traveldk.com

On this royal hill (mons reale ) Sicily’s Norman king, William II, built the mosaic-encrusted monastery and cathedral that proved to be the last and most splendid of the island’s Norman monuments (see Monreale).

The ruins of this Greek city, including temples, walls, marketplace and homes, stand majestically backed by the sea – silent reminders of the glory of the once great city (see Selinunte).

A busy port since the Phoenicians landed here, it gained importance during Spanish domination as the closest port to Spain, and it’s still a bustling area. The modern town has ballooned, but the quaint and lively historic centre is concentrated on the tiny sickle-shaped peninsula – the entire area covers less than 2.5 sq km (1 sq mile). The perpendicular main streets are lined with a mix of Baroque buildings, shops and cafés. Via Torrearsa leads from the port to the market square with its lovely loggia. The Corso leads to the tip of the peninsula, with glimpses of everyday Sicilian life in the side streets.

The most romantic ruins in all of Sicily are tucked between the green hills and rugged mountains just west of Calatafimi. The temple was built in perfect, solid Doric proportions (c.420 BC) and stands isolated on a gentle slope, turning a beautiful shade of pink in the sunset. The un-grooved columns, missing cella , and still-attached studs around the stylobate hint that it was left unfinished. The theatre, high up on Monte Barbaro, has views out to Trapani and the sea and is still used for performances (see Teatro Antica di Segesta).

Sicily’s first nature reserve was instituted in 1980 to protect 7 km (4 miles) of rocky coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Scopello and San Vito lo Capo. Marked trails of various levels of difficulty traverse the steep interior, or creep along the cliff above the sea, occasionally forking down to small coves with pebble beaches. The reserve protects flora and fauna such as wild orchids, limonium, wild carnations, dwarf palms, iris, remains of once widespread ilex and cork-oak forests, lichens and ferns, Bonelli’s eagles, Peregrine falcons, Sicilian warblers, owls, porcupines and foxes.

This tiny volcanic island, closer to Africa than Italy, is as well known for its VIP visitors as its natural beauty and culinary gifts. The architecture reflects Arabic influences and the island is dotted with dammusi – low, whitewashed, domed houses. Pantelleria is known for its caper production and the thick and sweet moscato passito , made from the native Zibbibo grape which grows well despite the scirocco winds.

This sunbaked seaside town was founded in 397 BC as Lilybeo by Carthaginians fleeing Motya. It finally fell to the Romans after a 10-year siege, but it was the Arabs who named the city: Marsa Allah, meaning the port of God. Today, the town is best known as the landing point for Garibaldi’s Redshirts (see Giuseppe Garibaldi) and for the wine that borrowed its name. The city survived successive invasions, but came into its own in the 18th century when the Marsala wine trade was born. The Baroque cathedral to San Tommaso di Canterbury presides over a pleasant piazza, where you’ll also find the Museo degli Arazzi with its Renaissance tapestries from Madrid’s Palacio Real (the gift of a Marsala-born archbishop).

This archaeological park occupies an entire island in Lo Stagnone, the lagoon north of Marsala, where the 8th-century BC Phoenician and later Carthaginian city thrived. Dionysus I of Syracuse destroyed Motya (Mozia in Italian) in 398 BC, leaving ruins of intricate fortifications, docks, homes decorated with mosaic flooring, and other structures. The extensive archaeological collections of the Museo Whitaker (former home of the English Marsala-producing family) are displayed as Whitaker intended – the highlight is the outstanding Greek marble statue of a youth in a diaphanous pleated tunic (c.440 BC).

Levanzo, Favignana and Marettimo are about 20 minutes from Trapani by hydrofoil and are great for relaxing on a summer’s day as there is pretty much nothing here except for the sea. They are most famous for the mattanza , the Arabic tuna-fishing ritual that is still practiced here in spring. Favignana is dotted with tufa quarries that give the island a pockmarked look; the caves of Levanzo’s interior have Paleolithic and Neolithic paintings, and swimming and sunbathing is good on all three islands. Marettimo, the furthest from the mainland, is known for its extraordinarily clear waters.

On the top of a cliff above Trapani, ancient Eryx was known for its temple to Venus Erycina so large that it served as a beacon to sailors at sea. The temple was replaced with a castle in the Middle Ages, and the village, renovated at the same time, still has a medieval appearance. The main industry here is tourism and it feels like it, but it’s a nice visit: local artisans make good ceramics and rugs, and the views are spectacular – on a clear day you can see all the way to Africa.