The Territory
From the clearing of Misiligiafari you can enjoy a wide view of the Trapani area. From here, the eye sweeps over the whole plain, which from the slopes of Mount Erice, passes from Trapani, towards the south to Marsala, and moving the gaze to the northeast part of the territory it also reaches the bay of Custonaci and Monte Cofano. This is the area that has been known as the “Agro Ericino” ("Erice's countryside") since ancient times.
Trapani
Trapani provincial capital of western Sicily, benefits from a charming conformation as well as its privileged geographical position, which characterizes the Mediterranean climate, with rarely cold winters and summers hot but not torrid and very breezy. Trapani forms a panhandle that from the Erice’s mountainside narrows to the point of the seventeenthcentury Torre di Ligny (‘Ligny Tower’), arching and jutting into the Mediterranean Sea, seemingly separating the Tyrrhenian Sea from the Sicily Channel. Its Greek name Drepanon comes from its shape, which represents the mythological sickle dropped by Ceres, goddess of the harvest, while chasing her daughter Proserpine’s kidnapper.
The Saltpans
The saltpans are a fundamental, unmistakable landmark for the landscape that runs from Trapani, to Marsala: the windmills, the wide shiny basins, whose waters reflect the sun rays and the moon, the dark canals, the hills of purewhite salt, whose brilliance is dazzling if they are not protected by ‘ciaramire’ (terracotta roof tiles), that shelter them from the rain. A landscape that has not changed for centuries, that, despite being almost completely natural, is the result of the intervention and the contribution of man.
Erice
Erice represents for any visitor a thrilling encounter with myth and history, relived in every single precious stone of this medieval village perched on Mount Erice, 750 metres above sea level. Stone houses and narrow, stone-paved streets overlooked by typical flower-filled courtyards with stairwells and arches, hidden by stone walls that invite exploration. From the public Balio gardens surrounding the Pepoli Castle, the panoramic view extends from Trapani, the salt pans, the Egadi Islands and further south to Marsala back around to the Castellamare Gulf and the coast towards San Vito lo Capo. Those who walks the streets of Erice are inevitably enraptured by the delicious smell of Erice’s traditional sweet pastries, and the colours and decorations of traditional handicrafts such as rugs and ceramics.
Monte Cofano
This is one of the most beautiful and evocative areas of Sicily, between the coast of Trapani and that of San Vito lo Capo, where the blue of the sea meets the soft outline of the promontories of Agroericino, the area around Erice, and its mountains rich in ancient history, countryside rich in colours and life, and its timeless villages, myths and legends. We are at Mount Cofano, a gorgeous massif whose shape almost looks like the tip of a diamond, standing between the gulfs of Bonagia and Macari. Here it is possible to go trekking along the forest road that starts from Custonaci, up to Castelluzzo.
Recipes
"Prince" of condiments, our extra virgin olive oil masterfully enhances the aromas and flavours of every dish of Mediterranean cuisine.
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The Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Due to its natural components and the absolute naturalness of the extraction, the extra virgin olive oil is a precious ally of taste and physical well-being.
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