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Cities of Italy:

MARSALA Foto by Roberto Digirolamo

How to get here

Where we are Marsala a small island of sun and saltiness, famous for its protected designation origin wine, it is the most western municipality in Sicily, in the province of Trapani, were the Mediterranean Sea and the Tirrenean Sea merge in the Channel of Sicliy. On the top of Capo Lillibeo, facing the Egadi islands and Tunisia, the town is known not only for its crystal clear blue sea, for which it counts the blue flag, or for its partial views of a genuine Italy, still linked to the quality of life that attracts tourists from half of Europe, but it is also the homeland of traditions, history and legends.

It rises from the ruins of the ancient town of Lilibeo, from which its inhabitants take the name of Lilibetiani Marsala becomes important during the landing of Giuseppe Garibaldi and the expedition of the Thousand, a strategic moment of the unification of Italy, proud of its multicultural that has roots in its name. When the Arabs conquered the island, they called the town Mars-Allah which means Port of Allah, there is still something in the beaches of Marsala that reminds us of the warm wind that blows from the desert.

By road: Marsala, as we have already said is on an island, so the roads we will mention are all on the sicilian territory. The SS115 goes from north to south and connects on the north Marsala to Trapani, A29 connection and to the south to Mazara del Vallo. The SS118 connects the town on the west est to Salemi. The SP21 road called the expressway Marsala Birgila connects the town to the airport Vincenzo Florio. It is possible to book online a bus trip with Autoservizi Salemi, from the main towns of Milan, Parma, Florence, Rome; which offers a long but at least a comfortable trip. The railway has been improved since the fascist era, it was created to guarantee the passage of commercial goods. Today there are many nearby stops (Mozia-Birgi, Spagnula, Marsala, Terrenove, Petrosino-Strasatti) offer a quick connection to the countries overlooking the coast and the region. The station doesn’t have a parking but there is a bus stop.

By plane: the town is served by the Vincenzo Florio airport in Trapani-Birgi, with connections to the major European towns. The airport is at just 15 kilometres from the centre of Marsala and has two airlines companies. There are shuttle services that connect the airport to the town. At an hour distance, on the A29 road, the Falcone airport in Palermo.

By sea: from the port of Marsala, the only connections are the ferries for the Egadi islands.

The Marina has over 500 moorings and offers an easy trip both for private and leisure boats. If you are not arriving by plane, you will arrive at the port of Palermo,where the many ferry boats lines of the Italian territory, are present, for example the Tirrenia, the Grimaldi lines for Palermo and Salerno, active twice a week, the GNV connects the whole island to Genoa and Civitavecchia. For information about timetables and departures, each company has its own website, updated and easy to consult.

A bit of history Everything here has a unique charm, the history starts at the beginning of the civilization, even going back to the inhabitants of the lower Paleolithic. The very first traces of a village and its trades with Cartagine come from the old colony of Mozia, born dozens of centuries before Christ on the island of Saint Pantaleo, thanks to the Phoenicians. Located at a few miles away from the coast of Sicily, it was invaded and destroyed by the Syracusan tyran, the exhausted survivors, decided to build the new village on the same coast that they could see from distance, giving the name of Lilibeo, “the town that looks at Libia” In 241 BCE, the town was conquered by the Romans and started buying and selling with the nomadic African populations, becoming a cradle of trades, enriched by mansions and public buildings, dubbed “splendissima urbs” by Cicero, it became the premises of the roman quaestor. Lilibeo helped the Roman Empire during the Punic wars, giving an exceptional advantage with its strategic position on the sea with its dangerous sea bottom.

During the 5th century the town was annexed to Justinian’s Byzantine Empire and lived dark centuries raided by pirates, and neglected by Constantinople. In the 8th century the real and famous landing of the Arabic Berbers at the nearby Granitola mount, entailed the start of the rebirth of the town. The town was renamed Marsa ʿallah. Starting from 1200 the area was conquered

by Suevians, Normans and Angevins troops and in 1282 by the Aragonese. The Spanish domination represents the most difficult historic period of the town, despite the splendour, the town was left at the mercy of bandits and pirates. It is true that in 1500, Marsala manages to become again

the ancient port of wonders, destination of the flourishing economic activity of grain growth, livestock and the production of salt, with its plants still working in the area of Stagnone.

On 11th May 1860 the Unification of Italy with the Expedition of the Thousand by Giuseppe Garibaldi . There is another 11th of May to mention, in 1943 the British bombardment of the town centre, caused civil victims and destroyed the magnificent architectures of the historic centre, irremedibly lost. Due to the sacrifice of many victims, Marsala gained the gold medal assigned for civil merits.

How to move about Nature As there is a lot to see, discover and taste in such a small living space, you will need a magic wand to obtain each element in your holiday in Marsala. Luckily, we have to say that even if you stay in town you will not get bored. Marsala has a clear medioeval style, developing from the centre, held in the perimetre of the old town, with its monuments and the administrative centre, the modern part goes from the road to Mazara del Valo up to contrada Casabianca, Saint Venera and Saint Silvestro. The contrade, about a hundred, are just the old homes facing the square, clinged to the well that supplied water to each house, looked after the groups of families who lived there. With a minimun exercise, even on foot, it is possible to visit the ones near the historic centre. If you don’t have your own means of transport, Autoservizi Salemi offers bus trips.

It connects Marsala to the main administrative centres and the nearby towns and town service.

It is possible to purchase a monthly or a weekly ticket, according to your needs, the prices are quite cheap. The main bus station is in Piazza del Popolo, at a few steps from the Cathedral.

If you wish to rent a car with a driver, Sunshine Tours & Transfers is the right answer. The boat and the hydroplane are a valid option at Ustica lines, with destinations for the ports of Trapani, Palermo, Messina, Reggio Calabria or Naples.

We remind you that the railway connects both Trapani and Palermo, the daily regional trains leave and arrive every two hours and stop before evening.

Before talking about the coloured multitude ecosystems of Marsala, we need to give you a general shot of the whole island, entering the mood and the typical culture. At first glance the eastern part of Sicily, the one on the Ionian coast, is surrounded by narrow gravel and crushed stone coves till Taormina, The part on the south, towards Africa, dives into an irregular territory of sandy strips just like the sunny Caribbeans, near the areas of Ragusa, Agrigento and Trapani. It is here that Marsala, thanks to its golden beaches meets the approval of the tourists.The activity of its volcanoes has created a great number of archipelagos and minor islands, among which there are the Aeolian islands, Ustica island facing Capo Boeo and the Archipelago of the Egadi. The Aeolian islands also known as Lipari islands are seven and of volcano origin. They rise in front of the coast of Messina, 12 nautical miles off from Capo Milazzo. The islands steal their name from the Greek god of winds and we can guess why: when the Scirocco wind blows away the clouds, there isn’t a cleanest sea! Far from the seashore the clearness of the sea allows the spotting of dolphins, porpoise and some whales passing by. Without considering that inside the islands, the most used means of transport is the donkey, a trip for all those who don’t just love and understand the pale blue horizon without borders, but like investing in a trip that has a lot to offer.Eating spaghetti with botargo or a slice of smoked stone bass straight on a bonfire on the beach, being careful that the donkey do-

esn’t run away, will make you feel like a Berber of the desert, on the way to asceticism.The Egadi islands, inhabited during ancient times are a group of three very sunny islands and two small islands; Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo are the major islands, plus a series of rocks and sea stacks are part of the Natural Marine Reserve, where underwater fishing is forbidden as well as any other illegal activity. Sailing far from the seashore offers striking landscapes or walking among the Mediterranean maquis where pristine trees have grown along the coast, are a better distraction for all the lovers of wild nature, Or for experts we suggest continuous sessions of windsurf. Here we are again in Marsala with its treasures. The Natural Regional Reserve of Stagnone Islands develops on the stretch of sea between Capo San Teodoro and Capo Boeo, the closest to our favourite place, and perhaps the most characteristic. The name Stagnone comes from the low and stagnant waters of the lagoon, the most extended in Sicily, developed from the sliding movement of the undersea currents on the sand of the Archipelago, that during the years has trapped a big part of the open sea, now without turnover. Isola Grande (big Island) or Isola lunga (long island) are the most important

sand surfacing of Stagnone, they can be reached on foot from the promontory of Birgi, near the ancient sighting tower of Sain Teodoro. It become a Natural Reserve and the procreative habitat for many species of birds, hard to find elsewhere. In the heart of Stagnone, rises the island of Saint Pantaleo, better known for the Phoenician village of Mothia, that still has the walls and the old doors of the town intact, old but still full of charm for lovers of ruins. Inside the walls, at a short distance from Porta Nord (Northen Gate), you may visit the Sanctuary of Cappiddazzu and the necropolis with its ceramics, not forgetting a prayer for those who have passed away. The afternoons smell of balsamic streams, mint tea of Arab origin, the crowding of long legs of the wading birds, the pink flamingo of the National Geographic documentaries, the surreal sketch of the landscape sets a tone with the magic drawing of the water mirrors, lit by chess patterns: the salt marshes. The lazy whirling of the windmills, salt harvesting is still done by hand, and has been included among the Sicilian agricultural products approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, making the protected area of Marsala a heritage to defend with teeth and taste in each season of the year with eyes wide open.

Cuisine In Marsala, once again, the protagonists are the dishes that come from the traditional cuisine of Trapani, that just like the climate and the landscapes, show Arabic echoes, just think of the tuna fishing handed down according to implicit Maghrebi customs, a big eater will not dislike. So we say yes to fresh fish and simple ingredients served with taste. Spicara maena, greater amberjacks, mediterranean sand eels, together with genuine vegetables, are part of the starters, fried or under salt: everywhere we can find red tuna, ventresca (belly), mojama, Atlantic bonito, fried and salted anchovies, artichokes with butter and caponata, made with aubergines, for experts the ricotta pie. If you hear about salmoreci, don’t be frightened, its a salad made with tomatoes, basil, olive oil and stale bread dressing with or without a slice of garlic. All these recipes are not light but are an absolute slow food flag, this is just the first invitation to let yourself go to hand made pasta, created by the skilled hands of the housewives of the island. Go into a tavern and order busiate, maccheroni made by hand with fresh tomatoes, served with aubergines or fried fish. Or frascatuli, balls made of bran, served with chickpeas broth or vegetables, ask for half a kilo of the above mentioned spaghetti with botargo or with rockfish sauce. Curious reference to the recipes of the east coast of Liguria we well know, you can expect the Trapanese pesto, different from the pesto of Genoa for the use of raw almonds instead of pine seeds, tomatoes and grated pecorino cheese. Which of the two came first is soon discovered; the Tyrrhenean sea offers a univocal menu, both on the northen part and on the one near Sicily, the different populations took advantage from the catch. We continue with raw tuna, with sauce, garlic and mint leaves, sweet and sour sauce, or boiled in a sauce with tasty fish balls. The “Cuscus alla Trapanese” is prepared with bran cooked with steam in a special pot made of glazed clay . The dressing is added after, a mix of fish broth similar to the Ligurian Caciucco. The meat sliced or mashed with the same ingredients of a poor land, tamed by men: veal roulade with pecorino cheese, parsley, garlic and bread crumbs, the so called “nvultina a Trapanisa”; the fake poor chop, stuffed with mince meat, eggs and cheese or the simple courtyard animals slaughtered according to the season, rabbits, pigs and domestic chickens, served with home made bread, the cabbuccio, a sort of roll made of pizza dough enriched by wild herbs, basil, oregano, laurum and parsley. In this case the meat cooked on a spit are pork liver, roasted pig skin or baked castrated will be the strong dishes on the menu. The best desserts in Sicily are the filled cannoli or the cascatelle filled with sugar, sheep ricotta cheese, sprinkled with cinnamon or seasoned with Marsala wine. The cassata made with a sponge cake and candied fruit, the sublime bocconcini of Erice, balls made of almonds with a heart of jam and liquor.

We end this trip in the cuisine with a star, the sweet nectar of Registered designation of origin that takes its name from the town. The legend states that the wine in Marsala, known to the Italian travellers of the nineteenth century, landed as we know it today, together with the English salesman John Woodhouse in 1773. According to the chronicles , during the stay on the island, John tasted the wine of the place, that was aged in wooden casks, taking a similar taste to the Spanish and Portuguese wines, equally popular in the period. The wine so made was well appreciated by the foreigner, so he decided to take 50 casks, adding eau de vie, to maintain the quality during the voyage in open sea. Again Marsala shows the passing of the baton between the local culture and an ounce of European multicultural, Woohouse even had among his client the Admiral Nelson and his fleet. And Today? How is it produced? Even now, during the fermentation, specific procedures of pouring are done to help the oxidation of the must, ethylene oxide and the same amount of eau de vie is added, all controlled and produced in the area of origin. The wine is suitable for any kind of cake, and can be found in different variations, the Marsala oro variety, produced with Grillo and Catarrato grapes, is darker and stronger; Marsala rubino is made from Perricone or Nerello Mascalese. Marsala wine was the first Italian DOC wine in Italian wine history; a great prouf for all the winemakers and for the whole territory.

Places of interest On the west side of Marsala, in the Annunziata district, we bump into the ancient convent of the friars that came from Mount Carmelo in Palestina, the Carmine Convent. Part of this complex is also the adjacent church dedicated to Annunziata, quite poor with its pure white marble and the few frescoes, sacrificed by the bombardment of two wars, together with the belfry, that gives glory and magnificence standing out from the Roccocò style monastery, with octagonal base, made of yellow tuff stone.The structure is the result of many modifications, but it is only in 1650 that the convent was enlarged and modernized, matching a late Mannerism style. The convent now is the seat of the Ente Mostra di Pittura Contemporanea and the town Art Gallery, as well as the Historic Council Archive. Another monument, worth to mention, is the church of Saint Giovanni Battista, patron saint of the town, very close to the sea, with a classical architectural style. Don’t be misleaded by the austerity of the small church and by its dimensions; it rises exactly in the place where a grotto, digged in the rock was identified as the dwelling of Sibilla Cumana, a place of mistery and prediction. The place inspired the worship of its waters, it became, during time, a baptismal font and today, from this hole rises the stream with a dedicated stone altar, with the marble image of the patron saint.It is essentially a main underground room, covered by a brick low dome , a skylight and a basin. A legend states that here Ulysses, came to quench the thirst from a long journey, at the presence of the goddess of Apollo. On the other side of the town, in an elevated position rises the Medioeval castle of Marsala, of Norman origin and during the Suevi era the defensive plant was strenghtened. It stretches towards the sky where the two arms of the Punic moat meet, in a quadrangular shape ending with round towers The castle is home of the district prison of Marsala, loosing much of its Suevi charm, but still keeping an important view of a building that hasn’t changed during the centuries.

Accomodation, tourism and events Marsala stands out simultaneously in two sectors: the wine industry with its cellars and neat rows of vines placed on the dry land, and the seaside tourism, well appreciated on the western part of the island. It has a rich history, full of anachronisms – it was dominated by the Arabs, then the Normans and at last the Suevi, it has therefore developed an open mind to news, concentrating on the research of a multicultural perfection, to fit on one side the cruise lines and the elite tourism and on the side the campers from central Europe and all those who prefer a tent along the sea, like the real vikings.

In the last decade the accomodation facilities (built with low environment impact), and the growth of the number of agritourisms and room rentals have given the possibility to host a curious variety of people. Since then the Northen part of Marsala has become the favourite place for kitesurf lovers; there are many sportsman coming from all over the planet, who have found in Marsala a happy mix the geographic position place, the climate, low sea bottom that allows to enjoy the sea.

There are taverns, restaurants and bistros overlooking the well kept Marina, with its neat palm trees and the free or equipped beaches suitable for children and families.

Selinunte and Marsala, just to mention, with their sandy coasts attract a magic atmosphere. The stretch of beach goes also along the fractions of Tre Fontane and Torretta Granitola, where you might loose yourself in wonderful natural coves and rocks, covered by the Mediterranean Maquis. Mazara del Vallo is easy to reach, with its particular seafront , full of entertainment especially in the summer.

Punta Tramontana delimits the north part of Stagnone, and distinguishes itself for the calm and the very white sand, it is open towards the sea for those who want to dive with the dolphins.

The names of the places to remember are too

many, Saint Vito lo Capo, known in the world as the most beautiful Italian beach, Lido Signorino, Lido Torrazza, Saint Teodoro, warmed up by the summer heat, for lovers of suntan Favignana with its Cala azzurra or if you can reach the strech of sea, close to the Egadi, it is really breath-taking.

It is not a secret that Marsala is a place of culture. The Archeological Museum Baglio Anselmi, the most popular compared to the many museums, the only one with Flemish tapestry, it keeps and spreads the Phoenician naval knowledge and the general history of the town, testifying a bit of the Roman Empire; inside the museum there is the Punic ship of Marsala, used in the battle of the Egadi islands, that put the word end to the first of a long series of naval wars. The ship is a unique and untraceable elsewhere.

Each year Marsala honors the Thousand and the landing of Garibaldi, with events that last a whole weekend. On the 11th May, the town also remembers the 1943 Anglo-American bombardment, for which the town received the gold medal for civil merits.

On the salt road, at the water mirrors of Stagnone in Trapani, from June to September, there is the possibility of observing how patiently this work is done and the way they keep this “white gold”. On Maundy Thursday the inhabitants gather for an itinerary performance with nine groups representing the Passion of Jesus Christ, the Procession of the living mysteries, on the 19th of January the patron saint Madonna della Cava is celebrated.

Real Estate Market Generally speaking we have noticed a slow down as regards the slump (6% in 2 years and even less as regards villas).

In Marsala and the area we refer to, the prices, of villas and small villas by the sea, located in panoramic positions, have remained stable, they go from 2.000,00 € to 2.500,00 € (3.000,00 € for big properties 200 sqm with gardens, swimming pools).

The Surroundings Half plain and half hilly slopes easy to reach from two ports that connect Sicily to the North of Italy, at a short distance from Ustica, Pantelleria and the Pelagie islands, the Egadi islands and the Eolie frame the sea that has nothing to envy to Sardinia or Tunisia, Marsala is like its wine: sweet to swallow in big quantities, but with an old soul.

Of noble origins, but always ready to learn something new, experiment and reconsider other solutions. Catania, with its architectural beauties, the Romantic and Baroque period have left indelible marks, appreciated are the houses in the old town; its corner markets and the fishmongers at a stone throw, or Palermo with its archeological sites and mansions, cements the history of poets and sailors and finds its peak in the pale blue summer sky, Marsala, at least once in your life, is worth a visit. Just like the Mecca, it is not a coincidence that it is the port of Allah.