Terrasini
Terrasini, small fisherman's town in the Province of Palermo, Sicily
Terrasini is located between Palermo and Trapani, 24 km west of Palermo, 32 meters above sea level on the vast, impressive Gulf of Castellammare, in the past the scene of historical events and sailed by Greek and Roman Phoenicians sailing ships. Now a tourist center with a population of about 10,000, a number that easily triples in the summer months, not only because of the beautiful location of the town but also for the hospitality of its people. Terrasini was named most probably after his interspersed coast with grottos and caves, from the Latin "terraesinus".
In the sixties of the 18th century, had the inhabitants of the villages along the west coast of Sicily distributed to meet frequently occasion a picturesque contemporaries. Dressed like a doctor with dreamy expression on his face. Instinctively, they took the hat off as a sign of respect to the "Abate", which returned the greeting with a benevolent nod and his walk along the paths of the coast or in the field continued. He found a place that met his spiritual requirements - often impressive Grotta Perciata - remained the man there, often for hours, engrossed in the reading of writings whose authors were names for fishermen and the shephards encountered him often unexpressible; or he just sat there and watched with bright eyes the flight of gulls or the butterflies, the play of light on the rock or the lizards, listening to the whisper of olive branches in the wind or the sound of the waves when breaking on the beach. Here composed Giovanni Meli, because to this is his elegy and the songs of the Buccolica, inspired by the salt smell of the wind brought out, the rustling of the vegetation, the thousand colors of the overwhelming Sicilian nature. Among the preferred places of the poet in search of inspiration ranged the countryside and especially the coast of Terrasini and Favarotta, two cities founded in the XVIII century at the beginning of the Golfo di Castellammare.
On the coastal road, you can enjoy a wonderful view. As sculptures, sculpted by wind and waves along the coast: Cala Bianca, Cala Rossa, Baia di Guidaloca and the Promontorio di Capo Rama. The cliffs of considerable geological interest, the sea surpass 50 meters high, along the coast with many fantastic caves, which together provide an almost unreal landscape in color and form in this corner of the island. The observation towers against the warships of the Saracens on the above points the rocky coast to the Palazzo d'Aumale, former winery founded by Henri d'Orleans, the main church was founded in the XVIII century, named after the patron saint Maria delle Grazie, which bicentennial palaces of princes La Grua, the Villa Fassini in exemplary Liberty style of the famous architect Basile in Sicily. All this and more surrounding the harbor town of Terrasini with its noble origins. To dangle your soul .. coming to Terrasini, holidays with Sicilians in Sicily, if you do not want to travel as a package tourist. Have fun and a nice vacation!!