Day 4 • Marsala, Erice

We had a standard continental breakfast at the hotel, then got lost driving on a day trip to Marsala. It took twice as long to get there than it should have, maybe three times. As the navigator, I can't explain what happened although stopping first to see the Trapani salt fields may have had something to do with it.

trapani salt pans and medieval windmills

It was a sunny gorgeous day. We parked outside Marsala's city gate and walked in through the main drag. There were a lot of young guys posing with their cars in the parking lot. The machismo in the air was thick that day.

the ragazzi at marsala's city gate

It was time to eat lunch and we found a cafe/restaurant filled with local old men eating solo called Pasticceria E&N. It was scrumptious and a steal. We had risotto with zucchini and artichokes, timbale con sugo (like arancini), and carciofi gratinati (baked gratinéed artichokes). We topped off our lunch with gelato, and before heading out we walked to the seafront.

the sea at marsala

Back on misty Erice, we asked the hotel proprietor about the funicular down to Trapani because we wanted to make a visit and possibly have dinner there but we were told that due to the wind it is not running tonight and the buses have already stopped for the evening. So before the siesta we walked around Erice for open restaurants and chose Hotel Moderno Ristorante. We asked for 9 but they said they close early and haggled us to 7:30 but we refused and they made it for 8:30. We think the benefits of traveling off-season far outweigh in-season although some may fine tapered bus schedules and early restaurant closing to be a damper. After making the reservation we took a walk around the Venus Castle built on the ruins of an ancient temple to Venus and the Torri Pepoli, a medieval castle turned hotel. We saw about 3 other people on our walk.

the fairytale castle of venus clings to the side of the mountain



sunset on erice and view of egadi islands


view to monte cofano


la chiesa madre, erice

We headed over to dinner and only one other table was occupied but soon the other filled up. The room was brightly lit with florescent lights and yet the waiter lit a small candle at our table. The food was scrumptious. We ordered the antipasto and at the bar we chose raw tuna in olive oil, tuna cubes in agre dolce, eggplant with cheese and tomato sauce, marinated artichoke hearts, octopus salad, and mackerel marinated in olive oil. What a feast already and that's only the antipasti. We both ordered the region's specialty - couscous Trapanese. A dish resulting from the close proximity of Trapani to Tunisia. The dish arrives with the broth and fish separate from the fluffy couscous. It was a very aromatic broth, heady with garlic, tomatoes and cinnamon. After dinner we had a nightcap of Marsala wine at Cafe Nuovo Edelweiss to the sight and sound of "As Good as It Gets" dubbed in Italian.