TRAPANI – SICILY

September, 2015

In Trapani my beach-side getaway dream came true.

From Palermo we boarded the small local bus for the two hour drive to one of the furthest tips of Italy, to the small Sicilian town of Trapani.

Our home for the next week was a small apartment on the ground floor, just on the edge of the old town. Once settled in we took a sunset walk around the perimeter, getting to know the lay of the winding streets. After just ten minutes we were greeted by the the curvature of the city as it meets the sea. One of the most beautiful sights I’ve seen during our adventures of the world.

We quickly settled into my favourite kind of routine. Early morning walks around the old streets of the centre, afternoon swims in the beautiful blue ocean, and cooking delicious dinners of freshly made pasta from the supermarket for a few euros. It was blissfully simple and relaxing. No tourists hotspots to make sure we ticked off our list or loud streets and busy bars. It was days filled with delicious scents wafting through deserted streets from traditional bakeries, men selling fresh fish from their boats at the morning fish market, stern but friendly Italian ladies serving us afternoon sweets at cafes. It was perfectly Italian, and everything I could have hoped for.

Dragging our sun kissed, tired bodies home after hours of swimming in the sea to watch movies and enjoy an afternoon siesta.

We took a day trip to the town of San Vito Lo Capo to visit the annual Cous Cous festival, but on arrival we were quickly transfixed by the incredible beach at the end of the main street. With the softest, golden sand and with warm, wavy waters. We stupidly had left our bathers at the apartment, but we justified going into the local ‘junk shop’ and finding something we could wear swimming. Martin decided to just wear his shorts, but we bought a towel for him to use afterwards. I found the ugliest pink board shorts and a very neon bathing top that somehow made the shorts look even worse! We were a hilarious sight but we didn’t care for even a moment!

We swam for hours until our bodies collapsed on the beach, drying in the evening sun. We stopped in town for a cannoli before making our way to the bus stop to take us back to our temporary Trapani home. As the bus wound its way through the mountainous countryside, we pulled up beside this incredible sunset as it dipped it’s way into the sea. Our Italy journey had just begun, and it was already some of my favourite memories from our travels.

❤