Salemi is a historic hill town in western Sicily, set in the heart of the Belice Valley and Val di Mazara, on the slopes of Monte delle Rose. Between the Mazzaro and Grande rivers, its countryside of hills, vineyards and olive groves gives the town a rural setting that still frames its old Arab-medieval character.
Its identity reaches back to the ancient settlement known as Halicyae, Halyciae or Alicia, founded by the Elymians, before passing through Roman, Gothic, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Swabian phases. The names Salem and Saleiman recall part of this layered past, while the old town’s steep lanes, courtyards and uphill layout preserve the memory of its Muslim-influenced urban form.
Salemi also holds a symbolic place in modern Italian history: on 14 May 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi arrived from Marsala and the town was associated with the proclamation that made it, symbolically, the first Capital of Italy. This blend of Elymian origins, Arab-medieval fabric and Risorgimento memory gives Salemi a distinctive role among western Sicily’s hill towns.
Patron Saint:
St. Nicholas of Bari (San Nicola da Bari) – 6 December
Nearest Airport:
Trapani (Birgi) – (47 km, 00:49)
Neighboring Cities:
Calatafimi Segesta, Castelvetrano, Marsala, Mazara del Vallo, Gibellina, Santa Ninfa, Trapani, Vita
