The town San Vito Lo Capo

The town - San Vito Lo Capo

The ancient fishermen village of San Vito is located on the promontory that ends the gulf of Castellammare, between the Riserva Naturale orientate dello Zingaro (Oriented Natural Reserve of the Zingaro) and that one of Monte Cofano  (Cofano Mount). It extends along the coast-line and its quite white beach makes it, each summer, required destination of everybody is in the area.

San Vito Lo Capo rose about the XIII century as an outpost of Erice. The present village began to form in the XVIII century around an ancient Sanctuary, dedicated to San Vito martyr, patron of the town. At first it was a Saracen fortress that then changed use and was dedicated to the Saint the town is called after. Yet it maintained the appearance of a fortress to defend the pilgrims that asked hospitality inside it.

On the provincial road, that from the ancient Val di Mazara went to the Sanctuary, rise the Cappella di Santa Crescenza (Chapel of St Crescenza): a small chapel, in easy Arab style, that had the aim to protect the people and its sanctuary from the raids of pirates.

In the centre of the town, near the Sanctuary, is located the Museum of the Sea where are exposed articles testifying the old activities connected to the fishing. In fact in San Vito Lo Capo, till the half of 1900, had been working the Tonnara del Secco (the Tunny-fishing of the Secco) for the fishing and the processing of the Mediterranean red tuna.

Many are the guard towers erected to defend the coast-line and still visible: among these, the torre ‘Mpisu (‘Mpisu tower), the torre ‘Sceri (‘Sceri tower) and the Torrazzo. The land is full of caves, that preserves rocky paintings and engravings: the Grotta dei Cavalli (Grotto of the Horses) in Cala Mancina, the Grotta dei Ciaraveddi (Grotto of the Ciaraveddi) and that one of the Racchio (Grotto of the Racchio), in the neighbourhood of the built-up area of Macari.

The typical course is the Cous Cous of Fish which, every year in September, is dedicated the Cous Cous Fest, International Festival of Cous Cous.