Old town of Cefalu in retro colors on the seaside in Sicily (cristianbalate (123RF))
Living in Europe has been a luxury that I could never have imagined. Now, living in Sicily has been an amazing experience and I tirelessly advocate traveling while you are here.
Here are 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.
Visit the Teatro Massimo. This is the largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in Europe. There are also an abundance of churches in Palermo that you can visit. One to check out is the 12th-century church that is also a UNESCO site, Santa Maria dell Ammiraglio. Palermo is a great city to spend a couple of days.
Aerial view of Palermo dominated by the cathedral, Sicily, Italy (dudlajzov (123RF))
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. Make your way from Palermo in the morning and hike Cefalu Rock to get beautiful views overlooking the town. The hike is about two miles and can take an hour or two depending on your speed. I recommend going early because the hike is mostly unshaded. The Piazza del Duomo hosts the Cathedral of Cefalu, which is one of the many UNESCO sites that exist in Sicily. Check out the local specialty of Pasta a Tainanu while you are here visiting.
Western Sicily 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 the Second World War. It is still worth visiting and spending a day.
Venture down Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle, and you will find yourself among the important monuments of the town: Cavarretta Palace, Church of the College Jesuits and, eventually, Trapani Cathedral. Since it is a seaside town, catch the sunset around the lungomare, or venture over to the Ligny Tower. It is also a museum and has a great view since it’s vantage point was once used 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. Since it is so high up, be prepared for the winding road up to the town. If you are staying in Trapani, consider taking the funicular up so you don’t have to worry about driving up and down. A round-trip ticket currently costs 11 euros.
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!
Medieval Castle of Venus in Erice, Sicily (igordymov (123RF))
Take the 30-minute ferry from Trapani and you will find yourself on 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 eBikes on the island, but if you arrive later in the day, you will probably end up with a normal bike as this island is getting popular.
Favignana has many famous and popular beaches that you can check out on your visit. Some may spend the full day in Favignana and catch the ferry back. But, if you want to live it up, book a room for an extra day here and relax.
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense.
