Discover Paceco: Salt Pans, Salt History and Culture

Salt-pan landscape between nature and salt production

Paceco combines a distinctive landscape with deeply rooted salt history. The Riserva Naturale Orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco is one of the last salt pans in Sicily still in production; here, salt production and nature conservation coexist. The protected area extends across the municipalities of Trapani, Paceco and Misiliscemi. This creates a destination where nature observation and cultural history can be experienced together at specific sites.

Nature experiences in the salt pans

Guided excursions in the Riserva Naturale Orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco last approximately two hours. They provide information about natural features, including birdwatching, as well as the history and practice of salt production. From July to September, you can also observe the salt harvest – either on booked excursions or from the roads along the edges of the salt pans.

If you would like to take part in a free guided tour in the Riserva Naturale Orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco, it must be booked at least one week in advance exclusively online via the WWF website. This specific planning requirement is one of the important practical points to bear in mind when visiting the salt pans.

Salt history in Contrada Nubia

The Museo del Sale is located in Contrada Nubia in the municipality of Paceco. It is housed in a 17th-century baglio, an old fortified farm complex used for grinding salt.

The Museo del Sale preserves old tools used by salt workers. It also preserves old black-and-white photographs documenting work in salt production. It displays original objects from the salt-production cycle. The tools that are no longer in use are regarded as evidence of industrial archaeology and give this museum historical significance in addition to its craft-related importance.

A large, well-preserved windmill stands next to the Museo del Sale. It was formerly used to lift seawater and crush raw salt. The Museo del Sale is also part of the cultural and tourism project “Via del Sale”, which aims to enhance the salt-pan and windmill landscape along the coast of the Province of Trapani.

Churches and sacred art

The Chiesa Maria Santissima del Rosario in Paceco is a 17th-century church. During its restoration, the vaults as well as the upper and lower sections of the masonry were consolidated and repaired. After the restoration, the church was reopened to the faithful and resumed religious services.

The Chiesa Madre del SS. Crocifisso was built in 1623 and rebuilt in the mid-18th century based on a design by Giovanni Biagio Amico. Its interior contains four large altarpieces from the late 17th or early 18th century, donated by Princess Maria Anna Fardella San Severino.

The furnishings of the Chiesa Madre del SS. Crocifisso also include a Crucifixion group made of wood, canvas and glue, produced by workshops in Trapani. The same technique was used for it as for Trapani’s famous Misteri groups. A visit to Paceco therefore also offers insight into the region’s history of art and craftsmanship.

Archaeology from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages

The Museo Civico di Preistoria displays materials dating from the Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages and exhibits original finds from Sicily and Africa. Since 1980, it has been housed in the premises of Paceco’s municipal library. The collection’s chronological range offers you a broad view of human history and early cultures reaching far back in time.

The Museo Civico di Preistoria also organises guided cave visits accompanied by geoarchaeologists or archaeologists. This approach complements the exhibition content with a professionally guided engagement with archaeological sites, without equating the visits with independent or unaccompanied exploration.

Towers and coastal defence

The Torre saracena di Nubia is located within the Riserva Naturale Orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco. It is recorded that the Torre di Nubia was built in the 16th century. In 1585, it was renovated by the Florentine architect Camillo Camilliani. It was later integrated into the defence system of the Sicilian coast initiated by the Spanish government.

A hotel in Paceco to suit your interests

When choosing your hotel in Paceco, it is worth deciding what you would like to focus on during your days there. The salt pans combine nature observation, birdwatching and salt harvesting, while the Museo del Sale, the windmill, the churches and the Museo Civico di Preistoria offer different ways to explore history and regional culture. This allows you to plan your trip around the experiences that interest you most and to consider Paceco as a destination that caters to both nature and cultural interests.

More destinations for planning your trip

If you would like to explore other places for your trip in addition to Paceco, here is a compact selection: Casa Santa, Tonnarella, Karuscia, Ciavolo, Alcamo, Gibellina, Partanna, Levanzo.

For the higher-level travel overview: Trapani.