Guide of Marsala

Marsala is on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is most famous for the sweet dessert wine they produce in the city, and this region is, in fact, the biggest wine producer in Sicily.

A brief history of Marsala

Marsala, or Lilybaeum in Latin, was founded by the Carthaginians in the year 397–396 BC after they fled their island of Motya (modern San Pantaleo) due to an attack from Dionysius I, tyrant of Syracuse. Marsala then served as the Carthaginians' principal stronghold in Sicily, and they successfully resisted sieges from Pyrrhus, King of Epirus and by the Romans. However, they eventually surrendered to the Romans in 241 BC at the end of the First Punic War. 

The present name, Marsala, comes from when the Saracens occupied the city. The Saracens regarded the town's harbour so important, that they named it Marsa ʿAlī, or Mars el-Allah, 'Harbour of Allah'. The city suffered a decline in the 16th century after Emperor Charles V destroyed the old harbour to prevent pirates from occupying it. On May 11, 1860, the city was the landing port of Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Redshirts in their campaign to conquer the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and eventually bring unification to Italy. Wine production began in 1773 by English trader John Woodhouse. And today, Marsala's economy still depends on wine production, although tourism is a growing industry and is becoming an essential source of income for the city.  

What to do in Marsala

Why not take a ferry to the little island of Islas del Gran Estanque de Marsala? It is situated on the Stagone Lagoon and has plenty of history and archaeology to explore, along with the beautiful Stagnone Nature Reserve. Marsala's famous salt marshes are another excellent place to stop. The colours and reflections from the marshes look fantastic in photographs. You can stop at the 'salt farms' and wander along the basins, then visit an interesting exhibition that explains the process of salt extraction.

The archaeological museum, Musée archéologique Baglio Anselmi, is worth a visit, even though from the outside the building looks dilapidated and the vegetation overgrown, it features a reconstructed Phoenician ship for which the archaeologists used the original wood planks, nails, lead or stone anchors that they excavated from the seabed. For those interested in wine production (and drinking wine!) Cantine Florio is an excellent place to visit. They provide guided tours of the winery in most languages as well as wine tasting paired with food.

Beaches around Marsala

For those who enjoy windsurfing and kite surfing, the beach of Islas del Gran Estanque de Marsala is the best; there is a lovely constant breeze here, which makes it a perfect spot for these sports! For those who want to relax, then try Marakaibbo Beach, which is complete with sunbeds, toilets, parking, and a nice restaurant. Zelig Lido Beach is also really convenient for those with children as the waters are crystal clear and relatively shallow, there are also sunbeds, a restaurant and a nearby parking area.