Trapani: On Foot

Just as today was a “one cannolo” day on shore in Trapani, it will also be a one footprint day.

Trapani, a city on the west coast of Sicily, is still an important fishing port … as it was when it was founded by the Elymians. It’s name is derived from Drépanon, a Greek word that means “sickle” … in reference to the city’s curving harbor.

When our ship called on Trapani in 2015, we explored the city on foot and saw all that was of interest to us. Another time, we visited the hilltop village of Erice.

So, this time I arranged for a taxi to take us to the ferry pier outside the city … from where small boats take people to Mothia to visit the ruins of an ancient and powerful city on San Pantaleo Island. With the forecast for high winds and rain, however, a few days ago I decided to cancel those plans. A little early, yes, but I wanted to give the driver the courtesy of being able to book another customer.

So, we ended up spending the day in Trapani again, walking off the ship where Insignia was berthed. Wouldn’t you know it? No rain. But the wind was sure a-blowin’. Nonetheless, we managed to put nearly 15,000 steps on our feet once more.

We wandered all over town, getting lost on side streets before eventually finding ourselves on Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle. The last time we stayed in town, this street was a lively place with lots of cafés, restaurants, and shops. Not so today. Methinks COVID-19 has taken a real toll on businesses here and they are still trying to get back on their feet. Or, we were out too early!

No matter, we found the same pastry shop across the street from the cathedral open today. Here, Mui satisfied his craving for that special Sicialian treat … cannoli. Cannolo, actually, since he had only one this time. I find this pastry too sweet, so I opted for a cup of fondante (dark chocolate) gelato. He was happy with his treat … I was happy with mine.

Thus energized, we strolled over to the waterfront on the far side from the port and made our way first to Bastion Conca … and then to Torre di Ligny. The latter was built in 1671 as an addition to the coastal defenses. From this tower, it was possible to control both the Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian seas. The Museum of Prehistory is housed in the tower. Alas, as many of the other places were, the museum was also closed today.

We looked for a place to eat while we wandered. The few places we found didn’t appeal to us. In the end, we decided to just return to the ship for a late lunch at the Waves Grill. Not a bad decision as the wind has picked up considerably from earlier in the day. Besides, it’s nice to have time with a good wi-if signal so I can post this footprint now instead of waiting until everyone is at dinner 😉Read more