Trapani Sicily do we need shore ex

[Anna201213]

Will be there in july there's not a lot of shore ex by O' so I'd like to know what to do that's worth it

[wristband]

Go up to Erice, take the funicular up the mountain, explore the stone village up there.

 

Or, wander around old town and have a good lunch. Several excellent Slow Food restaurants in town and Calvino's pizzeria (if open) is one fo the best in Italy. The pedestrian zone is a pleasant and interesting to wander around.

[ksps cruise fan]

Will be there in july there's not a lot of shore ex by O' so I'd like to know what to do that's worth it

 

Post #4 in the thread I've linked has a lot of suggestions for this port call.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1400227

 

RomeinLimo, a very well regarded sedan service, has a presence on Sicily. You might want to contact them to see what they would be able to do for you.

[Anna201213]

Go up to Erice, take the funicular up the mountain, explore the stone village up there.

 

Or, wander around old town and have a good lunch. Several excellent Slow Food restaurants in town and Calvino's pizzeria (if open) is one fo the best in Italy. The pedestrian zone is a pleasant and interesting to wander around.

 

I'm happy to see that someone has been there because since I have posted I never saw a reply.

[wristband]

I was there late 2010. You don't need a ship tour to see Erice - cab from the port and then the funicular up, wandering around the old stone streets on your own without the hordes from the ship, its so easy and pleasant. Be sure to stop in at Maria Grammatica's famous pastry shop for sweets & coffee (she's profiled in the NY Times). Maria will make you a beautiful cannoli fresh. Nothing in the window, so you need to ask.

 

Wandering around Old Town Trapani is also charming & makes for a nice morning (ship is docked just five minutes level walk away), then pick a pleasant place for lunch in town.

 

In Trapani, the pizza at Calvino's is excellent but it was only open for dinner on our stop. Lunch at La Bettolaccia was excellent. Its a Slow Food Movement restaurant smack dab in the center of old town. Very friendly, very proud of using locally sourced ingredients and wines. Mixed seafood was a great starter followed with busiate, local Trapani unique pasta. Have the busiate as you can't get it anywhere else in Italy.

 

Posters have rec'd Ai Lumi and Cantina Siciliana in old town but I haven't been. Get a good book such as Lonely Planet or Footprints for background info on what you should see/are seeing when walking about.

 

I can't stress enough to avoid the large tour groups as the streets in both Erice and Trapani are very small and the ambiance, the "feel" of these two unique places is lost when trouping around in a grouop of 30+.

[Anna201213]

Great information. We will certainly do the way you advise.