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Marsala
Marsala
Marsala
Marsala
Marsala is a very ancient city, its foundation dates back to 397 BC. about. Full of history and culture, it is possible to visit museums and remains that tell centuries of history, ranging from Magna Graecia to the landing of Garibaldi.
Near Capo Boeo stands the Baglio Anselmi, a former winery dating back to the middle of the last century, which houses the Archaeological Museum.
Among various exhibits, it exhibits the wreck of the Punic Ship and illustrates the history of Lilibeo and the territory historically connected to it, from prehistory to the Middle Ages.
The museum was created for the conservation and display of the wreck of the Punic ship (mid-3rd century BC) found in 1971 in the stretch of sea off the Isola Lunga in the Laguna dello Stagnone of Marsala.
From Baglio Anselmi it is possible to access the Archaeological Park of Lilibeo which occupies the area where the ancient Carthaginian and then Roman city once stood.
Excavations have brought to light a portion of the archaeological heritage such as the Roman insula, the decumanus maximus, the great road in use until the 4th century AD. corresponding to the current viale XI Maggio; the Venus Callipige, marble statue of the 2nd century BC and innumerable traces of ancient civilizations (morgues, floors, tools, remains of houses and roads).
Not far from the Baglio Anselmi we find the Church of San Giovanni (5th century AD), co-patron saint of the city. The church, which dates back to the mid-16th century, houses a cave in its basement in which, as legend has it, the Sibyl Lilybe pronounced her prophecies.
The city of Marsala is also famous for the Sepulcher of the Sibilla Lilibetana.
In Marsala it is possible to taste the 100% Sicilian wine born of English ingenuity. A tradition that began in 1770, when the Liverpool merchant John Woodhouse landed in the Sicilian port with the intention of placing a load of soda ash.
Woodhouse realized that the wine produced on site with a blend of grapes from the Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia and Damaschino vines had characteristics similar to Madeira, a wine much loved by the British but inaccessible in those years because the island that produced it had passed under the control of the French. Once produced, the problem of transport remained.
And so it was that to prevent the wine from deteriorating during the long journey to England, Woodhouse added some wine brandy. Marsala was born.
Marsala hosts a series of Flemish tapestries depicting the Jewish War, inside the Tapestry Museum: dating back to the 16th century. portray scenes taken from the war between Romans and Jews of 66 AD. c.
Marsala also hosts many cellars and bagli where you can make various tastings and visits.
For those looking for a little relaxation, it is possible to take advantage of the beautiful beaches and crystalline sea that characterizes the western coast of Sicily.
Finally, an excursion to the Stagnone is essential, as are the exploration of the islands that make up the lagoon: Isola Longa, Santa Maria, Schola, Mothia.
Isola Longa can be reached on foot via a paradisiacal ford from the beautiful beach of San Teodoro, crossing the shallow waters of the Stagnone.
