Erice

a unique city in Sicily

Erice is one of the most unique cities in Sicily, built in the shape of a triangle. The narrow cobblestone streets, small squares, flower-filled courtyards, handcrafted ceramics, rugs, and sweets make it a must-visit destination on any excursion to Sicily. Perched atop a mountain, it overlooks Trapani, the valley, and the sea.
Erice has an ancient and mysterious origin, shrouded in legends. It was once the capital of the Elymians, a mythological son of Venus. At the mountain's summit, there was initially a temple dedicated to a goddess of fertile nature, known to the Romans as Venus Ericina, still revered today by Mediterranean peoples, especially sailors. A fortress was soon built there, fiercely contested by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans.
Erice was destroyed by the Carthaginians in 260 BC, and its inhabitants were transported to Trapani.
During the Roman era, the Temple of Venus became the centerpiece of a religious federation of 17 cities in Sicily and was permanently guarded by a garrison. The city fell into obscurity until the Arabs rediscovered it, naming it Gebel-Hamed. In the centuries that followed, the city continued to develop into the city we can see today.