My first impression of Trapani was that it actually sparkled. This was in great contrast to dirty and stricken Palermo where I had just come from.

The buildings gleamed in the sunlight, ornate carvings decorated the buildings, and I got the feeling as I walked through its streets that I had stepped back in time. Some of the most beautiful buildings were located on the street Corso Vittorio Emanuele. 

Trapani is especially known for it’s Easter procession. Religious statues from the 17th century are paraded around for 16 hours on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. These statues called the Misteri of Trapani are kept in the Church of the Anime Sante del Purgatorio which is a fascinating church to visit in Trapani. Keep in mind, these statues aren’t small. They are almost life-sized which makes it pretty captivating.

I also think that the people of Trapani must have the cleanest clothes in the world. I’ve never seen more laundry hanging out to dry!

The Trapani fish market was my favorite thing that I visited and I loved seeing this local slice of life in action!  Trapani is also known for its sea salt (they even have their own museum), and you will see lots of it for sale.

I loved that Trapani was surrounded by water. The port was on one side of the city, and the beach was on the other. The beach was gorgeous and had lots of beautiful scenes as well. Trapani was a great place to just walk around aimlessly and enjoy the sights that I happened to come across, and that is one of my favorite ways to travel.

Trapani was easy to get to, and there are several buses that leave from Palermo. During my visit, I stayed at the B&B Bella Trapani, which I highly recommend.  To book your hotel and get other advice on Trapani, I recommend http://www.hotel-trapani.com/ which is locally owned by someone who lives in Trapani.

While in Trapani, don’t miss Erice, a charming medieval down overlooking Trapani!

Have you been to Trapani?  What was your favorite part? Let me know in the comments below!