Our city offers to the eyes of those looking for beauty, one of the most beloved places in the territory: the port of Sciacca.
If you have known our territory recently, you may not yet know that the fishing fleet of Sciacca is the second largest in all of Sicily. The boats that practice different types of fishing are even 150 and are engaged mostly in fishing for blue fish, such as anchovies, anchovies, sardines, alacce and mackerel, thanks to which Sciacca is renowned in Italy and in the world.
The origins of the port of Sciacca are very ancient, dating back to the twelfth century, and at that time it was only a small cove, near the cliff San Paolo, equipped in a rudimentary way for the landing and loading of ships. The current port was built at the end of the nineteenth century on the remnants of the ancient cliff, now submerged.
When you go to discover the port of Sciacca, remember to include among the stages of your tour a trip to the bar Rome, in which a brioche full of granita awaits you! The place is small, but you’re sure that the scent of Uncle Aurelio’s lemons will make you feel the flavor of Sicily: not for nothing ithas been recognized as the best granita in all of Italy!
Once you enter the port, you realize that something changes: the colors seem to be more lively, the music in the background is sung by seagulls that roam around the port town and the landscape is composed of large and small boats, full of sailors who work the fish, as if it were the most precious commodity ever seen on earth. You will have, like me, the feeling that this is their home, a public house, exposed to anyone who wants to visit it, immersed in the mirror of heaven.
The sea becomes gold for them, so much so that someone called their boat "Blue Gold". To see them coming back with the fruit of the sea is an incredible sight. This happens approximately from lunchtime until 16:00/17:00, obviously depending on the weather.
Wondering where to buy fresh fish? In addition to being exquisite, it is also so cheap that the guests of the BfB Residence San Marco often let themselves get carried away with the purchase of this delicious natural product and ends up returning to the hotel with so much fish, that would suffice to satiate all our guests!
If you do not want to cook, you are in the right area of Sciacca to enjoy typical dishes such as pasta with sardines, rich in ingredients, pasta with sea urchins, strong taste and decided, or a second dish simple and particular at the same time, like the sea bream. Where? My preferences are between Porto San Paolo Restaurant - where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the port, which will take your breath away - and Il Faro Restaurant - where the explosion of taste will surprise you.
If you are in Sciacca towards the end of June, you can not miss one of the local cheerful festivals for young and old, dedicated to the patron of fishermen, San Pietro. During the days that usually go from 27 to 29 June each year, you can find stands of all kinds, rides for different ages and, on warm afternoons, an unmissable appointment with fishermen, who take part in a game that involves participants and spectators: the antinna a mari.
Si tratta di una sorta di albero della cuccagna posto sul mare: un lungo tronco unto di sapone viene sospeso quasi orizzontalmente sulle acque prospicienti il molo. Lo scopo della gara consiste nel cercare di raggiungere una bandierina posta all’estremità, appunto, della ‘ntinna senza cadere in acqua (e tu lo faresti mai, invece?). I partecipanti sono costretti ad innumerevoli tentativi, con conseguenti tuffi in acqua, prima di riuscire a raggiungere la bandiera. Secondo la tradizione, possono partecipare soltanto i figli maschi dei pescatori.
It is a sort of big tree placed on the sea: a long trunk greased with soap is suspended almost horizontally on the waters overlooking the pier. The aim of the race is to try to reach a flag placed at the end of the race without falling into the water (and you would never, instead?). The participants are forced to countless attempts, resulting in diving into the water, before being able to reach the flag. According to tradition, only the sons of fishermen can participate.
A sensational moment you must certainly witness is the sunset over the harbor, when the boats are bathed in a warm and suffused light, a mix of blue, pink and orange, but before that happens, you have to look for the stairs with ceramic tiles and zigzag ones. The first is near the church of San Pietro, while the second is almost hidden: you have to look for it as if you were participating in a treasure hunt and then you will find it there, right behind an alley to surprise you for its originality.
So I’ll wait for you to enjoy life together between sun and sea breeze!