Cities » Trapani

Called Drepano by the Elymians and Sicani, Trapani is a city with a sinuous and elegant design and a beautiful baroque architecture. It was a Carthaginian, then a Roman and finally a Byzantine stronghold. Under the Arab domination, the city was one of the most flourishing centres of Sicily for salt, coral and tuna production The best way to visit it is to cross it walking among the voices and the colours of the fish market, munching some fresh bread with scent of anise, accross the elegant streets of the centre as Via Garibaldi, Via Torrearsa and Corso Vittorio Emmanuele. Each year, these streets are the scenery for the great procession of “Our Lady of Sorrows” which takes place on Good Tuesday and Good Wednesday, a storm of emotion which is repeated on Good Friday, when for a whole day and a whole night, the famous procession of the mysteries walk across the old town: 20 representations in wood, works of art of local artisans of the sixteenth and eighteenth century depicting episodes of the Christ Passion and which are held throughout the year in the church of the Purgatory.