Erice

Member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia

b.roveranErice CC BY 2.0
BultroErice - Castello 03 CC BY-SA 3.0
Patrice78500Erice - interieur de la Chiesa MatricePublic domain
Dedda71Erice mura3 CC BY-SA 3.0
BjsErice-Castle-bjs-1 CC0
BjsErice-Castle-bjs-2 CC0
BjsErice-streets-bjs-3 CC0
BjsErice-views-bjs-1 CC0
BjsErice-views-bjs-2 CC0
Ziegler175EriceDomRosette CC BY-SA 3.0
Stefano TravasciMonte Cofano seen from Erice CC BY 4.0
b.roveran uploaded and derivative work: MrPanyGoffSan Giuliano church - Erice CC BY 2.0
EffemsChiesa madre Erice 08 10 2017 05 CC BY-SA 4.0

Perched on the summit of Monte Erice, about 750 metres above Trapani, the town grew around one of the ancient Mediterranean's great sanctuaries, the temple of Venus Erycina. A Norman castle now stands on its site, and Elymian and Phoenician walls still guard the north-east side. Steep cobbled lanes and many churches fill the medieval centre, which a cable car links to the city below.

Highlights

Castello di Venere, built on the temple of Venus Erycina (IT)
The Cyclopean walls of the Elymian and Phoenician town
Views over Trapani, the coast and the Aegadian Islands
Almond pastries from Maria Grammatico's pasticceria
The cable car up from Trapani

Text adapted from Wikipedia (Erice (IT), Erice (EN)), Wikivoyage (Erice (IT), Erice (EN)). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Population: 26,089

Things to see

Events through the year

Misteri di Erice Religious · Good Friday19th-century Passion floats carried by local guilds in traditional dress
Borgo diVino in Tour Food and wine · Late AugustSicilian wineries, food stalls and live music in the piazzas
Feast of Maria Santissima di Custonaci Religious · Last Wednesday of AugustMusic, parades and the handing over of golden keys to the Madonna
Monte Erice Hill Climb Sport and games · Usually SeptemberCar hill climb since 1954, finishing at the summit
EricèNatale Seasonal · Christmas and New Year holidaysLights, Christmas markets, nativity scenes and New Year's Eve in Piazza della Loggia

Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.

Adapted from Wikivoyage (Erice). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Local food & wine

Bocconcini di EriceSweetMarzipan sweets with citron jam centre
Ericino cheeseCheeseAged mixed cow and sheep milk cheese
Baked ricotta (IT)CheeseFirm golden crust and soft interior
Nocellara del Belice olives (IT)Local produceGrown around Erice for oil and table olives
Genovese with custardSweetShortcrust pastry filled with cream, dusted with icing sugar
Erice DOC wine (IT)WineMade from grapes such as Grillo, Catarratto and Nero d'Avola

Adapted from Wikipedia (Erice), Wikivoyage (Erice). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to sleep

13 places to stay within 3 km

Hotels 8
B&Bs and guest houses 4
Mountain huts 1

Thermal baths nearby

Hot spring: Polle del Crimiso · ~55 min by car
Hot spring: Parkplatz freie Thermalquelle · ~55 min by car
Hot spring: Terme segestane · ~55 min by car

Nearby member villages

Salemi · 31 km
Sambuca di Sicilia · 63 km
Sutera · 116 km
Cefalù · 126 km
Petralia Soprana · 135 km