Erice. The Medieval Wonder Above The Clouds

First impressions

Erice is one of the most recommended places to visit if you are anywhere near Trapani. Every guide says it. Every video says it. Every person who has ever visited the area says it. We used to ignore advice like that, trying very hard to be the kind of travellers who search only for hidden gems. That phase is behind us now. Some places are famous for a reason. And Erice absolutely deserves its reputation.

From beach weather to mountain chill

We went at the end of November. For anyone reading from countries with actual winters, this still counts as warm. Fifteen to seventeen degrees is basically late summer for us. So we confidently left the house dressed like two people who were still going for a gelato wearing light or even symbolical jackets in case of a "colder breeze".

Here's a friendly tip. Don't be unprepared like us. Erice sits very high above the sea level. Trapani was warm and sunny. Erice felt like a polite reminder from the universe that seasons still exist. I was unprepared. And yes, I froze.

Climbing into the clouds

The town looks as if someone placed a medieval village on top of a cloud and forgot to take it back down. The road up is already an experience. Because it was low season, the cable cart was not running. And after everything that happened in Portugal, we were not in a cable cart mood anyway.

We drove up instead. Twisty roads, views opening up around every corner, the sea shining below and Trapani slowly shrinking until felt like part of a model landscape. Honestly, I would have filmed the whole thing if I were not too busy saying “look at that” every ten seconds.

A town stuck between centuries

Our plan was simple. Visit Erice for a bit, enjoy the views, then head to Trapani to film. We always believe we will stick to our plans... And we almost never do.

The town was quiet. Cloudy. Slightly dramatic and moody and quite empty. We parked in the main parking lot, took a deep breath of cold mountain air and started walking. Most shops and restaurants were closed, waiting for the evening or maybe even the summer. The silence made the streets feel older and in a way more impressive than they already are.

If someone told me this is where witches and wizards come to buy bread and complain about the weather, I would believe them without any hesitation.

Wandering through history

We walked through almost the whole town, turning into every small street, peeking into courtyards, stopping every time the fog moved and created a new cinematic moment. Even empty, Erice was radiating this strange historical feeling. And we ourselves felt like we had traveled in time. What a truly magical moment it was.

At one viewpoint we bumped into two hikers. They told us that Erice is the start of several beautiful trails. Now we want to return with Mailo, who will run those trails like he owns them while we will pretend to be athletic and not absolutely out of breath.

What to expect

If you visit in late autumn, it will be cold. Not dramatically cold, but cold enough for you to question your clothing choices. The upside is that you get the town almost to yourself. The downside is that you spend half the walk thinking about hot chocolate.

In summer, this must be a perfect escape from the heat. I imagine sitting in one of the beautiful historic cafes with a breeze and feeling very proud of myself for not melting.

Final thoughts

Erice really is a medieval wonder above the clouds. Even in November it surprised us. The quiet streets, the fog moving in slow waves, the stone houses that look like they have seen a thousand lives before us. It is the kind of place where you stop talking without even noticing, because the whole atmosphere asks you to slow down a little.

What we loved most is that Erice does not try to impress you. It simply exists in its own mood and lets you walk through it. You can stand on one of the viewpoints, watch the clouds roll below you and feel like you stepped out of modern life for a moment. And then you remember that in thirty minutes you will be back in Trapani eating arancini and everything suddenly feels perfectly balanced again.

We are already planning to return with Mailo and maybe try one of the trails. I want to see what this town feels like in summer, with people on the streets and warm sunshine on the stone walls. Maybe it will feel completely different. Maybe it will feel exactly the same. Both options seem good.

Thank you for reading our little Erice story. If you want to see how it looked on camera, check out our Trapani video. There is a whole section dedicated to Erice. https://youtu.be/3GTEFwUTcWI?si=FTWOjOxpJWPxnz2_

If you enjoy our stories, we would love if you subscribed to our blog. It means so much to us.

And if you wish to support us further, tips are never expected but always appreciated. https://spark-of-sicily.ghost.io/#/portal/support

See you in the next one. Ciao!