Holidays in Sicily are made of a lot of things: beaches, sea, nature, history, culture. And, obviously, traditions. Like the ones of the ancient “tonnare” (tuna-fishing nets, in English). Which you can discover following this thematic itinerary in three stages.
- Tonnara of Favignana. The tuna fishing is part of the history of Favignana, an activity practiced even by Phoenicians. What was did inside the Tonnare was an authentic ritual, made of propitiatory sings and from the orders of the head of the Tonnara. Today the activity of the Tonnara of Favignana is over. But the austere and majestic buildings remain, a precious industrial archeology testimony which, at the same time, narrates one of the most ancient tradition of the isle.
- Tonnara of Scopello. Also this one is in the province of Trapani. Just a hour far from Palermo by car, you can find a small piece of coast, high and indented. Here there’s Scopello, a little locality that was able to preserve its ancient atmosphere. And here there’s another Tonnara, now in disuse, with the buildings that were used for the tuna fishing.
- Tonnara of Portopalo di Capo Passero. It’s in the extreme south of oriental Sicily, where the two seas meet. It was one of the most important tonnare of Sicily. The Tonnara of Portopalo, active until XX century, is now in disuse: today you can visit its balata, the loggia, the big furnace, the warehouses, and the XVII century church.
Three different destinations for a thematic itinerary that, while will let you discover some of the most ancient traditions of Sicily, will give you the possibility to see some of the most beautiful places and seas of Sicily.
Image source: Fickr.com/photos/ingirogiro
