Erice

A Punic burial site just outside the ancient fortification walls.

Ancient spring and rock-cut pool traditionally associated with the worship of Apollo and later linked to the medieval Jewish community of Erice.

Neo-Gothic retreat built in the 1870s by Count Pepoli, combining Moorish design elements, ceramic tiles and Favignana stone. Once a meeting place for intellectuals, it now houses a peace observatory linked to Erice’s modern identity as a centre for science and dialogue.

Part of the Ettore Majorana Centre, housed in a former Dominican convent adapted for scientific conferences and events. It includes the Paul A. M. Dirac Museum and is associated with the drafting of the Erice Statement, a landmark declaration on scientific responsibility and nuclear disarmament.

Former Franciscan convent founded in 1364 by Count Francesco Ventimiglia and expanded over the following centuries. After briefly serving as a hospital, the historic complex was repurposed as the Eugene Wigner Institute, part of the Ettore Majorana Foundation, and now hosts scientific conferences and research activities. The atmospheric spaces are also used for art exhibitions, concerts, and cultural performances.

An administrative and teaching complex of the Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture, housed in the former monastery of the Poor Clares

It was founded by Roger I, and rebuilt in the 17th century. It is used for religious and civic gatherings.

Gothic church with three naves, documented in 1339 and rebuilt with stucco decoration between 1740 and 1786.

Coastal-view church with Byzantine frescoes and distinctive Tuscan columns.

15th-century church that houses the Misteri statues used during Good Friday processions.

17th-century confraternity church with Renaissance and Rococo-style interiors. A statue of Padre Pio stands beside the church in Piazzetta Adragna, the town's former market square.

Gothic-style church with marble works by the Gagini school and Erice’s largest nave.

Built in 1365 and rebuilt in 1610 in Baroque style; connected by an arch to the Monastery of the Poor Clares

Founded in 1617 as a home for orphaned girls, this former convent complex became known for its confectionery tradition, including almond sweets such as pasta reale. Following recent restoration, parts of the historic site are now reused for education and residential accommodation for enrolled pupils of the local hospitality school (not open to visitors).

Ruin of a Benedictine monastery built over a medieval noble residence.

Moved to its current site around 1828–1830, this former hospital chapel has a single nave and houses a revered statue of its patron saint, central to a popular annual procession still celebrated in Erice and nearby areas. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the adjoining monastery was converted for civic use.

Founded in 1423 by Don Bernardo Militari in his palace, this church is a rare example of private ecclesiastical architecture in Sicily. It blends Gothic and Renaissance styles with vibrant local Baroque touches. It was historically attached to a Carmelite convent, founded in 1423. The adjoining convent buildings are now used as a hotel.

Oval-plan 16th-century church with altars and stuccoes, once used by a charitable brotherhood.

Small sanctuary near the birthplace of Blessed Luigi Rabatà, historically linked to farming communities.

14th-century church founded by count Enrico Chiaramonte; decorated with stuccoes by Pietro dell'Orto in 1794.

Founded in 1364 by Count Francesco Ventimiglia in his former palace, this active church—once part of a major Franciscan complex—features a single nave and a Renaissance-style vestibule added in the early 20th century.

This small chapel overlooks the countryside with distant views toward Custonaci, where the main sanctuary of the Madonna of Custonaci is located. It is dedicated to the Madonna of Custonaci, one of the most venerated Marian figures in western Sicily.

This small church was built in 1335 and formed part of a large palazzo of a noble soldier Giovanni Majorana that once extended all the way down to Piazza Carmine.

A single-nave church dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola, a town in Calabria. The building served as a hospital chapel until the 19th century, associated with a hospital once located in the adjacent Majorana Soldier Palace.

Housed in a former convent. Exhibits include Elymian and Roman artifacts, sacred art, and Italian modernism.

Unfinished 17th-century Spanish garrison now housing exhibitions on crafts, marine life, and local traditions. Terrace views over the coastline.

1:100 scale model of Erice made from traditional materials, with mechanical and lighting effects.

One of 17th-century Erice’s largest and best-preserved patrician homes, this palace—once owned by the Barbier-Stabile family and later by the Platamone marquises—features dual façades and spacious upper-level living quarters above service rooms.

This 19th-century municipio (town hall) bears a marble plaque commemorating the 875 men from Erice who joined Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign for Italian unification. Led by Cavaliere Giuseppe Coppola, they fought at Calatafimi. The plaque, installed in 1910, celebrates their role in Sicily’s liberation.

A 17th–18th-century patrician residence built at the height of the La Porta family’s prominence. The austere Baroque façade is constructed from large squared blocks of tuff, with simple windows and elegant projecting balconies.

Late-19th-century palazzo of the Burgarella family, whose wealth came from the salt and tuna industries. Family patriarch Agostino Burgarella Ajola established the famous salt works of Aden and developed commercial interests extending from Sicily to North Africa and the Red Sea.

Former home of Cavaliere Giuseppe Coppola, a patriot and officer of the Crown of Italy, this house bears a 1910 plaque honoring his noble roots, role in Italy’s unification, and steadfast resistance.

This elegant 18th-century townhouse, once home to the noble Majorana family, is a refined example of barocchetto siciliano, a lighter, more graceful take on Sicilian Baroque.

Overlooking Erice’s main square, this elegant 18th-century residence features a crest with a crane, stars, and mountain, and encloses a small courtyard.

Overlooking the Balio Gardens, this imposing former residence of Trapani mayor Domenico Laudicina blends two historic houses around a courtyard, featuring ornate plasterwork with Art Deco touches.

A historic house with a notable Baroque portal, now in poor repair. It was once home to the Palma Savalli family, prominent in the city’s political and economic life in the late 16th and 17th centuries.

A Liberty-style house from the early 20th century, that was built as a holiday residence for the Kardaky family of Cairo. It remained in their possession until the 1940s.

A 16th-century house named for the pair of detached corner columns projecting from its façade. On the north side of the block is an unusual doorway carved from a single limestone slab.

Founded in 1765, this small Baroque church with an oval interior was later repurposed as a grocery store, political office, and eventually a private holiday home.

Early 20th-century Liberty-style (Art Nouveau) building that once served as Erice’s grand hotel during the interwar tourism boom. The historic structure is now reused as residential accommodation for enrolled students of the local hospitality school and not as a public hotel.

Historic Difali fountain that was part of a medieval aqueduct constructed by the Chiaramonte family to convey water to Trapani.

17th-century pilgrimage sanctuary. It was restored for religious use in the late 20th century and remains active for retreats, prayer and pilgrimage activities.

A 16th-century Roman Catholic church built as part of a Capuchin convent in 1571; today the adjoining convent is home to the Poor Clares. Inhabited by nuns; generally closed to visitors, though the exterior can be admired.

A ruined medieval church which preserves fragments of a medieval fresco cycle and incorporates the cave Oratory of Saint Gregory, associated with earlier eremitic traditions.

Ruined medieval church of probable Norman origin, formerly decorated with a notable cycle of 12th-century frescoes now preserved in the Church of San Giovanni Battista.

One of the three medieval churches of the Tre Chiese route, representing the network of rural religious foundations that once occupied the slopes of Monte Erice.

Set in a traditional rural baglio, the museum explores local agricultural and forestry traditions on Monte Erice.

Sports field established between 1929 and 1932 with support from the Opera Nazionale Balilla for pupils of the nearby Convitto Sales. It has been renovated by the municipality and used for local football training. A panoramic viewpoint near the entrance offers views over the surrounding countryside and coastline.

A marble monument erected in 1930 to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the Roman poet Virgil. It stands on a stretch of coast traditionally associated with the legendary burial place of Anchises, father of the Trojan hero Aeneas.

Public gardens near the Castle of Venus, with terraces, fountains, and Mediterranean plants. Landscaped in the 1870s by Count Pepoli, they are now part of the Grandi Giardini Italiani network. Offers panoramic views over Trapani and the sea.

Historic woodland on Monte Erice associated with the ancient cult of Venus Erycina. The area preserves fragments of native forest and forms part of ongoing ecological conservation and restoration initiatives.

5.5-km trail through forested slopes and picnic areas, ending at the Sant’Anna Sanctuary near the cable car base station.

4.5-km loop with wildflower meadows, panoramic overlooks, and small chapels east of the town.

2.7-km shaded loop with views of the Castle of Venus and wooded terrain. Good for birdwatching and photography.

6.9-km trail with pine woods, agro-pastoral landscapes, and educational signage. Ends at the Forestry Museum.

A long, sandy beach stretching for about 1 km along the Tyrrhenian coast below Erice. The water is generally calm and clear, making it good for swimming. Several beach clubs line parts of the shore, offering meals, sunbeds, umbrellas, and water sports, while other sections remain free and undeveloped.

Large outdoor sports park near the seafront, featuring an open-air gym and fitness area, football pitches, padel and tennis courts, basketball courts, and beach volleyball facilities. The complex also includes indoor courts, a children’s playground, and refreshment kiosks. It is widely used by local sports teams and for organised activities, with several areas open for casual public use.

Modern gym and wellness centre offering a large fitness area with cardio and weight equipment, a variety of group classes (including pilates, functional training and dance fitness), and personalised training sessions. The wellness zone features a spa with sauna, Turkish bath, hydromassage pools, relaxation areas, and massage and beauty treatments. A small bar/lounge area is also available for refreshments after workouts.

Adventure park with aerial rope courses, zip lines, an archery area, and picnic zones in wooded surroundings. Suitable for children and adults.

Family amusement and water park with pools, slides, inflatable attractions, and family entertainment, including areas for winter holiday activities and children’s recreation.

Recurring springtime trail running event with multiple distance options on the slopes of Monte Erice, attracting regional runners and outdoor enthusiasts. Dates and routes vary by year.

An automobile hillclimb race established in 1954 and part of the Italian national championship calendar, typically held in September, with the course finishing at the summit of Monte Erice.

Founded in 1576 as the Church of Saints Rocco and Sebastiano and later adapted for other uses, the building was converted into a cinema in 1940 and now serves as a small theatre and cultural venue.

Founded as the Monastery of Santa Teresa, this historic complex now houses Erice’s Officucina culinary laboratories — purpose-built teaching kitchens within the former monastery used for training, food innovation projects, and cooking events, some open to the public.

Traditional pastry school run by renowned Erice-born pastry chef Maria Grammatico, known for preserving the town’s convent-based almond sweet traditions. The school offers short public classes and demonstrations focused on local specialities such as pasta reale di Erice and other historic Sicilian pastries.

An agricultural estate producing olive oil, wine and craft beer, and offering tastings to visitors.

A winery offering wine tastings and master classes, cooking classes, a restaurant and accommodation.

A winery producing Erice DOC wines on the historic lands of a 17th-century barony. Tastings by special arrangement.

A winery producing Erice DOC wines and offering tastings, cellar tours, and food pairings.

A wine and olive oil producer and offering tastings in a design-led cellar.