Discover Xitta: Salt Pans and Local History

Xitta combines a long-standing local history with a landscape where salt pans and migratory birds play a distinctive role. When choosing accommodation in Xitta, both the history of the village and seasonal activities in the surrounding area may therefore play a role in your personal planning.

Salt-Pan Landscape and Seasonal Observations

Around Xitta, the “Saline di Trapani e Paceco” nature reserve extends across the municipal areas of Trapani, Paceco and Misiliscemi. From July to September, salt harvesting in the salt pans can be observed on booked excursions or from the roads along the edges of the salt pans. The nature reserve also allows visitors to observe resting migratory birds. The most favorable periods for this are considered to be February to April and September to December. This means that nature interests can be assigned different priorities in travel planning than observing the salt harvest, without both topics requiring the same travel window.

Xitta lies on a plain that formed over centuries through deposits carried by the Baiata and Lenzi seasonal streams, extending the coastline toward the sea.

Fortified Village and Ecclesiastical History

In the first decades of the 16th century, Xitta was a fortified village. The old village was protected by four squat towers. The Tower of Xitta was built on a pointed arch and is still partly preserved. The founding village of San Lorenzo Xitta was later abandoned.

Farmers settled around the parish church of San Lorenzo di Xitta. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the church was surrounded by properties belonging to citizens of Trapani and a large estate of the Order of Malta. The historic parish archive of San Lorenzo Levita–Xitta contains records dating from the first half of the 17th century to the first half of the 20th century. In Xitta, therefore, you encounter not only individual buildings but also the development of a place shaped by the church, agriculture, fortifications and regional ownership structures.

Medieval Scenes in Xitta

The fifth edition of the medieval living nativity scene took place in Xitta. It depicted the birth of Jesus in medieval scenes featuring merchants, craftsmen, an inn, various tastings and a fisherman. The event ended with a procession of the musicians and flag bearers of “Real Trinacria”, followed by a performance featuring the lighting of the tower and a finale of lights. The event is thus part of the traditional cultural facets in which local history has been brought to life through staged scenes.

Travel Planning Guide

ATM line 27 connects Xitta and Villa Rosina. The digital diocesan archive is intended to make the indexes of baptisms, marriages and deceased persons, as well as the parish registers of San Lorenzo Levita in Xitta, accessible remotely. When choosing a hotel in Xitta, you can consider this connection, the nature-related periods and the historic sites as separate aspects of your planning.

Further Destinations for Orientation

Porticalazzo, Tre Croci, Marettimo, Buseto Palizzolo, Buseto Superiore, Tonnarella, Alcamo, Pantelleria

For the higher-level travel overview: Trapani.