Castellammare del Golfo

This town, which rises on the gulf of the same name, finds its identity in the sea. Founded as a marine trading centre for the traders of the nearby Segesta, watch towers and defensive bulwarks of the castle are reflected in its sea. And it is the sea where life is led, and which animates the summer evenings. In the surrounding area, archaic landscapes are still conserved, like the village of Scopello, set on a rock which overlooks the stacks and an old tonnara (tuna warehouse). Part of the Riserva Naturale Orientata dello Zingaro – Oriented Nature Reserve of the Zingaro falls into the territory of Castellammare where, next to the uncontaminated beaches considerable endemic manifestations of flora and fauna are to be found. For potholing lovers, the caves of Mount Inici with extremely deep “orridi” (ravines), underwater lakes and extremely suggestive views are not to be missed.
LANDSCAPE
The coastal landscape in the shape of an amphitheatre, of the gulf of Castellammare frames the town of the same name with its fishing port and the castle in very suggestive scenery, overlooked by the imposing Mount Inici and, in the east, the magnificent beaches.  To the west the coast becomes rocky, and extremely jagged, characterised by high rocks overhanging the sea, with the  stacks of Scopello, and the coast of the Zingaro with coves of extraordinary beauty: straight away  the point and inlet of Cala Bianca and the point of the Grottaro and, then, the very beautiful large bay of Guidaloca, characterised by crystalline water and a low sea bed. The vegetation of the rocky areas overlooking the sea is particularly rich: in the stepped areas, going down towards the seam the dwarf palm grows, while next to the road superb carobs, olive trees and euphorbia.
SCOPELLO
From the top of some high ground, the small and suggestive village of Scopello dominates the countryside of the whole of the Gulf of Castellammare. It rose on the site of the mythical city of Cetaria, so called for the abundance of tuna fish. Its name comes from the Greek Skopelòs, the rock or from the Arab Iscubul to indicate the majestic and picturesque stacks, covered in Mediterranean vegetation which emerge from the enchanting sea. Scopello welcomes the visitor with the lovely Guidaloca inlet, covered in white pebbles, and protected by an old tower which, with the two towers of the tonnara one situated on a small headland and the other embedded in a rugged cliff ensured the surveillance of the area and its protection from any danger coming from the sea. The baglio, typical rural construction with an internal courtyard, situated on the site of an Arab hamlet enriches the landscape of the small village with its square and the ancient drinking trough
HISTORY
The Swabians named the town Castrum ad mare de gulfo, from where the present name derives. But before this, the Elymian Segesta had its emporium and its important port here, appreciated and used later by the Phoenicians and then by the Romans for commerce. In medieval times it became a stronghold with the castle built by the Arabs who called it Al Madarig (the steps), underlining the towns position with its descent towards the port. Even today, steps link the different quarters and lead down to the sea. In 1560, near the castle a feudal town was founded which, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries extended as far as the slopes of Mount Inici. Thanks to the Tonnare (tuna warehouses) for fish and the tuna production, and above all for the grain loader, between the XV and the XVIII centuries, the port became a strategic point for commercial flow both in and out of the town and a great amount of grain was exported
NATURE
The mountainous complex made up of made up of calcareous masses, characterized by the reliefs of Mount Inici (1064m), Pizzo delle Niviere (1043m) and another lower area which overlooks Castellammare, are covered mostly by a conifer wood, while on the summit a remaining strip of historic oak wood survives. The undergrowth is mostly made up of  blackberry bushes, butcher’s broom, ivy, wormwood, blackthorn, hawthorn, bramble rose and broom. The rock plants are also very interesting, including the Scabious cretica and the Ceterach officinarum (stonebreaker), which grows in the cracks in the rocks. Where rainwater collects the discoglossid, an amphibian very similar to a small frog lives. It can survive a long way away from permanent ponds. A snail Marmorana scabriuscola which has adapted to narrow fissures lives between the rocks. Among the birds to be found, is the kestrel which hunts insects and small rodents.
Another natural area of extraordinary value is the la Riserva Naturale Orientata dello Zingaro with a noticeable diversity of areas, which in part has a plant species composition of great interest from the point of view of nature and landscape. 
This semi-natural area resulting from thousands of years of work of shepherds, farmers and craftsmen has endemic displays including the Serratula cichoracea subsp. mucronata,  also present on the north African coastlines and numerous terricolous orchids. In this garìgue near the rocky outcrops the endemic iris, the buttercup and the hyssop flower. Aspects linked to wet areas, extremely localised in the depressions downstream in Monte Acci, represented mostly by reeds and sedge, have an important role also as regards the fauna of the area.
ART
The Mother Church internally decorated in marble, stuccoes and frescoes, holds fine works of art including the statue in majolica of the Madonna del Soccorso from 1599 locally attributed to Giovanni Maurici and Giovanni D’Antonio and now to Luca Della Robbia. The vault is decorated with frescoes by Giuseppe Tresca (1768) is the Crucifix with apostles (1650) by Orazio Ferraro. There are also frescoes by Domenico La Bruna (1738), from the church of the Inici Castle. Above the entrance door of the small church of Madonna del Rosario, known as di l’Agnuni one can admire a fine bas-relief in marble of the Gagini school, (XVI century) depicting la Madonna col Bambino con S. Nicolò ed un eremita dinanzi al Crocifisso -The Madonna with child and St and a hermit in front of the crucifix. Also noteworthy is a painting on stone board (XVIII century) in the church of the Madonna delle Grazie and the frescoes from the XVII and XVIII centuries in the chiesetta del Purgatorio- small church of Purgatory.
MONUMENTS
The imposing and suggestive castle of Arab origin, enlarged in Norman and Swabian times, was the most important fortress of Western Sicily and contains elements of great architectural importance, like the spiral stairway from medieval times inside a circular keep and the door with architraves with late gothic decorative patterns. The Mother Church is the most important of the religious buildings, with its present Baroque style (1726-36). Also important is the church of the Madonna di l’agnuni (of the corner), of presumed Norman origin, with a fine sixteenth century doorway. The church of Madonna delle Scale (XVII century) situated on the mountain slope is suggestive. Not to be forgotten is the ex-monastery of the Padri Crociferi (1659) now the Town Hall. In the immediate vicinity of Castellammare, the baglio (rural fortified structure) of Inici and the castle of Balata di Baida,  have resisted time as have the towers, the baglio and the tonnara (tuna fish warehouse) of the suggestive village of Scopello.
TYPICAL PRODUCE
Part of the territory is in the extraction area of the  Rosso di Sicilia marble, used in all the external and internal applications in the building and furnishing fields; it is a Jurassic limestone, dark red in colour, similar to the red marble of Verona, uniform with splashes of ochre and rare veins of calcspar.
In craft laboratories skilled embroiderers realize real works of art following ancient methods including the technique of the “sfilato siciliano”; a well known school of embroidery which offers courses and periodically organises exhibitions.
Some craftsmen are still able to make shoes made to measure; the curinari with fast hand movements make plaits of the leaves of the dwarf palm creating the curina to make bags, hats, fans and they are also good at making reed baskets and bread baskets with olive branches.
In the sea in front of the town there is a tuna fish breeding centre.
WINE AND FOOD
Castellammare is in the production zone of the DOP oil from the Valli del Trapanesi, made from the cerasuola olive, the biancolilla and the nocellara del Belice, and the DOC wine Erice which includes fine white wines from catarratto e grillo grapes, white and red wines from the nero d’Avola and pignatello plus the international vines which have a particular character according to the zone of production. Couscous, bran dressed with fish broth, pasta with sardines, tuna cooked in various ways, sun dried tomatoes, braciulune, slices of meat rolled and stuffed are the highlights of a simple and imaginative cuisine in which the flavours of the sea mix together with the flavours of the countryside. A real delicacy is the pane cunzato (dressed bread) of Scopello.
In the pasticceria (cake shop) there are Cosi ruci, Christmas pastries filled with figs, the pignulata, with honey, the cassateddi full of ricotta, the picuriddi, Easter lambs made out of pasta reale (marzipan) and the traditional cannoli and sfinci, sweet fried pastries and the typical  biancomangiare a simple milk dessert.
MUSEUMS SCIENCE  EDUCATION
The castle holds an interesting scientific-museum centre divided into sections: archaeology with anchor stocks and Roman amphorae; marine activity, with equipment for sailing and tuna fishing; Nostra Principalissima Patrona dedicated to the festivities in honour of the Madonna del Soccorso; “Castellamare on set” with documentation about films, series, advertisements and reality shows filmed in Castellammare.
The museum centre is completed with a well equipped conference room and spaces dedicated to cultural and landscape heritage and cultural and entertainment events. In the east wing there is the Museo dell’Acqua e dei Mulini - museum of water and windmills and the Ethno- anthropological  museum "Annalisa Buccellato".
In an old fishermen’s house in the ancient maritime town is a small Museum of the Sea which holds various pieces of marine tools and equipment from tuna fish warehouses, once numerous in the gulf. 
RELIGION  REMEMBERENCE  BONDS
The church of the Madonna delle Scale is a destination for pilgrims. Built by Benedictine monks, on the site of a miracle which occurred on the 7 September 1641, when a young shepherdess was saved by the Madonna during a storm: it was in use until the 1960s. the miracle is celebrated with the  la Festa delle verginelle-celebration of the young virgin, during which broad bean pasta was offered to nine or twelve young girls to remember the food eaten by the young shepherdess. Today it is celebrated from the 6th to the 8th of September with the Sagra della pasta di fave,  accompanied by processions and fireworks. 
On the evening of the 18 March, to honour San Giuseppe, a fire with high flames - the vampata is lit,. from the 29th April to the 1st May, shows, processions, fairs and fireworks are dedicated to the same saint, and these events are repeated from the 20th to the 22nd of May for the celebration of Santa Rita. 
ENTERTAINMENT, SPORT AND FREE TIME 
Castellammare is above all an important tourist centre, for pleasure crafting and bathing. During the summer, many people staying here and visit the beautiful beach, with its bathing stations, the various coves along the coast, and the crystalline sea of  Scopello.
Splendid excursions can be effectuated in motorboats around the Zingaro and San Vito area and many sporting events can be practised: horse riding, tennis,  water skiing, sailing, windsurfing and other water sports.
In Scopello, a diving centre offers guided immersions also at night. In the most interesting areas of the coast where shipwrecks and suggestive caves can be found. In Ponte Bagni district on the Caldo river, there are the historic springs of Segesta, with sulphuric, salty, sulphate, alkaline, earthy water  which emerges at 44,1 °C.  the station has two swimming pools and the Regina cave (with a Roman vault), which is a natural sauna. 
SHOWS AND EVENTS
During the summer months the Castellammare Estate with a calendar rich in theatre  and music productions, and Cinema sotto le stelle - cinema under the stars, partly held in The cloister of the ex-monastery of the Crociferi; The port with its restaurants exclusive bars is the night life centre of the town. The celebrations to honour the patron saint  Maria SS del Soccorso, from the 19th to the 21 August are suggestive, with the procession in the sea of the simulacrum and a remarkable historical re-enactment, in the port illuminated by spectacular fireworks of the miracle carried out by the Madonna in 1718 when five English ships who were pursuing a Spanish merchant ship were made to flee. Together with the religious celebrations games at the beach and in the sea, shows and a fair are held.At Christmas, Castellammare  holds various initiatives and a live nativity scene in the town hamlet of Balata di Baida.