3-Day Itinerary for Trapani

Trapani, one of the most important cities of Sicily, is a destination filled with history, art, beautiful seas, fun, and great food! It's also an ideal getaway for a weekend to recharge. Given the excellent temperatures, you can swim in the sea even in spring or autumn, and there are plenty of events and activities to enjoy throughout the year.
Here are all our tips for organizing your 3-day Trapani itinerary.

Dedicate your first morning to the historic center of Trapani, an open-air museum (Get directions)! Enjoy a walk through the streets and let yourself be swept away by the Trapani atmosphere. Admire the beautiful squares and discover the palaces that definitely deserve a photo, like the Palazzo Senatorio.

Enjoy a stroll along the Mura di Tramontana, which is the ancient city wall from the Spanish period. Walk along it until you reach Bastione Conca; the view is spectacular.

Visiting time: 1 hour

Start the day on the right foot: between walks, stop by Antica Pasticceria Colicchia, a historic pastry shop in Trapani that has been open since 1885. Choose from cassata, cannoli, and paradise cakes.

To reach this stop: 5 min walk (Get directions).

As you walk through the city center, don't miss the ancient Clock Tower, the oldest gate of the city, dating back to the 13th century.

On its facade, you can also admire one of the oldest astronomical clocks in Europe, dating back to 1596. Very unique, the clock features a solar dial and a lunar calendar: the hands indicate the zodiac signs, the solstices, the equinoxes, the seasons, and the cardinal points, while the lunar calendar shows the moon phases.

Visiting time: 15 min

To reach this stop: 3 min walk (Get directions).

The historic center of Trapani is also rich in wonderful churches. However, be careful: not all of them are open, and the hours vary greatly. If you find them open, take the opportunity to go inside; otherwise, they are worth visiting even from the outside.

Start your discovery of Trapani's churches at the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, one of the main churches in the city! The exterior is in Baroque style, while inside you will find the beautiful Martyrdom Pala of San Lorenzo.

Visiting time: 30 min

If you visit Trapani during Easter: don't miss the Procession of the Mysteries, a tradition over 400 years old that attracts thousands of faithful from all over Sicily every year. The celebrations begin at 2:00 PM on Good Friday and end 24 hours later on Holy Saturday. Trapani is stunning to visit at Easter!

To reach this stop: 3 min walk (Get directions).

Continue your visit at the Church of Saint Augustine, one of the oldest in Trapani, and also home to the Diocesan Exhibition Center. Take the opportunity to visit the small museum; it will require very little time.

Visiting time: 30 min

To reach this stop: 4 min walk (Get directions).

Finally, don't miss the Church of the Holy Souls of Purgatory, which was damaged by bombings during World War II and has never returned to its former glory. Just 4 minutes on foot from the Church of Saint Augustine, this church is famous because it houses 22 sculptural groups of the so-called Mysteries.

Visiting time: 15 min

To reach this stop: 5 min walk (Get directions).

Late in the morning, head to the square of the old fish market, a large square surrounded by arcades with a fountain in the center where the fish market used to be held and enjoy the sea view.

After lunch, continue your walk along the seafront until you reach the Ligny Tower, one of Trapani's symbols. It is located at the western tip of the city, reachable by walking on a strip of land surrounded by the sea, the view is truly stunning. This place, built in the 1600s at the request of Viceroy Claudio la Moraldo and initially established as a defensive fortress, now houses a prehistoric museum, where you can learn about the history of Trapani and its surroundings: it features, for instance, an extensive collection of Roman amphorae found at the archaeological site of Trapani and even a helmet retrieved from the sea floor near the city.

Visiting time: 3 hours

If you want to enjoy some sea: along the northern walls, you can find the Spiaggia delle Mura di Tramontana, a city beach easily reachable on foot. It's a small but charming beach, ideal for spending just one or two hours.

To reach this stop: 10 min walk (Get directions).

After visiting the museum of the Ligny Tower, continue your walk along the seafront, reaching the Villino Nasi in just 10 minutes on foot. It is a historic villa from 1898 that offers a splendid view of the sea and the Ligny Tower. Inside, you can admire beautiful frescoes and period wooden furniture.

Continue your stroll along the seafront, and off the coast, you can admire the impressive Castello della Colombaia, a medieval fortress whose earliest construction is attributed to the Trojans in 260 BC and later rebuilt by the Aragonese in 1280. It is, in fact, one of the most beautiful and ancient architectural examples in all of Sicily, and inside you will still find a maze of rooms and corridors rich in coats of arms and historical testimonies from Carthaginians, Romans, and Aragonese. Unfortunately, the castle is open only during events. Try to find out about the schedule for your visit to Trapani; alternatively, admire it from the seafront.

If you are traveling in summer, instead of continuing your walk toward Villino Nasi and the Castle, you can enjoy some relaxation at the beach. In addition to the aforementioned Spiaggia delle Mura, there are various alternatives nearby, such as San Giuliano Beach (4 km from the center), Pizzolungo Beach (7 km), or Lido di Valderice in Cortigliolo (15 km); it's recommended to reach them by car.

Visiting time: 1 hour

Spend the evening in the historic center: the heart of Trapani's nightlife, especially in the area around Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Here, we recommend stopping for dinner at Ristorante Antichi Sapori, where you can also taste the famous Trapani-style couscous, and then immerse yourself in the nightlife. You can find places like the pub Bar Frida Trapani, Jekyll Pub, and Caloma Club.

Dedicate this second day to two gems just outside Trapani: the village of Erice and the Trapani Saline. Start with Erice, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy! You can easily reach it from the center of Trapani by cable car, enjoying a wonderful view of the surroundings (Get directions).

Once at the top, enter the historic center through Porta Trapani and take a leap back in time: over the centuries it has been inhabited by Phoenicians, Normans, Arabs, and Romans, who have left a visible mark of their passage.

Visit the Cathedral with its Bell Tower, and then head to the Castle of Venus and the Torretta Pepoli, an ancient Norman fort and its tower built on the ruins of a Phoenician-Roman temple to protect the citadel. From here, you can enjoy an amazing view!

Visiting time: 4 hours

Try the genovesi of Erice: as soon as you arrive, make a stop at Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico. In this historic pastry shop, you can try the famous "genovesi", delicious pastries filled with cream.

To reach this stop: 25 min by car (Get directions).

After having lunch in one of Erice's spots, return to Trapani by cable car and dedicate the afternoon to one of the symbols of the city: the Trapani and Paceco Salt Pans. From Trapani, you can reach the salt pans by car or taxi; there are no public transport options available. Driving is definitely the best solution (20 min).

This site is hugely important in the economic development of the city: Trapani managed to grow thanks to the salt trade, making it a true economic powerhouse in Europe! The nature reserve stretches over 1,000 hectares among windmills and salt ponds and is home to migratory birds and pink flamingos.

You can't miss a visit to the Salt Museum, dedicated to the white gold, where you will discover the history of salt trade: you can see how salt is extracted from seawater, learn about the history of the establishment and this important trade. The museum also includes a series of mills and period equipment.

Visiting time: 3 hours

Consider a guided tour: you can visit the salt pans independently by driving there or joining an afternoon guided tour, which includes museum entrance and a salt tasting. Duration 3 h, starting at 3:30 PM (also available at 1:00 PM and 6:30 PM).

We recommend dedicating this third day to an excursion around Trapani. If you are visiting the area in summer and want to enjoy a beautiful sea, then we suggest heading to the Egadi Islands, one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the Mediterranean. Ferries leave right from Trapani, but to visit them in a day, the most convenient option is definitely to take a ferry or join a cruise to Favignana and Levanzo (8 h - Get directions).

Depart from the Port of Trapani and sail to Favignana, the most famous island of the archipelago. Here you will have time to explore this beautiful island, and then embark again toward Levanzo, the smallest of the three main islands and the most charming, thanks to the picturesque fishing village. During the day, you will also have time to relax on the boat and go snorkeling, accessing Cala Rossa, one of the most beautiful beaches in Favignana!

Visiting time: 8 hours
See also: Egadi Islands, Sicily: where they are, what they are, and the most beautiful beaches

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If you are visiting Trapani off-season or are not particularly interested in the cruise to the Egadi Islands, we recommend exploring the northern surroundings of Trapani. For this day, renting a car is necessary to move around comfortably.

Leave Trapani behind and head to Pizzolungo (Get directions), known for its beautiful stretch of coastline and the place where, according to legend, Aeneas landed after fleeing from his father Anchises. Here you can admire the Stele di Anchise, a monument built in 1930. Continue north until you reach Custonaci, home of the famous Grotta Mangiapane (Get directions). Here, during the Christmas season, the famous "Living Nativity of Custonaci - The Nativity and Traditional Crafts" takes place; a historical reenactment of ancient peasant traditions involving over 160 people.

Finally, you can relax on the beautiful beaches of Baia di Cornino or explore the Monte Cofano Natural Reserve, rich in numerous paths of varying difficulty, ideal for nature and trekking enthusiasts (Get directions).

Visiting time: 8 hours

Make a small detour to Dattilo: this location in the inland Trapani is just a 15-min drive from Trapani, and according to many, its "Cannolo di Dattilo" is the best in the world. You just have to try it and let us know your opinion!

Trapani is an economical destination, ideal for a low-cost weekend getaway. It is served by Trapani Vincenzo Florio Airport (compare flights), but alternatively, you can also reach Palermo Airport and then move by rental car or bus (compare flights).

The best solution is definitely to stay in the historic center, in the heart of the city. Here you can find several options at great prices. Staying here, you can also move around on foot: the center is also a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone), so if you arrive by car, you can park near Piazza Scarlatti, Lungomare Dante Alighieri, or Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (price from $0.80/h). Alternatively, look for accommodation with parking service. A car is essential for exploring the surroundings and also for reaching the Saline, which are not connected by public transport.

Let's look at the details of weekend costs in Trapani: