A Local’s Guide to Marsala, Sicily
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Marsala’s origins are inextricably intertwined with a little island nearby, sitting among the saltpans just in front of the city: San Pantaleo island was home to Mozia, the oldest Phoenician settlement in the Mediterranean, which eventually became a Carthaginian stronghold before being destroyed by Syracuse in 397 BC.
After the destruction of city, the surviving residents left the island and moved to the mainland, settling on the promontory right in front of their old home, which was far easier to defend.
Lilybaeum, the new city's name, then passed under the rule of various empires, becoming Greek, Roman, and finally Arab over the centuries. Its present name, Marsala, derives from the Arabic “Marsa Allah”, Port of God. It soon became an important port of trade between Sicily and North Africa.
Hundreds of years later, the English businessman John Woodhouse fell in love with Marsala and the local wine. He moved to the city permanently and In 1796 began importing the wine to England. It exploded in popularity and Marsala and its wine have been famous ever since.
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Why visit
Marsala is internationally famous for its excellent wine, but it’s also an interesting and ancient town that has more to offer than just that.
This little historic city also hosts an important archaeological museum (housed in a 19th-century wine factory) that was extensively renovated to exhibit the wreck of a 3rd century BC Punic ship.
Just outside the city walls are the lovely salt pans and iconic windmills that you’ve undoubtedly seen and heard of already. The salt pans are quite interesting, and a tour and tasting at them is a fun experience.
If you happen to be here at sunset, Marsala gifts visitors a truly spectacular view of the salt pans changing color under the glow of the setting sun.
Moreover, the town is very close to several other interesting sites, so can easily be included as part of a busy day trip to some really wonderful places. Right nearby is the island and historic Phoenician settlement of Mozia, the lovely city of Trapani, the temples of Selinunte, and the Aegadian island of Favignana.
Where is Marsala?
Marsala on the far western edge. Photo: Hel-hama, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Marsala lies on the westernmost point of mainland Sicily in the province of Trapani. The city of Trapani is 28 km north up the coast, while Palermo sits 152 km to the north east. Rome, the capital of Italy, is 1000 km north.
Marsala is a coastal town sitting on the Boeo Cape (also called Lilibeo Cape), and it forms a shape similar to an arrowhead. From the town, you can see the Stagnone Lagoon and the Aegadian Islands just offshore.
Its strategic position has made it an important and easy-to-defend port over the centuries and an excellent base for trade in the Mediterranean.
How to get to here
Depending on where you’re coming from, Marsala can actually be reached pretty easily and conveniently by public transportation.
By train
From Trapani, regional trains reach Marsala in only 35 minutes, with departures every one or two hours, starting at 8:00 AM and continuing until 9:00 PM. The railway station in Marsala is an easy 15-minute walk from the city center.
You could also reach Marsala by train from Palermo, but it takes a very long time (3.5-4 hours) and requires making a change in the town of Piraineto, so is not convenient.
By bus
The bus is another option for reaching Marsala from Trapani. Salemi, the local bus company that runs this route, has three daily departures, the journey takes 30 minutes, and a one-way ticket costs approximately €3. The bus station in Marsala is on Piazza del Popolo, just a few steps from the old center.
If you want to explore the area around Marsalsa, you can also catch the local bus from the town’s station to the salt pans and Mozia (buy tickets at the newsstand inside the bus station).
Where to buy train & bus tickets
As a general rule, I always recommend buying your public transport tickets directly from the service provider. That said, it can be tedious to research all the different options and compare prices. The official websites are also not always the easiest to navigate.
Omio is an aggregator website/app that I really like. It shows options for public transport routes all over the world. When you do a search, you’ll be able to see all your options for trains, buses, flights, and even ferries along with a host of different companies that provide the services. It costs a little bit more than booking direct, but it’s easy to use and very convenient.
By car
If you are arriving to Marsala by car and will be coming from Trapani, just follow the SP21 road south for 28 km. It’s a pleasant ride that takes around 30 to 40 minutes.
The city center of Marsala is mainly closed to traffic, but parking here is rarely difficult as there are three parking lots right outside the city center: Porta Nuova (free), Piazzale Omodei (€ 0.75 per hour), and Piazza del Popolo (€ 0.75 per hour).
Where to find a car rental
All the big rental companies have offices in Sicily and you also have many local agencies. If you begin your visit in Palermo, Catania, or any other larger city, you’ll find plenty of options for car rentals. If you want to pick up a car while in Marsala, know that your best bet will be to pick up a rental at the airport in nearby Trapani.
To check prices and book, I recommend using DiscoverCars, a car rental website that includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can often find great deals.
I use it myself and have always had good experiences.
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How long to spend
If you are just passing through Marsala during a road trip in Sicily, you probably will only need a few hours here. There aren’t really marquee sites in town, so a visit typically consists of a nice walk through the pretty little historic center, a visit to the archaeological museum, a wine tasting, and some time out in the salt pans.
If you decide to visit the salt pans and Stagnone Lagoon by bicycle (there’s an 8km cycling path and you can rent bikes in town), plan to add another couple of hours to your visit.
The best time of the day to visit Marsala is late afternoon, as the views of the coast and salt pans at sunset are glorious. There are few more pleasant experiences in Sicily than sitting at a cafe sipping on an aperitif while overlooking the salt pans bathed in the golden glow of sunlight.
Where to stay
While Marsala isn’t somewhere you would typically spend the night, if you decide that you’d like to stay in town for the evening, I’d recommend the following hotels:
Hotel Carmine is a pleasant hotel which is housed in a former monastery in the city center ($200 per night in summer).
Il Cortile degli Artisti is a good B&B option for those on a budget ($70 per night).
What to see and do
1. Stroll through the old center
The mainly Baroque historic center in Marsala is very pleasant to wander trhough. Take a look at Porta Garibaldi, through which Garibaldi led his men in 1860 after landing in Marsala to accomplish the Unification of Italy.
Admire fine Renaissance and Baroque palaces, old monasteries, and ornate balconies dotting the narrow streets. Next to Palazzo VII Aprile, with its clock tower, is the Tapestry Museum, displaying eight Flemish tapestries gifted by a Spanish king.
Stop in at the Monastery of San Pietro, which now houses the Civic Museum and has an area dedicated to the Italian Risorgimento.
Piazza della Repubblica, also known as Piazza Loggia, is the heart of the city. It is just in front of the Duomo dedicated to St. Thomas Becket. The church, rebuilt on its Norman foundations in the 17th century, collapsed in the 19th century and was then reconstructed again. After being severely damaged by bombing in the Second World War, it was restored in the 1950’s. Such a troubled history!
Porto Garibaldi, through which Garibaldi led his men during the unification of Italy. Photo: Alessandro Pace, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. See the Phoenician ship at the Archaeological Museum
The Baglio Anselmi Archaeological Museum is housed in a former 19th-century winery on the seafront, just a few steps from the old center. It recounts the ancient history of Marsala, starting from the foundation of the city Lilybaeum by exiles from the island of Mozia.
The museum’s star attraction is a Phoenician ship, probably shipwrecked during the First Punic War. You can also see Roman mosaics, jewelry, a headless marble statue of Venus, and shell-encrusted amphorae.
Next to the museum is the Roman Insula, a 3rd-century AD Roman villa with baths and what remains of an early Christian necropolis.
3. Taste the renowned Marsala wine
Wine has been produced here since Phoenician times, but at the end of the 18th century the city became home to a prosperous wine trade developed by an English entrepreneur who decided to export the wine after fortifying it with a dose of brandy, so that it would not spoil during the voyage. Other English and Sicilian businessmen soon followed him.
This liqueur-wine soon became the major industry in the city and made it what it is today. The historic cellars (usually called Baglio) of important families such as Florio, Donnafugata, Rallo, and Pellegrino are still there and visitors can enjoy a wine-tasting experience paired with traditional Sicilian dishes.
In the area around Marsala, you can also trace the so-called Strada del Vino di Marsala, a route that connects local wine producers.
4. Walk along the salt pans and windmills
Picturesque salt pans line the shore between Marsala and Trapani, to the north of the city. This area has been active since Phoenician times in the 7th century BC, and today it is a picturesque stretch of marshes and salt pans outlined by 18th-century windmills.
This is both a poetic place and a historical site, and it provides visitors an authentic salt experience: you can walk along the pans, enjoy tastings (and buy local salt), participate in manual salt harvesting, and visit mills still in operation.
I’d suggest visiting the SEI salt pans, run by the family-owned Ettore and Infersa company, which offers tours and demonstrations.
There’s an 8km path between Marsala and the various salt pans, and you can rent bikes in town and cycle along the route if you’d like.
Photo: Luican72, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Enjoy an aperitif at sunset in the salt marsh
Participate in a beloved local ritual and experience a sunset aperitif in the salt marsh. Sit next to the water or on the rooftop at Mamma Caura and sip your drink while watching the sun dip into the lagoon. Magical! You can also dine there.
6. Explore the Stagnone Lagoon and the island of Mozia
The Stagnone Lagoon is a nature reserve north of Marsala, extending over 2,000 hectares of shallow and very salty waters. It is dotted with four islands: Isola Grande (also known as Isola Lunga), which acts as a barrier to the lagoon; Santa Maria; Schola, which hosted a school of rhetoric in Roman times; and Mozia, which became the first Phoenician settlement in Sicily in the 8th century BC.
In 397 BC, Mozia was conquered and destroyed by Dionysius of Syracuse. The settlement was never rebuilt, but you can still see its ruins out on the island, surrounded by water. Mozia now belongs to the Whitaker Foundation - Whitaker was an English wine producer who bought it in the early 20th century and started excavations before opening it to visitors.
You can reach the island by hopping on a ferry boat next to the Mamma Caura café. You need to buy tickets to visit (there’s a ticket office on the island) and there are options for guided or independent tours. Start your visit at the museum, then follow the footpath around the island. The visit takes no more than 2 hours.
Ruins of the North gate of Mozia. Photo: Rjdeadly, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
7. Feast on farm to table Mediterranean cuisine at Alagna restaurant
Marsala is a perfect example of a zero-kilometer Mediterranean cuisine based on raw products, freshly caught fish, and seasonal ingredients. Try a pasta c’anciova (pasta with sardines) or a delicious couscous. End your meal with cassateddi, a local biscuit filled with dried figs.
Your best choice is Alagna restaurant, located in the city center. If you’re looking for a less formal option, head to Antica Trattoria da Pino, an old-style tavern.
8. Check out the Dancing Satyr in Mazara del Vallo
The seaside town of Mazara del Vallo, about 20 km south of Marsala, houses the finest surviving Greek bronze statue. The so-called Satiro Danzante (Dancing Satyr) dates back to the 4th century BC and it was recovered from the nearby seabed in 1998.
It’s now displayed in the Museo del Satiro inside the former church of Saint Egidio.
9. Visit the seaside temples of Selinunte
The ancient Greek city of Selinunte lies just a bit south from the town of Mazara del Vallo, proceeding along the coast towards Agrigento. It’s approximately a 1-hour drive from Marsala.
In ancient times, Selinunte was a rich town and it is now the largest archaeological park in Europe, extending for 270 hectares over three hills. It has fantastic Greek ruins, including an acropolis, temples, and a necropolis.
10. Take a boat trip to the island of Favignana
You can easily reach the Aegadian Islands from Marsala. The ferry company Liberty Lines operates a hydrofoil to Favignana with no less than three daily departures in the offseason and many more during the summer. Round-trip tickets cost €27 per person.
The butterfly-shaped Favignana is the largest among the Egadi islands and it is a true picture-postcard island. Go for a swim in its unreal turquoise waters at Cala Rossa, Cala del Bue Marino, and Cala Azzurra.
You can also hike up to the Castello di Santa Caterina, a 15th-century fort perched atop Mount Santa Caterina.
Cala Rossa on Favignana. Photo: Arcona B&B, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original
11. Tour the Cretto di Burri, the largest landscape artwork in Italy
A 1-hour drive from Marsala is the largest landscape artwork in Italy, a stunning 80,000 square meters of white concrete created by the artist Alberto Burri. It maps the layout of the old city of Gibellina, which was wiped out by an earthquake in 1968.
Modern Gibellina was reconstructed 20 km away, but you can still see the layout of the destroyed city by walking along the Cretto, built here to preserve its memory.
How to spend an afternoon in Marsala
Unless you decide to explore the surroundings of Marsala (which are quite interesting), a few hours are enough time to visit the city itself. Start your tour strolling along Via XI Maggio, also called Cassaro. It runs from Piazza Matteotti to Porta Nuova. Together with the nearby Via Garibaldi, it is Marsala’s main street, lined with shops, bakeries, bars, and restaurants.
Wander the narrow streets that branch off of these larger ones, admiring palaces with ornate balconies and old monasteries, then head to Piazza della Repubblica, where the majestic Duomo stands.
From there, make your way to the waterfront and head to Capo Boeo, the extreme western tip of Sicily. Here, you can visit the archeological museum which houses a magnificent Phoenician ship and offers great views over the Aegadian Islands.
Next up, head out to the salt pans, which are scattered along the coast to the north of the city. There’s a lovely 8km long bike path that runs out to and through them from Marsala, and you can rent bikes in town and cycle along the route.
Make a stop at the SEI salt pans (Saline Ettore e Infersa) and spend some time wandering through the pans, taking photos of the windmills, and learning about the salt production process and history (the site offers tours and demonstrations).
Depending on what time you visit the salt pans, you can also enjoy a sunset aperitif in the marsh at Mamma Caura.
Afterwards, I would suggest returning to the city and stopping in at Porta Garibaldi, the city gate just a few steps away from the Duomo. The area right around here hosts the fish market during the day (which can be very interesting to wander through), while in the late afternoon it becomes the center of nightlife, with several bars offering drinks paired with local cheeses.
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