A very powerful Phoenician fortress, the ancient Lilybeo, or "the town that faces Lybia" (as it was called the entire northern coast of Africa): it is the current Marsala.

The lively town has a wide cultural heritage: there are churches, caves, sanctuaries, thermal baths, ancient statues, amphorae, shipwrecks, necropolis and underground roads.

In the evening, its narrow streets in white stone reflect the light of the street lamps, giving suggestive views; but also during the day it shows a wonderful landscape scenery, from the Lagoon of the Stagnone, with the ancient Phoenician settlement of Mozia, to the Egadi islands.

The Phoenicians of Mozia founded it in the 4th century BC.

It was the only point in Sicily where they could resist the Greeks first and then the Romans.

In Roman times Lylibeo was an important trading center, so much that it earned the nickname "splendidissima urbs".

After the Byzantine rule, the arrival of the Arabs marked an economic, demographic and urban renewal of the town, renamed Marsa āliyy that is "big port" due to the size of the ancient port, which was located near Punta d'Alga, or more probably Marsa Allāh, that is "Port of God".

With the Aragonese dynasty Marsala flourished further, but the landfill of the port of Punta d'Alga, ordered by the emperor Charles V to stop the Saracen incursions, marked the end of this development.

At the end of the eighteenth century the town rise again: since 1773 in fact, thanks to the English, the history of Marsala will walk with that of the homonymous wine, valued first by John Woodhouse, then by Ingham and Whitaker.

Wineries that still exist today has developed, such as the Cantine Florio.

The historical event for which the town is most remembered is the landing of Garibaldi and its thousand, which took place on 11 May 1860.

From here the Garibaldini began the battles for the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the Savoy kingdom.

The small historic center still preserves the Hellenistic road layout.

In Marsala and its surroundings there are white beaches, crystal clear sea and you can have the opportunity to play different water sports, so that for many years the north coast of Marsala, town of the wind, has become an international meeting place for Kite surf and Wind surf enthusiasts.

Do not miss a visit to the Baglio Anselmi Archaeological Museum, which houses one of the major attractions of Marsala: a perfectly preserved Punic ship, which was used during the battle of the Egadi Islands; battle that ended the first Punic war.

It is a unique specimen in the world, very important for the study of the Phoenician naval technique.

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