Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Monte Erice
Mountain in Italy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Monte Erice, or ancient Greek Mount Eryx, is a mountain of Sicily, in the province of Trapani.
Remove ads
Location
The mountain is to the east of Trapani and encompasses an area of 18.3 km2. The Lenzi River has its source on the mountain.[1]
The city of Erice is located on the summit, the frazione of Santa Casa, Erice and the suburbs of Trapani are located on the western slopes, and the comune of Valderice is on the eastern side of the mountain.
Geography
Summarize
Perspective
The mountain is covered by vegetation: there is a forest of Aleppo pine around Martogna, oak in the state forest of Sant'Anna, as well as holm oak and downy oak in the Costa Spada area.[2]
There are numerous hiking trails.[3] Four of these are officially marked by the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI), connecting the historic centre of Erice with surrounding forests, chapels, and panoramic overlooks:
- Sentiero di Sant’Anna (CAI 601) – A 5.5 km descent from Porta Trapani to the Sant’Anna Sanctuary, passing wooded picnic areas, panoramic terraces, and historic pilgrimage sites, ending near the cable car station.[4]
- Sentiero Porta Castellammare – Tre Chiese (CAI 602) – A 4.5 km scenic loop from Erice’s eastern gate past wild orchid groves, coastal viewpoints, and rural chapels, blending nature and local religious heritage.[5]
- Sentiero Torretta Pepoli (CAI 603) – A 2.7 km shaded woodland path through the Bosco dei Runzi, offering views of the Castle of Venus and Balio Towers; rich in birdlife and Mediterranean flora.[6]
- Sentiero Demanio Forestale San Matteo (CAI 604) – A 6.9 km moderate trail descending from Erice’s Chiesa Matrice to the Sicilian Forestry Corps Museum, passing medieval sites, pine forests, and agro-forestry landscapes with interpretive features.[7]
Recreation
Erice Adventure Park (Parco Avventura Erice) is located on the lower slopes of Monte Erice, within the Martogna pine forest. One of the most extensive facilities of its kind in the province of Trapani, it was established by a group of biologists and outdoor educators. The park features five treetop rope courses of varying difficulty, with zip lines, suspension bridges, and climbing elements set at different heights.[8][9]
Remove ads
History
In ancient times the mountain was occupied by the Elymians and subsequently by the Carthaginians, the Greeks, and the Romans, who worshipped Aphrodite Erycina, or Venus Erycina, there. In 1117 it was renamed as Monte San Giuliano by the Normans, .[10] The original name was restored in 1934. Until the 1950s the comune of Monte San Giuliano included the territory of the current commune of Erice, as well as Valderice, Custonaci, San Vito Lo Capo and Buseto Palizzolo.
Since 1954, the Monte Erice hillclimbing championship has taken place on its slopes every year.[11]
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monte Erice.
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads