Trapani/Agrigent (gro) Treat yourself to your first sunbath under brightly blossoming almond trees, ideally in the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento. Travel to Sicily in February. It is the month of departure.
Nature awakens, it greens and blooms with power, and a trip through the landscapes of Sicily becomes a trip to a southern subcontinent of overwhelming beauty. This is ensured, among other things by the “Sagra del mandorlo in fiore”, the almond blossom festival of Agrigento. It is celebrated from the first to the second Sunday in February (in 2013 from February 6 to 13)
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It is the highlight of the year in Agrigento. But sunny February days are also otherwise ideal for a stay in Sicily to get to know culture, customs, architecture and art treasures. There is much to discover. Train connections, long-distance buses and the well-developed road network make it possible to get to know in a few days in the west of the island, great testimonies of Greek, Arab, Byzentine and Norman artists and builders.
An ideal base for exploration
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An ideal base is Trapani in western Sicily, where in recent years have been created well-equipped and comfortableholiday apartments. Well over 100 million euros have recently been invested in the renovation of the old town, including new hotels, seawalls with picturesque walkways, churches, historic market sites, and other public buildings and museums. See also www.sizilienferien.ch
Where priestesses once paid homage to love
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At an altitude of 700 meters, Erice, a medieval town, crowns Trapani’s local mountain, Mont’ Erice, the ancient Eryx or Venus Mountain, where priestesses once paid homage to love.One of the seven tasks of Hercules, according to legend, was to draw a wall around Erice.
Beautiful beaches
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Trapani has several beautiful beaches along which you can walk into the sunset, and it’s just under an hour by your own car to the western Sicilian Copa Cabana of San Vito Lo Capo, where it’s quite possible to enjoy a short, refreshing swim on sunny and warmFebruary days.
Trapani has several beautiful beaches along which you can walk into the sunset.
The unique Arab quarter of Mazara del Vallo
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From Trapani you can reach Agrigento in an hour on an expressway, closer is the charmingMarsala with its large wineries, some of which can be visited. A little further southeast of Marsala is Mazara del Vallo, with a well-preserved khasba from Arab times, unique in Europe, now inhabited again by North Africans. The family fathers and older sons almost all work on the ships of the fishing fleet, the largest in Italy, which has its main base in Mazara del Vallo.
The advantages of traveling to Sicily in February
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A stay in Sicily in February (www.sizilienferien.ch) also has the advantage that vacation homes do not have to be rented only from weekend to weekend, as is often the case in the high season. This flexibility allows to take advantage of cheap flights (and flight days), which are increasingly offered just for Trapanineuerdings.
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The temple and amphiteater of Segesta
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Selinunte (ancient Selinus, the Parsley City) is also within easy reach from Trapani: the ancient Greek city once home to over 100,000 people. It was badly damaged by the Carthaginians in a war in 409 B.C., with 16,000 dead, razed again by the Romans in the First Punic War in 250 B.C., and probably finally destroyed by an earthquake and subsequent tidal wave nearly 1,000 years ago.
To Segesta and the Egadi Islandsn
Best preserved, on the other hand, near Trapani are the 2500 year old temple of Segesta, built by the Elymians, and the amphitheater, a few hundred years younger,expanded by the Romans. From Trapani there are boats and speedboats to the Egadi Islands, Levanzo, Favignana and Marettimo, ideal for day trips.
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The Almond Blossom Festival in the Valley of the Temples
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However, the main attraction in the southwest of the island in February isAgrigent with the Valle dei Templiand hundreds of almond trees in bloom. The famous Temple of Concordia is the largest and best preserved temple in ancient Greece, and this because it was later used by Christians as a place of worship – and maintained.On request, in Agrigento or in the Valley of the TemplesGuided tours with a German-speaking expert or with a guide can be arranged.Also group tours can be organized. The Almond Blossom Festival is combined with an international folklore festival and an equally international children’s festival. The exact program will be determined in December. We will present it on this page (update), as soon as it is available.
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Much praise for the Trapanese fish cous-cous
Not least, it is worth mentioning the gastronomy, which has much to offer in Trapani as well as in Marsala, Agrigento and the Egadi Islands. Particularly praised are fish dishes of all kinds, especially the Trapanese fish cous-cous.
The Sicilian metropolis within easy reach
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The island’s metropolis, Palermo, with its magnificent cathedral, Norman Palace and outstanding museums (especially the Archaeological Museum and the Sicilian National Gallery), can be reached in75 minutes via the direct (and toll-free) highway. Buses run hourly between Trapani and Palermo, and there is also a rail connection. A minibus with driver can be provided for small groups.
When the almond trees bloom around
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Also from Cefalù (www.sizilienferien.ch) Agrigento with the Valle die Templi can be reached in less than 3 hours via well-developed expressways. Those who prefer the area around Taormina on the east coast of the island should consider flying out to Agrigento, almost 300 kilometers away, because of the almond blossom. Because also around Taormina thousands of these trees bloom in February around the bet. Unless a round trip through Sicily is planned for February anyway. In this case, a short stay at the beautiful Hotel Kaos near Agrigento is recommended.