Picture an Italian medieval town overlooking (almost) all of Sicily from the top of a mountain. In Erice, that's just the beginning…
Every stone, every corner in its alleys, every balcony with a view oozes stories of battles, sacred goddesses, and warriors on horseback on all 3 sides (it's shaped like a triangle). 😉
If you're visiting western Sicily, it would be a crime to leave the island without seeing this village that seems frozen in time atop Mount Eryx.
What to see in Erice
Besides the views of Sicily it offers from its privileged spot above the clouds (sometimes literally), the most charming thing about Erice is its cobbled alleys.
So my first tip when you get to this town is: wander, wander, and wander some more.
And get ready to fall in love with this place. 😉
Viewpoints
You can take in the scenery from many of Erice's outer streets, but some spots truly take the cake (marked on the map at the bottom of the page):
- South viewpoint of Giardino del Balio. From here you'll spot the fields of southern Sicily, the Trapani coastline on your right with the Aegadian Islands in the background, and the Castle of Venus silhouetted to your left.
- Castello di Venere. Boasting a prime spot and height, its walls offer the widest field of view in Erice: north, south, and east all in one single panoramic shot.
- Viewpoint next to the Balio Tower. If you keep strolling through the garden and go around the Balio tower, you'll come across the island's gorgeous northwest coast and the photogenic Mount Cofano standing out against the sea. Follow the path hugging the balcony and you'll see the landscape open up, giving way to the curious Torretta Pepoli.
- Quartiere Spagnolo and Porta Spada. Want to enjoy equally spectacular views without so many tourists around you? Head over to the Quartiere Spagnolo and prepare to be blown away. 😉
Castello di Venere
According to the locals of Erice, this Norman fortress has the best view in the entire town.
I certainly won't be the one to disagree. 😉
It was built over the ruins of the Temple of Venus Erycina, a place of worship dedicated to femininity.
Admission is only €4 and allows you to enter multiple times in a day to capture different nuances of the morning and afternoon light (ideal for photographers).
It's open every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00–8:00 PM depending on the time of year.
Where to Eat
Since I spent several days in Erice for work back in 2016, I got the chance to try out several restaurants, and I must admit that I found them all more than decent, especially considering their prices.
Specifically, I tried the following (though there are plenty more):
- Caffè San Rocco: hands down one of my favorites. It's located right in the heart of Erice and they serve traditional local fish couscous dishes.
- Il Casale Ericino: a pizzeria that sparked mixed reviews among the group of Italians with me, but I absolutely loved their pizzas. You'd better judge for yourself! 😉
- Hotel Elimo Restaurant: this hotel has a charming dining room. On top of the great food, the waitstaff were super friendly to us. Well worth it.
- Venus Restaurant: if "hanger strikes" near the Castle of Venus, this is a great spot to stop for a bite before or after your visit.
- La Prima Dea: I loved both the pasta dishes with pistachio pesto and the desserts, although the first-floor dining room gets quite loud and busy.
- Ristorante Massimo: a great spot to grab lunch or dinner right by Porta Trapani, just at the entrance of town.
- Ristorante Ulisse: I remember the food being really tasty. However, the service from the owners was a bit unfriendly.
Where to grab an afternoon treat
And being in Sicily, it's impossible not to mention the ricotta-filled cannoli from Maria Grammatico Pastry Shop.
They say the bestsellers here are the custard or Nutella genovesi, but trust me, leaving Erice without trying a cannolo from this bakery would be practically a crime. 😉
How to get there
Car
Driving inside Erice is banned or restricted to residents only.
So after driving up the winding road that leads to it and soaking in the jaw-dropping views along the way, you'll need to leave your car in the paid parking lot right at the entrance of the town (marked on the map at the bottom of this page).
Cable car
If you're staying in Trapani, an ideal way to get up to Erice is taking the cable car, which whisks you up there in just 10 minutes.
Plus, it offers spectacular views of Trapani, the east coast of Sicily, and the Aegadian Islands, including Favignana.
It costs €5.50 one way (€9 round trip), with timetables that vary depending on the day of the week and the season (roughly 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM in winter and 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM in summer). I've left a link with the details at the bottom of this page. 😉
Bus
When the cable car is closed for maintenance (very common in winter or on super windy days), you can catch the AST buses that run from Trapani station to Erice in 40 minutes.
Schedules vary depending on the season, with the first one leaving Trapani at 6:40 am and returning at 6:45 pm or 9:00 pm on non-holidays. Once again, I'll leave you more details at the end of this post.
Where to sleep
Erice
Nights in Erice are magical. I discovered that on my second visit to this town during a work trip back in September 2016.
That's why I recommend staying at least one night here.
The cobblestone alleyways empty of tourists and the sound of footsteps echoes like something out of a period mystery movie.
It's during those peaceful moments that you truly catch its real essence.
However, it was some of the mornings that caught my attention the most.
Can you imagine heading down to the street and not being able to see past the next stone where you step?
- Fog covers everything.
- The light from a lantern cuts through the mist on a corner.
- And a feeling of having traveled back in time takes over you from head to toe.
You have to be lucky to experience a scene like that on a visit to Erice. But you've got to be there to live it. 😉
Surroundings
On our first trip to Sicily in 2014, we stayed at Villa Delle Palme Delfina, a B&B on the outskirts of Trapani with Mount Eryx as its backdrop.
The place was gorgeous, very well-kept, and comfortable.
We had a private terrace area right next to our room, and they gave us a photography book of the region along with a bottle of Sicilian wine that was delicious.
On top of that, the breakfast included in the price was spectacular. They didn't miss a single detail.
The only minor downside (if we had to name one) was that kitchen noises woke us up earlier than we would have liked in the morning, and breakfast was served around a huge round table with all the other guests and Antonio, our host.
If you're the type who likes waking up slowly without making small talk, you might want to time it so you go down once everyone else is done (we did that a couple of times to enjoy a quieter breakfast).
We spent 7 nights there for €541 in a double room (€77/night).
Useful links
- Official website of the Trapani-Erice cable car.
- Cable car schedules and fares.
- PDF with summer schedules for the bus connecting Trapani and Erice, among others.
- Hotel deals in Erice.
- B&B Villa delle Palme Delfina.
- 5% discount when booking your adventure travel insurance with IATI.
- Flights to Italy: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo, and Vueling.
And if you're road-tripping through western Sicily, don't miss:
- Complete 7-day road trip through Sicily.
- Discover the Segesta temple and a Greek theater with sea views in Sicily.
- Hiking through the Zingaro Nature Reserve.
- Biking around the island of Favignana.
- Hiking in Sicily: circling Mount Cofano.