The drive from Porto Empedocle to Sciacca, which was our next destination, takes a little less than one hour.  Our landlord in Porto Empedocle was kind enough to offer to drive us there.  Approximately forty-five minutes later, we were inside the apartment in Sciacca.  The place was nice.  It was located in the old fishing port of the city, in the lower, waterfront section.  The majority of the town was up, on top of the hill behind us.  The apartment was small, but very bright.  It had a nice outdoor space in the back, and was close to supermarkets and shops, and so, we were happy.

While the first floor had the living room, the kitchen, and the bathroom, the second floor housed two bedrooms, and another bathroom.

We used the small, second bedroom as a walk-in closet.

Once we were settled in, we set out to explore our new neighborhood!

At Via Mulini, #1, you will find the old pasta factory, the Molino Pastificio Saccense.  The structure was begun in 1856.  Before this, all pasta had to be imported from Campania.  Though long deserted, plans are now in place to turn the building into a hotel with a museum, displaying the history of the site included in the space.

As we walked along, it was obvious that this entire area was, and still is, a fishing port, to some degree.  A small group of tiles, on the facade of a building we passed, depicted the Mattanza, a very old method of fishing tuna, which was last practiced in 2008.

Another group depicted the fishing of swordfish.

We passed an icon of the Madonna del Soccorso, to whom the fishermen of the area have been devoted for centuries.  In the early 1900s, many of the fishermen from the city immigrated to America, settling in the Boston area.  To this day, every August, the Madonna’s Feast Day is celebrated in that city.

The main industry in Sciacca is fishing.  The city’s fleet of fishing boats is the largest in all of Italy.  There are a few different port areas in the lower town, one for private boats and yachts, and the other, for commercial and passenger shipping.

At Via Porto, #33, you will find the Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Pietro e Paolo.

 

Next up: We head into the historical center of Sciacca!

 

Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for posts from other Italian destinations.  Grazie!

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