Erice the town of Venus

Erice is a beautiful hilltop town near the port city of Trapani. Originally an Elymian city, the town passed from one conqueror to another each adding to its architecture and character. There are two castles to see, one built by the Arabs, the other by the Normans. Wandering the narrow, cobblestone streets, you can see many shops, bars and restaurants, along with dozens of churches. One of the most popular attractions in this town is the delicious bakery, La Pasticceria Maria Grammatico, opened in 1950. One of six children born to a very poor family, her mother placed her in a convent at age 11. Here while living a difficult, lonely existence, she mastered the skills of working with marzipan and pasta di mandorla. Seek out this bakery to try these almond pastries. If you can’t wait to try your purchase, there is a very nice courtyard in back where you can sit and eat. You can reach Erice, which is about 750 m above sea level, by driving up a scenic, windy road or taking a cable car from Trapani. The view from this town is spectacular any time of day, but it is particularly beautiful at sunset when you can see the pink-hued Trapani salt flats stretch into the Mediterranean. On a clear day, you can also see the beaches of San Vito lo Capo and the Egadi Islands off the coast of Trapani.

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Forza D'agro - A "Terrace" Overlooking the Ionian Sea

Approximately ten kilometers from Taormina along the coast towards Messina, located on a summit at an altitude of 420 meters above sea level, lies the village of Forza D'Agro. As a terrace overlooking the Ionian Sea, from here you can see the whole coast from Messina to Syracuse, with Taormina in the background, and Mount Etna in her frame.

The history of this village dates back to prehistoric times. In 1116, the village was named Agrilla. The Norman King Roger II gave the land to the Abbot of the monastery of Saints Peter and Paul of Agrò which exercised for centuries both a pure and mixed empire. A form of feudalism, a medieval Latin phrase that indicated the delegation of all political, administrative, fiscal, military, and judiciary powers, to a feudal lord until 1812, when feudalism was abolished in Sicily.

The most notable monuments are the Mother Church dedicated to the Annunciation (XVI century), rebuilt several times over the ruins of the pre-existing fifteenth-century church because of various earthquakes, the Augustinian monastery, the Holy Trinity church and the Norman castle (XIV century), of which only an abandoned cemetery remains. Between 600 and 700, Forza d'Agro had a period of building development by the wealthiest families in the country. Still visible are the Palazzo Mauro, the Palace Miano and Palazzo Garufi.

In the second half of the twentieth century, Forza d'Agro discovered its tourism potential and was chosen as the set of several successful films. In 1971, Francis Ford Coppola chose this location for some

scenes in his Godfather trilogy. Subsequently, many restaurants and hotels have opened in the area. If you pass through town, stop for a pizza at the pizzeria, Antichi Muri. For me, it is one of the best in Sicily but I leave it to you to judge. Have fun!

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Ispica the city of caves

Ispica is situated on a hill ("Hill Calandra") at an altitude of 170 meters above sea level. Ispica is part of the province of Ragusa famous for its quarries, a deep valley carved by erosion about 13 km long that extends to the town of Modica. The tourism sector is growing thanks to a series of initiatives, including the application for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as "Late Baroque Towns of the Noto Valley."

This seaside area received a blue sail in the Legambiente guide in 2010. In 2011, the Ispica beach of Santa Maria del Focallo also received international recognition.

Among other things to see there is the Forza Archaeological Park;

the Catacombs of San Marco, 2 km from the town, are a testimony of the Christian presence in the area in the late Roman era; the necropolis Contrada Crocefia that also dates back to the late Roman period has about 20 burial niches, all facing east; the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; the mother church of San Bartolomeo; and Palazzo Bruno of Belmonte, built in the liberty style is the most important of the province.

In 1960, the film Divorce Italian Style by Pietro Germi was shot in Ispica. This was followed by other films and TV series including the television series Inspector Montalbano in Piazza Santissima Annunziata, in the portico of Sinatra, in front of Santa Maria Maggiore, in the Palazzo Modica and on the Corso Garibaldi.

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