Long weekend discoveries while in Sicily ()
Living in Sicily has been an amazing experience and I tirelessly advocate traveling while you are here. Here are two suggestions for long weekend trips that are easily accessible to those stationed at NAS Sigonella.
Visiting the capital of Sicily should definitely be up there on your list of places to visit on the island. Palermo is about two and a half hours away from NAS Sigonella, making it, in my opinion, a pretty easy drive. You can definitely spend a full weekend roaming around the capital, or you can quickly visit in a day and move onto another town on this side of the island.
Downtown Palermo, be sure to visit the Teatro Massimo. This is the largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in Europe. There is also an abundance of churches in Palermo that are worth stepping inside. One of the best churches to check out is the Santa Maria dell Ammiraglio. It was built in the 12th-century and is now a UNESCO heritage site.
For a full weekend, tack on a day in Cefalu. This sleepy seaside town is about an hour away from Palermo and offers a picturesque visit. Be sure to build in time for relaxing on the beach in addition to taking in some of the sites. The Piazza del Duomo hosts the Cathedral of Cefalu, which is one of the many UNESCO sites that exist in Sicily. While in town, find an outdoor cafe and check out the local specialty of Pasta a Tainanu while you are here visiting.
To get beautiful views overlooking the town, hike up to Cefula Rock. The hike is about two miles and can take an hour or two depending on your speed. I recommend going early in the day because the hike is mostly unshaded.
Old town of Cefalu on the seaside in Sicily (cristianbalate (123RF))
Western Sicily is another region that deserves a few days of discovery. Drive three-and-a-half hours away from NAS Sigonella and you can find yourself in the town of Trapani. Trapani was once a large port that was based around salt production and tuna fishing. Unfortunately, a lot of the old town suffered bombing from World War II. It is still worth visiting and spending a day.
Venture down Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle, and you will find yourself among the important monuments of town. Cavarretta Palace, built in the 1600s is now Trapani’s town hall. The Church of the College Jesuits is a beautiful Baroque building next to a former monastery. Eventually, down the road you will get to Trapani Cathedral which was first built during the Norman era.
Since Trapani is a seaside town, catch the sunset around the lungomare (waterfront promenade.) You can also venture over to the Ligny Tower, which houses museum and has a great view from its vantage point and previous purpose as a watchtower.
The village of Erice is 2,460 ft. above sea level and looks down on the town of Trapani. Erice is a medieval town and has some amazing views of western Sicily. If you are staying in Trapani, consider taking the funicular up so you don’t have to worry about driving up and down. Since it is so high up, if you do choose to drive, be prepared for the winding road up to the town. In Erice, visit the Castle of Venus for impeccable views of the coast. For a sweet treat, make sure to check out Maria Grammatico Pasticceria and leave with the shop’s famous Genovese, a custard-filled pastry. This pastry shop has an amazing history and prides itself on using locally produced ingredients and Sicilian almonds from Avola.
For a great day out while staying in Trapani, take the 30-minute ferry out to the beautiful island of Favignana. The island isn’t big enough for you to need to take your car. Instead, hop on the passenger ferry and walk or bike around Favignana. You can rent e-bikes and traditional bikes on the island, but arrive early if you have a preference as biking on the island is getting popular.
Favignana also has many famous and popular beaches that you can check out on your visit. Many people spend the full day in Favignana and catch the ferry back Trapani in the evening. But, if you want to live it up, book a room for an extra day here and relax.
Medieval Castle of Venus in Erice, Sicily (igordymov (123RF))
