The sea of the Sicilian town of San Vito lo Capo (district of Trapani) has the same colors and stunning seabeds as the Maldives. A vacation on this coast offers the same thrills as an exotic getaway, but there is always something that will remind you that you are actually in Sicily. The excellent cuisine, of course, the musical sound of the local dialect, and then… the kites! Yes, kites are a tradition in San Vito lo Capo, thanks to the wind that often blows across the beautiful Gulf of Castellammare, and are celebrated in the spring. For some time (since 2010, to be precise), the Kite Festival has been officially celebrated with a week dedicated to competitions and events—this year, from May 20th to 24th. Come and see it! Book your flight to Palermo Airport (PMO) (or to the smaller Trapani Birgi – TPS airport) and, from there, take our customized transfers with chauffeur to the city and the festival venues.
Kites fly over the sea
The Kite Festival (official website here: https://www.festivalaquiloni.biz/index1.html ) takes place over five themed days, transforming the beaches and squares of San Vito lo Capo into a veritable open-air theater. Whether you’re at the Campo Volo or the town’s beach, you’ll witness the skill of expert men and women—and even kids!—as they maneuver these wonderful, colorful objects, the vehicles of every child’s dream!
The “kite flyers” come from all over Italy and from abroad. On the first day after the opening night, kite schools perform; on the second and third days, competitions, “kite battles,” educational workshops, and shows for children take place; on the penultimate day, the festival takes place at night, with spectacular illuminated kites; and finally, the closing celebrations take place.
In the blue sky above the gulf coast, traditional diamond-shaped kites with colorful ribbons soar, as do giant kites, inflatables, and even truly magical flying structures designed on purpose to amaze with their size! Between one show and another, the town of San Vito and the charming surroundings of the Trapani area offer themselves to tourists who love to fully experience the wonder of this corner of Sicily.
San Vito started from a miracle
The area of San Vito lo Capo has always been inhabited but took on its current form in the 18th century. The nucleus of the first village was built around a small altar—dedicated to St Vitus since 300 AD—which, it seems, performed miracles! In particular, St Vitus protected travelers from attacks by bandits and pirates. This is why a fortress and then the first settlement later arose here. It wasn’t until 1952, however, that San Vito lo Capo was finally called a “municipality”. Until then, it had been administered by the town of Erice.
A magical itinerary among festivals and kites
San Vito lo Capo is famous for its beaches, its sea, and its wild natural areas, such as the Zingaro Nature Reserve, Màcari, Calampiso and Cala dell’Uzzo with its cave carved into the cliff face. But it is also worth taking a tour of the town’s historical and artistic treasures. You’ll be amazed to see how much of “Orient” still exists today among the monuments of San Vito lo Capo!
The ancient fortress, now a catholic sanctuary, stands on Savoia Street and houses a church with a chapel dedicated to St Vitus Martyr, an underground well, a museum where silver, sacred vestments and Catholic votive offerings are kept and exhibited. The 13th-century chapel of St Crescenzia, in Gothic style but with Moorish details, recalls the place where the saint’s miracles began centuries ago. The lighthouse dates back to 1859 and has been an important landmark for ships passing through the gulf ever since. The medieval Tower Dell’Usciere is also a monument worth discovering.
If you love industrial archaeology, visit the tuna fisheries of San Vito lo Capo, particularly the Tonnara del Secco in Calampiso, and the beautiful Tonnara di Cofano (16th century), located on the Màcari coast and dominating the panorama with its star-shaped tower.
Beyond San Vito…
Beyond San Vito lo Capo and its beautiful kites, in less than an hour’s drive you can reach some of the most beautiful places in western Sicily: Erice, 38 km away, Trapani 40 km, the Marsala salt pans 72 km… Custonaci and its “village in the cave” are a 30-minute drive away, Segesta is exactly an hour away, and Gibellina is an hour and a half. If you want to go much further, Mazara del Vallo and Palermo are about two-hour motorway drive from San Vito.
