Holiday apartment in Casa Santa: Coast, culture and Erice

Casa Santa combines a distinctive coastal landscape with traces of work at sea, special cultural projects and a wide range of excursion destinations. Those considering a holiday apartment in Casa Santa will find a variety of holiday experiences here: the extensive San Giuliano sandy beach, the San Cusumano tonnara, a sports park with sea views and connections towards Erice. This makes it possible to choose accommodation according to your own travel interests, without limiting the area to just one type of holiday.

San Giuliano and the coastal landscape

San Giuliano Beach is a sandy beach stretching from the municipal boundary with Trapani to the southwestern end of the natural reef surrounding the San Cusumano tonnara. At approximately 1,200 metres long, it offers a clearly defined coastal setting for relaxing days at the beach and walks along the sea. The coastline features three low rocky reefs projecting into the sea. They border two bays with sand and gravel deposits; at the northeastern end of San Giuliano Beach, a low natural reef emerges.

Access to San Giuliano Beach is via openings in the wall along the Lungomare Dante Alighieri. Wooden stairways lead to the beach at these openings. In addition, Erice Smile Beach is an accessible beach facility operated by the municipality of Erice. These different features make the coast appealing to visitors who value both open beach areas and specific points of reference along the shore during their stay.

Tonnara, salt works and a mural in Casa Santa

The San Cusumano tonnara, together with its surrounding area, is home to a tuna-processing plant operated by the company Nino Castiglione. The former San Cusumano salt works contain a salt storehouse and a windmill dating from the 17th century. The complex has now been converted into tourist accommodation, the I Mulini Resort. In different ways, both places tell the story of how the coast has been used and give Casa Santa a character that extends beyond a classic beach holiday.

Another notable cultural reference is the mural “Il Giardino di Nino Via”. It was created in 2017 by the municipal administration of Erice. Students from the Scuola Media Antonino De Stefano and the I. Circolo didattico Giovanni Pascoli di Erice, as well as the cultural association “Antonino Via – Eroe Contemporaneo”, took part in the project. The project is dedicated to the memory of Nino Via. The mural is located on a building opposite Piazzetta Antonino Via, between Via Capua and Via Fratelli Aiuto in Casa Santa.

Park, paths and excursion planning

For a change of pace between the coast, exercise and shared leisure time, the Giardino dello Sport “Falcone Borsellino” offers a distinct focus. The sports park in Casa Santa covers approximately 35,000 m², offers sea views and includes an extensive green area, a children’s play area, several outdoor sports facilities and a covered multipurpose facility. This gives different age groups concrete opportunities for active or quieter hours, without making the stay entirely dependent on the beach.

The public footpath through the Giardini della Tonnara di San Cusumano allows visitors to cross the tonnara grounds to reach the coast. The park is privately owned and is open to the public under an agreement with the municipal administration. The location of the lower station of the Trapani–Erice cable car is also relevant when planning excursions: it is on the SP 31 towards Erice, at the junction with Via Capua. The cable car reaches the summit of Monte Erice in approximately ten minutes.

Another road connection is the Strada Provinciale No. 20, which serves as a scenic route. It connects Trapani with Bonagia, a coastal district of Valderice, and also shapes the entire coastline within the municipality of Erice for functional reasons related to the use of the coast. This combination of beach, coastal paths, culture and panoramic routes gives you several ways to set the focus of your trip. Accommodation in Casa Santa can provide the setting for very different day-trip ideas: from the sandy beach and sports park to cultural sites and excursions towards Monte Erice.

More places for planning your trip

If you would like to compare other places alongside Casa Santa, you can find Ballata, Karuscia, Sasi, Marsala, Calatafimi, San Leonardo, Castellammare Del Golfo and Marausa here.

For the overarching travel overview: Trapani.