Did you know that in a particular province in Sicily — Trapani — the Good Friday procession, also known as the Processione dei Misteri, stretches over approximately 24 hours? It may be hard to believe that another nation celebrates this biggest Catholic holiday more seriously than us, the Maltese, but it actually attracts numerous tourists from all around the globe. This year, we were lucky enough to visit Trapani during its most appealing time of the year.
The procession, which commences on Friday at 2pm from Chiesa Del Purgatorio, includes a total of twenty sculptures portraying the passion of the Christ. These are very realistic and similar to the ones you may see in Malta. This event is among the oldest processions in Europe as it has been taking place continuously since before the Easter of 1612. These sculptures, including La Flagellazione, La Crocifissione and La Madonna, were given by the Brotherhood of St. Michael the Archangel to the members of the local Guilds (a group of artisans/merchants) in exchange of the promise to carry them during the passion procession every Good Friday. Undoubtedly, there is also a minor Easter procession with the sculpture of the Resurrection of Christ which starts at 6pm on Sunday from the church mentioned above.
However, Good Friday is surely not the sole attraction of this province on the Sicilian West coast. Among these is the picturesque bay of San Vito Lo Capo, which some believe it resembles Guanabara Bay in Brazil. Its crystal clear waters and the long stretches of white sand will certainly be irresistible if visited in warm weather. Moreover, while in Trapani, one should not miss the opportunity of visiting the Aegadian Islands, mainly the largest of them all — Favignana — with a population of only about 4000 inhabitants and known for its tuna fisheries.
If you consider yourself an admirer of history and archaeology, then Segesta and Erice should be on top of your bucket list. When in Segesta, one can get a taste of the ancient Greek culture considering there is a well-preserved and gigantic Doric temple and an amphitheatre, both boasting spectacular hill-top sceneries. Just like Segesta, the beautiful little town of Erice allows tourists to feel on top of the world since it is 750 metres above sea-level. Apart from walks around the winding roads which are home to several speciality shops, one must visit the Castello di Venere and Il Duomo. In addition, we could not help but fall in love with the artistic talents of the locals, mainly portrayed through the art of ceramics which would be the perfect souvenir for anyone back home.
And as they say we left the best for last – Food. It is a known fact that Italian food is among the best in the world and the food we tried in Trapani clearly does not contradict this. A typical pasta dish recommended by the locals is the Busiate al Pesto Trapanese, and if you are a fan of fish, we also tried a dish of couscous with baby vegetables and seafood, which was delicious. But if you are just looking for a snack, you need not worry as with every step you take, you’ll surely come across a cafeteria with a variety of tavola calda or a bakery with mouth-watering bread and sweets, such as cannoli.
All in all, even though Sicily is just a few miles away from Malta, the holiday was still enjoyable as to top it off, the locals are the friendliest people you will ever meet.
