Castello di Venere

Built by the Normans in the 12th century on the site of an ancient temple to Venus Erycina, a cult venerated enough that pilgrims travelled here from across the Mediterranean, the castle occupies the highest, most exposed point of Erice's mountain at over 750 metres. Its walls stand at the edge of a sheer cliff above Trapani; on a clear day the view reaches the town's salt pans, the Egadi Islands, and San Vito Lo Capo, and locals say Tunisia is occasionally visible across the water.