Experience Erice: Step into a Fairytale World of Towers, Temples, and Timeless Beauty
“A medieval village with a lot of towers is built on the highest peak. It is the small town of Erice, which was once ruled by the most famous temple of the most famous goddess, Venus.”
In 1952, the French writer Roger Peyrefitte wrote these lovely words about Erice, a town on the island of Sicily that sits on a 750-meter-high mountain in the province of Trapani.
How Monte San Giuliano came to be
Before the end of the Second World War, the town was called Monte San Giuliano. After that, it took the name of a mythical character killed by Hercules, which is the name it still has today. But Erice’s name isn’t the only thing that connects it to the past and classical literature. The town itself is very old, and the Romans built an important temple to Venus Ericina there, leaving behind many signs of their passage.
If we count the small towns on the edges, the whole municipal area has almost 29,000 people, but the oldest Erice, which is made up of towers and walls that climb up the rock, has only 300 people. During the summer, though, the number of people living there grows by about ten times. This is because the area’s historical and natural attractions are so popular.
Wheather and where to go
Even the weather, to be honest, helps bring in a lot of tourists: Mediterranean type, caressed by a gentle breeze that cools the summer and has always pleasant temperatures, even in the winter. Compared to the coast, it is cooler because Erice is more than 750 m high.
In January, the average minimum temperature is around 3–5°C and the average maximum temperature is around 10°C. In August, the average minimum temperature is around 15–16°C and the average maximum temperature is 24–26°C. Even the rain, which falls mostly in December and January, doesn’t make the weather bad. On average, it rains only two days a month in July and August, compared to 12 days a month in the winter.
Things to do in the town of Erice
The weather is nice enough that you can take a calm stroll through the streets of Erice and enjoy all the surprises that the medieval heart has to offer. Already, the old walls that surround the center’s narrow, winding streets amaze and command respect for their grandeur, which is only topped by the Norman Castle.
The manor was built during the Norman period on the ruins of the famous Temple of Venus. From the outside, it looks simple and austere, but the rooms inside still have the original frescoes and furniture from that time. The Torretta Pepoli, which is not far away, is another small fort that is worth seeing.
But not everything has been lost, from the Temple to the Venus Ericina. In fact, you can still see the remains of a sacred well, a spa building, and some stately homes in the castle’s courtyard, where they were found during excavations.
The most beautiful religious building in Erice is the Mother Church of the Assumption, which dates back to the 14th century. The most important civil buildings are the Palazzo Comunale, which houses the Library and the Cordici Civic Museum with many archaeological finds, and the many palaces from the 17th and 18th centuries, which speak volumes about the city’s rich past.
Erice events you can’t miss
There are also many festivals and other popular events that bring life to the village streets, especially in the summer. One of the most important dates is the last Wednesday of August, when Maria SS, the patron saint of Custonaci, is honored with a series of ceremonies that all lead up to a solemn procession.
The Good Friday procession of the Mysteries is also very moving. It takes place in the medieval city streets, which are the perfect place for it. Valuable groups of statues parade through the pretty streets of Erice to show the main parts of Christ’s Passion. A traditional Christmas market is also held in the Sicilian village during the holiday season.
Lastly, Erice has a real cuisine with a lot of sweet specialties for people who like desserts. The typical dessert in the area is the Genovese alla Crema, which is made of shortcrust pastry and dusted with icing sugar. It is sometimes filled with ricotta, and it is served with Mustaccioli, which have been made by hand in cloistered convents since ancient times.
