Top 5 free viewpoints in Salemi, Sicily you should not miss
It’s been a few weeks since I moved to Salemi - a town, which has been recently named the third most beautiful village in Italy. And trust me, it’s earned this title for a reason. Every corner in the old town reveals postcard-perfect scenes.
Situated on a hill in the Belice Valley, Salemi is surrounded by valleys covered with vineyards and olive groves, making it a perfect spot to take in beautiful views of Western Sicily.
As a fan of panoramic viewpoints, I've been seeking them out wherever I go, and Salemi is no exception. So, here’s a list of viewpoints your instagram feed will thank me for:
Not a big fan of walking? No worries! Most of these spots are in the old town and close to each other. If you’re in Salemi by car, park at Piazza Libertà and enjoy a short walk to our stunning viewpoints.
Your first stop is…
📍 Salemi Castle, Piazza Alicia 13
That’s your free ticket to awesome views.
The Arab-Norman castle dates back 11 centuries, and it was rebuilt only once in the 13th century by Swabians. It’s one of the best-preserved fortresses from this period on the island. One of the most memorable events here took place on May 14, 1860, when Giuseppe Garibaldi waved the first tricolor flag from the castle’s cylindrical tower, declaring Salemi as the first capital of a united Italy.
Yep, you read it correctly - Salemi was the first Italian capital long before Turin, Florence and Rome decided to steal the spotlight.
Follow in Garibaldi’s footsteps and climb the round tower- you'll be rewarded with a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings, including the Mazara Valley, the Trapani Valley and Erice. On clear days, which is pretty much all the time, you might even spot the Mediterranean sea and some of the Egadi islands - Favignana, Levanzo, and Marettimo.
📍 Largo Tony Scott, via G. Amendola 109
👉 Your front-row seats to stunning views over the entire Mazara Valley and the hill of Mokarta where it’s located one of the three archeological sites in Salemi.
This square is named after a world-famous jazz musician - Tony Scott who has his roots in Salemi. Even though he lived in the USA, he had spent a lot of time hanging out with friends in the old town of Salemi. Every summer, the local municipality organises a big jazz concert in honour of the artist.
Keep wandering around the old town until you reach Via Francesco Crispi.
📍 Old town, via Francesco Crispi 138-145
The first terrace on that street overlooks the new part of Salemi. The earthquake in 1968 caused significant damage to the old town, especially the jewish quarter “Giudecca”, which you can see from here as well. Many salemitani decided to move to the countryside, leaving many of the houses in the old town empty. I particularly love this viewpoint due to the contrasts between past and present, the blend of history and hope.
📍 Old town, via Francesco Crispi 78
👉 Simply another terrace where you can stop for a while and admire the view over the new part of Salemi, which is beautifully build in a circular shape.
📍C.da Monte delle Rose
👉 Undoubtedly the best view of the old town you can reach with a bit of walking - it’s about a 20- minute stroll from Piazza Liberta. You might want to wear comfy shoes, as you’ll need to go a bit off the main road to enjoy the view from the picture. But in case you decide to stick to the road, you’ll still have a nice view of the castle and the old town.
That’s Fulvio who decided to join us on our viewpoint tour.
(There are quite a few stray dogs in town, but they are usually well-fed and friendly, so don’t be afraid if they approach you. They might just want to be your tour guides, just like Fulvio was for us)
P.S New spots might be added to the list as I explore more of Salemi.
Follow our Instagram page @ciao.salemi as I continue to share more of my experiences in Salemi and Western Sicily. I’m excited to see your finds as well!
