Yacht charter Marsala

Yacht charter Marsala – the key to your perfect sailing holiday. Find more about this destination: history, sights, climate, how to arrive info etc. Charter a sailingboat, motoryacht, catamaran or gulet and sail away... Marsala awaits you

Location and climate

Marsala is a city located on western coast if Sicily some 30 kilometres south of Trapani. This seaport city lies on the coastal edge of Sicily’s wine country, which extends westward toward Salemi, Segesta and Sciacca. This is the largest viticultural region in Italy, and one of the largest ones in Europe. It is best known for the production of Marsala wine. Marsala enjoys typical Mediterranean climate with mild and somewhat rainy winters and hot and dry summers.

History and sights

It was founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC on a small island of Mozia, but it was destroyed by Dionysius II of Syracuse in 397 BC. The citizens escaped and founded Lilibeo, „looking at Libia“, known today as Marsala. The Romans made it their main naval base, and under their rule Marsala enjoyed considerable prosperity. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was devastated by the Vandals in the 5th century. In the 6th century, it passec into hands of the Byzantine Emperor Giustiniano who was not very interested in Sicily since it was frequently pillaged by pirates. The Arabs gave it its present name, which derives from the Arab „Marsa Allah“- the port of Allah, or „Marsa Ali“- the great port. In the 14th century, the Aragonese built many churches, monasteries and public buildings. The Emperor Charles V destroyed the ancient port in 1575 to stop the continuous Saracen incursions. After two centuries of decline, during which the city assumed its Baroque appearance, Marsala flourished again thanks to the wine industry introduced by the Englishman Woodhouse in 1773. In 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi and his „thousand“ landed at Marsala and began his to overthrow Bourbon rule in Sicily.

Today

With the population of 80 000, Marsala is the fifth largest Sicilian municipality. The territory of Marsala consists of more than 100 districts. Its economy is based upon agriculture, with more than one million hectolitres of the world’s most famous wine produced each year, as well as a considerable quantity of vegetables and flowers. There are 35 kilometres of coastline. The tourist zones of Segesta, Erice, Selinunte, the Egadi Islands and Pantelleria are easily reached from Marsala. Downtown Marsala is charming and busy, especially during summer. There you can enjoy local cooking in restaurants and pizzerias, and wine bars and cafes are open all night.

How to arrive?

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