After Palermo, the question is ‘where are we going now’? This time the campsite is especially important and not exactly what we want to see. After back to basic we want to go back to medium for a while. We end up at camping Lilybeo near Marsala. Marsala has about 80000 inhabitants, the landscape is flat and is located at the westernmost point of Sicily. In advance I didn't expect to end up here, but because of the weather it is wonderful to stay here. Not to forget the lovely hot showers either.
Marsala
Marsala? What do I know this from? Presumably from the Marsala wine. It has been produced here since the 18th century. There are renowned wineries such as Cantine Florio and Cantine Pelligrino that you can visit and of course buy wine. We visit Cantine Florio, which has also traditionally been a well-known family in Sicily. It is a large company where you can normally also get a tour. We visit it on Mondays and then only the store is open. Beautiful shop, with lots of wines. It was special to see that there was a Marsala wine from 1941 that you could buy for €1390! We didn't, but we did buy a limited edition, which is worth more every year. Wait another 40 years and then he is also worth €1390 :-).
The city of Marsala is different from the cities we have seen so far, but that is also due to the region. As the crow flies, Tunisia is only 230 km away and you can see the influences from the south here. The houses are like block boxes, square and/or rectangle. Almost all in sand, ochre, terra colours and have almost no sloping roof. The centre also does not have the splendour, except in the square in the centre, like the other baroque cities. That's precisely why it's nice to visit this city, even if there's not much to see. However, there is an important gate, making Giuseppe Garibaldi ashore here in 1860 and that was the beginning of Italy as it is today.
We visit the westernmost tip of Sicily ‘Capo Boeo’ by bike. This point is not particularly dressed either, but it's nice to say you've been there haha. Back on the bike we are surprised by a rain shower. Not planned, but fell, so cycle back to the campsite.
Between Marsala and Trapani are the salt pans. A lot of salt used to be extracted here, now that's a bit less. The sea salt from western Sicily is considered the best in Italy. You can sail with a boat and guide in the lagoon around the salt pans, but we don't. We go a little further with Misty and then arrive at a point where the sea and salt pans cross and you can walk across the mudflats to the island of Moiza. We don't do this either, you don't do it without a guide in the Netherlands, but we can see it. It is closer than mudflat walking to Ameland, very shallow and beautiful to see. What is also nice to see are the flamingoes. Unfortunately not on film or photo, but we drove along it on the way back. Dozens in the salt pans, very nice.
Mazara del Vallo
About 15 kilometres east is Mazara del Vallo. Not a special place in itself, were it not for the fact that many Tunisians work and live there. Just west of the centre is a Kasbah (an inner part of a city). Many Tunisians live in this neighbourhood, and there are many Tunisian shops. The streets are decorated with tiles and colourful large tiling. We almost walk past the mosque, but there is also one. You can walk a special route, so that you pass everywhere and we do too. We enjoy the small streets, language and special appearance of this part of Italy. This southwestern part surprises us. it's less hectic, the country is almost flat, the houses are less high, the people relaxed. On many tours this southwest corner is skipped, but we are glad we visited it anyway.
Ciao tutti, uit Punta Bracetto
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