Salt Pans of Trapani, Sicily

We had an early start today, hitting the road for our big drive to Taormina. But before we left we grabbed a few more photos of the salt pans in the area.

The salt pans of Trapani are part of the Riserva Naturale orientata delle Saline di Trapani e Paceco. The history of the salt pans has its roots in the time of Frederick II. At that time, salt was fundamental to preserving food and the king understanding the economic and commercial potential of the area imposed a state monopoly on salt production. After the Normans, the Aragonese privatised the salt pans. The economy increased, and Trapani became the most important European centre for salt production.

The old star (or Dutch) mills are among the ten most beautiful in Europe, with their six wooden blades. Windmills pump water between the basins and are used to grind salt and a series of basins of different sizes and depths create the salt pans. In summer, thanks to a system of levels, channels and water passages, the seawater evaporates quickly and the salt crystallises.

The Torre di Nubia, the Nubia Tower, is the tower we see from our balcony. It was a watchtower whose task was to warn the population about the arrival of Saracen pirates. An old mill, set in a 17th-century building called Casa Salaria, houses the Salt Museum and it is these buildings that look so great with their reflections on the still water of the salt pans. With the morning light the area looks different again and it was great to capture some more images before we left.Read more