Salemi, a city in western Sicily in the Belice Valley, is part of the circuit of the most beautiful villages in Italy. The Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy was founded in 2001 to give voice to our immense artistic, historical and cultural heritage, forgotten or underestimated, despite its extraordinary beauty and the tourist interest it can arouse.
Thanks to the Association, many villages and towns are therefore discovered by the general public, rising to a new life and making visitors discover still unknown beauties, enhanced by the restructuring and support interventions of the ancient historic centers of our country.
Each region has its villages to discover and Salemi is just one of these: has medieval origins, important monuments, traditions and flavors to offer to those who choose it as a destination for a pleasant stay in Sicily. There are many in our country the small villages to explore, to be surprised by churches, palaces and monuments far from the classic tourist circuit, but perhaps for this very reason of incredible interest.
Salemi, the village between history and nature
The history of the medieval village of Salemi begins at the time of the Arab invasions, while before the center that stood on a hill in the Belice Valley, He was called Alice. Around the end of the year one thousand, the area was conquered by the Normans, whose passage is testified by the fortress built on top of the hill.
The center was, over the following centuries, a meeting point for brave knights from neighboring countries, who defended the area. Subsequently Salemi was the scene of some important ones Renaissance events, like the arrival of Garibaldi in 1860. The General chose the old one Norman Castle of Salemi to hoist the Italian tricolor and so it was that for one day, Salemi became the capital of Italy.
Overwhelmed by the earthquake of 1968, the city still bears the signs of the earthquake, kept to remember the event and the courage of the inhabitants of the village, engaged in the reconstruction.
The village stands on a hill, about 446 meters above sea level, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves which donate some of the best products of this land, wine and oil.
Salemi, in the center of the Valle del Belice, is in a strategic position, in fact with just a few kilometers it is possible to reach every point of Western Sicily, including the splendid beaches of the southern coast, such as that of the Tre Fontane or the Trapani Marina, San Vito lo Capo or Castellammare del Golfo North. The Belice river, which gives its name to the valley, flows to the south into the Mediterranean Sea: here, just 37 km from Salemi, it is possible to visit the Foce del Belice Oriented Nature Reserve, a true spectacle of nature.
Salemi, what to visit in the town and its surroundings
You can find out a taste of what one of the most beautiful villages in Italy can offer by visiting the website Most beautiful villages in Italy where you will find lots of information about Salemi, its history and the most interesting places to visit. Among these, we naturally point out the Norman Castle andancient Cathedral of Salemi, former Mother Church of the town. Even the surroundings of the village are rich in history, with archaeological sites such as the Early Christian Basilica of San Miceli, located just 3 km from the center or the ancient Greek temple of Segesta, not far away, 20 km.
In Salemi, however, art has never stopped and so, who arrives in the village, in addition to the historical beauties of the medieval era, can also get to know contemporary art more closely, by visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art , Orestiadi Institute of High Culture Foundation of Gibellina or the Small Artistic workshop of Lidia Angelo, as well as various other museums, such as that of the Risorgimento, to get to know a very important historical period of our country up close.
The Museum of Contemporary Art exhibits works by Sicilian artists starting from the reconstruction of the post-earthquake, while the Istituto di Alta Cultura organizes various events and exhibitions that are always new; finally, the Piccolo Laboratorio is a place where you can admire the art that takes shape, between colors, tools and imagination.
Salemi, traditions and festivals
Salemi is populated by about 10.000 inhabitants and on the site most beautiful villages in Italy you will find lots of tourist information, as well as the dates of some local festivals not to be missed, with events and festivals. Among these, we mention the Patronal Festival of Salemi in honor of San Nicola di Bari, which is held on December 6th every year and on the last Sunday of May, every five years. On the occasion of the Patronal Festival the city comes alive with the procession of the faithful and the night is lit up with fireworks.
Another opportunity not to be missed, this time in the middle of the Sicilian summer, is the Festival of the Busiata, the typical fresh homemade pasta, to be enjoyed with Trapani-style pesto: if you decide to visit Salemi in mid-August, when the festival is held, you can taste all the delicious variations of the typical local dish.
On the occasion of these festivities, the city also organizes shows, concerts and play areas, designed to entertain the children who arrive in Salemi, for an unforgettable holiday.
How to get to Salemi
Salemi is a municipality of the Libero Municipal Consortium of Trapani, well connected to all the main cities of western Sicily, which can be reached in a short time.
To get to one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, the road by car is the A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo, up to the exit for Trapani, from here continue on the SS 188 until you reach the centre. Who wants, can also reach Salemi by train, in this case you can book the ticket to Castelvetrano station, which is about 14 km from the center: in the station you will find buses and shuttles to go and return from Salemi.
If you want to discover for yourself why Salemi is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, the city invites you and awaits you with all its treasures!
© Giuseppe Gucciardi, CC BY-SA 4.0
