Trapani

Trapani was founded by the Elymians, who used it as an agricultural centre for their hill-top fortress town of Eryx (modern-day Erice). When the Phoenicians took over, Trapani was turned into an important port. During the First Punic War the very same Phoenicians scored a famous victory over the Romans there in a famous naval battle.

Tuna fishing and salt production became the principle activities of Trapani and its surrounding areas. Tuna fishing plants evocative, structures can still be seen in San Giuliano, San Cusumano, Isola di Formica, Bonagia. The excellent quality of the salt produced in the salt pans was internationally renowned and was exported, amongst other places, to Norway.

Today, Trapani’s old town centrehas been restored, when it hosted the 8th and 9th Acts of the Louis Vuitton Cup, part of the Americas Cup. It is an essential point of departure for the magnificent Egadi Islands, just a few miles off its coast.