient medieval village with narrow cobbled streets that climb the mountain and with typical homes, courtyards, shops, excellent bakeries, restaurants, churches and monuments.

Erice has a long history: it was inhabited by the Elimi, who built the walls and the temple dedicated to Venus Ericina -  goddess of love and fertility. The city was then under the dominion of the Carthaginians and after the battle of Egadi – 241 BC – it was conquered by the Romans. After a period of decline it was in the hands of the Arabs and later of the Normans who built the famous castle on the ruins of the Temple of Venus. During the medieval period, churches and monasteries were built and since then the village remained as can be seen now and was built only some baroque palace.

In 1963 – with the initiative of Professor Zichichi -  the Centre for Scientific Culture “Ettore Majorana” was founded in Erice that is an important pole in the field of international scientific research. The Centre promotes interesting events, conferences and lectures on science, which annually attract many experts. That’s because Erice is also known as the “city of science.”

Among the many cultural events we highlight the Medieval and Renaissance Music Week which takes place every year in late summer.

Getting there

To reach Erice we recommend you to use the car driving along the highway A29 Palermo – Mazara towards Trapani and follow the signs. For more information please visit Google Maps.

For those coming from farther away, the nearest airports are Trapani (13 km) and Palermo (just over 100 km) and the most served port is the port of Palermo. From here we recommend you to rent a car to arrive easier to Erice and especially to turn freely and enjoy all the sights that are in its nearby.

Alternatively, if you arrive in Palermo and you not want to rent a car, you can reach Trapani by train, by taxi or by bus (eg Bus  Segesta offers this service) and from there reach Erice or by bus (AST) or by cable car – that is in operation since July 2005 and in about 10 minutes takes you to the town.

When to go there

There is no better time to visit Erice seen that in any season this beautiful medieval town gives the best.
Given the altitude, in winter the temperatures drop well below zero, the town is surrounded by a charming fog and you have the feeling that time has stopped.
In spring and in summer you better enjoy the wonderful views, the temperatures are pleasant, but we reccomend you to bring a sweater because the air remains cool.

Must see

The medieval village of Erice is a triangular terrace overlooking the sea and strolling along its narrow streets you can see:

• Cyclopean Walls: they running along the northeastern side of the village for 700 meters and are interrupted by towers and Spada Door, Carmine Door and Trapani Door. The bottom of the walls dates back to Phoenician times, while the upper to the Norman period.

• Castle of Venus and the Temple of Venus Ericina: the castle was built by the Normans using the remains of the Temple of Venus Ericina. The tower represent the access to the complex that was in the past a guard place and a prison. Inside the castle you can admire a sacred well, the remains of the Temple of Venus Ericina, those of a Roman termal bath and of a Punic house.

• Balio Towers: they are a part of the system of fortifications of the castle and in the past were the home of the Norman governor.

• Balio Gardens: they are situated in front of the castle and from here you can enjoy a spectacular view of the sea, of the salt pans of Trapani, on Egadi and on much of the northwest coast of Sicily.

• Pepoli Tower: it is situated on a platform overlooking the pine forest and it was born as a hunting lodge.

• Corso Vittorio Emanuele: it was once called “royal road”, is the city’s main axis along which there are many excellent shops and bakeries. It begins at Trapani Door and ends at Umberto I square.

• General Salerno Street: it links Corso Vittorio Emanuele with the castle.

• Cordici Museum: it is located in Umberto I square in the town hall and houses important archaeological finds of the necropolis, coins, pottery, vestments and sculptures of past centuries. In particular you can see the splendid head of Aphrodite dating from the fifth century BC and The Annunciation of Antonio Gagini.

• Spanish Quarter: here there is a construction that was begun in the seventeenth century but it was never completed, which boasts a beautiful view of Mount Cofano, of the Gulf and of the tuna trap of Bonagia.

At Erice you can admire many beautiful churches:

• Mother Church: it was built in 1314 and is dedicated to the Virgin. The entrance is facing the walls and is characterized by severe medieval lines while the interior has been remodeled several times. In front of the facade there is the bell tower, built in 1312 as a watchtower.

• Church of St. Orsula: dating back to 1413, at its inside you can see the groups of the eighteenth century of the mysteries of the Good Friday procession.

• St. Anthony Abate Church

• Church of St. Salvatore

• Church of St. Peter: it was built in the fourteenth century and was then rebuilt in 1745 with a Baroque portal. Nearby there is the Monastery of Poor Clares that is now one of the seats of Ettore Majorana Centre for Scientific Culture.

• St. Martin’s Church: it is in Norman style but with a Baroque portal, at its inside there is a wooden choir of the seventeenth century.

• Church of St. Giuliano: it was built by the Normans in 1080 and today houses a cultural and artistic center.

• Church of St. John the Baptist: it is one of the ancient churches of Erice and was restored and modified many times. It contains interesting works such as the statue of St. John the Baptist of Antonio Gagini and frescoes from the former church of Santa Maria Maddalena of the fourteenth century.

Moreover, from Erice you can also easily reach other major tourist attractions of northwest Sicily as:

*  San Vito lo Capo
* Segesta
* Trapani
* Palermo
* Isole Egadi
* Mozia

Where to stay

Erice offers several lodging options, from cheap hostels to luxury hotels.
An alternative that you will find in Erice is to stay in the convents and monasteries offering a good service at affordable prices.

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Restaurants/Typical cuisine

Erice is famous for its typical pastries: cakes with almonds and marzipan, Genoa pastries with cream (fried sweets flavored with Marsala wine), Mustaccioli (old biscuits made in cloistered convents), Buccellati (cakes filled with figs, almonds, walnuts , raisins), chocolate or orange balls and many other delicacies.

Given the proximity to the sea and Trapani, at Erice you can eat excellent fish, couscous and many of the typical Sicilian food.

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Shopping

Walking through the narrow streets of Erice, you’ll see many shops selling typical handicrafts, hand-painted ceramics and colorful hand-woven rugs called “Trappite”. You’ll also find many famous pastry shops where buy delicious sweets of Erice.

Links

For more information please visit the website of the Town of Erice.