Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AROUND TRAPANI
There's not a lot in Trapani itself to keep tourists occupied, but the city has a good range of
hotels and restaurants, making it a convenient base for those keen to explore the surround-
ing region. A trip to the medieval eyrie of Erice will often end up being a holiday highlight,
as will an itinerary built around sampling Trapanese food and wine, which is among the
most impressive on the island.
STRADA DEL VINO E DEI SAPORI ERICE DOC
Representing more than a dozen local wine producers, the
Associazione Strada del Vino e dei Sapori Erice DOC
( 0923 81 17 00;
www.stradadelvinoericedoc.it
) celebrates the Erice DOC (Denominazione di Origine Control-
lata; Controlled Origin Denomination) wine that is produced in the province of Trapani.
The Erice DOC appellation recognises several indigenous grape varieties from the Zregion, including Catarratto,
Nero d'Avola, Grillo, Insolia, Frappato, Perricone and Zibibbo. These grapes owe their distinctive flavour to the
fact that they're grown in vineyards that lie between 250m and 500m in altitude, but are also located close to the
sea.
The Strada del Vino association offers customisable four-day wine tours, as well as free downloadable itineraries
that feature local wineries alongside the area's other cultural attractions. As you drive around western Sicily, you'll
see plenty of Erice DOC wine route signs, but bear in mind that it's not always the easiest route to follow. Sign-
posts are intermittent and the number of wineries regularly open to the public is limited -
Fazio
(
www.faziowines.it
) and
Caruso & Minini
(
www.carusoeminini.it
) are among those that dependably offer guided
tours and tasting.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Erice
POP 27,970 / ELEV 751M
Erice watches over the port of Trapani from the legendary mountain of Eryx, situated a
giddy 750m above sea level. It's a mesmerising walled medieval town with stern-looking
forts and churches, and its mountain charm is enhanced by the unpredictable weather that
can take you from sunny afternoon to foggy evening in the space of a few minutes.
The town has sweeping views of the valley beneath it and the sea, and is home to Sicily's
most famous cake shop, Maria Grammatico.
Erice has a notorious history as a centre for the cult of Venus (Astarte to the Phoenicians
and Aphrodite to the Greeks). The mysterious Elymians claimed descent from Venus' fam-
ous Trojan son, Aeneas, who mentions the sanctuary as a holy landmark in the
Aeneid
. In-
