Page 458 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

is protected from the worst of the elements by a plastic roof.

Above the theatre, excavations have also revealed tombs and traces of a Greco-
Roman temple, while below stand the ruins of a grand house, with fragments of Roman
mosaics, though these are covered and inaccessible. Many of the finds are displayed
in a small on-site museum.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: ERACLEA MINOA

By bus You can get here between June and September by bus from Cattolica Eraclea,
which has bus connections from Agrigento, but outside the summer months you’re
going to have to take any bus running between Agrigento and Sciacca and ask the
driver to let you off at the turning on the SS115: from here, you’ll have to walk the

3.5km to the site. Heading on, walk back to the SS115, where you should be able to
flag down any bus bound for Sciacca.

ACCOMMODATION

Eraclea Minoa Village 0922 846 023 (summer), 0922 29 101 (winter),

eracleaminoavillage.it. Pine-shaded campsite a few steps from the sea which also has
one- and two-bedroom bungalows and a bar, pizzeria, restaurant and disco. Camping
€7 per person, plus €10 per pitch; bungalows €70

Sciacca

Just over 30km further up the coast from Eraclea Minoa, SCIACCA is a working
fishing port that conceals a good-looking upper town which is virtually untouched by
tourism. A spa town for nearby Selinus in ancient times, it enjoyed great prosperity
under the Arabs, from whom its modern name is thought to derive (the Arabic xacca
meaning “from the water”). The town was at the centre of a feud between Catalan and
Norman families that simmered on for a century, resulting in the deaths of a good half
of the local population. Several notable buildings are scattered about, which infuse

Sciacca’s agreeable Mediterranean air with more than a passing historical interest and
make for some pleasant strolling through the weaving streets.

The town is the main centre of ceramic production on Sicily’s south coast, and you’ll
see colourful plates, vases and ornaments on sale everywhere. Its spa waters are still
potent, and Sciacca remains a popular destination for Italians seeking all manner of
cures, many of which are available on the state. There’s also a decent arc of sandy

beach 1km west of the centre at the end of Via Gaie di Garaffe.