Italy for me From Italy with love
The first attraction in Trapani that Mario and Antonella took us to after a trip to the local supermarket was the fish market located at Via Cristoforo Colombo, 3. Sicily is famous for its sweets, garlic, and seafood.
The traditional red tuna fishing, which has become legendary and takes place near the nearby island of Favignana at the beginning of summer, is well-known. However, visiting Sicily in November has its unique features.
Due to the complete absence of tourists, we had the opportunity to enjoy the island in all its beauty and get closer to the local population. Here, we were at a real market, where local fishermen sold their catch and showed their interest in the rare tourists at that time.
I had long dreamed of visiting such a place. Fishermen always seemed to me quite tough guys, but those myths were dispelled in the first minute when this nice guy, resembling my friend Sergey Kondobarov, offered to take a picture with the catch himself.
Prices for freshly caught fish are reasonable, within the 8-12 euros range.
Mario’s friend tells us about his catch.
Here’s what real shrimp look like. Next time, we’ll buy a couple of kilos to take home. Even I know how to cook shrimp.
There are also more exotic fish for 20 euros/kilo. They’re called cipolle (onion fish?).
And how about simply picking up a live octopus?
Come on, hurry up – buy live morays for 5 euros!
The market itself is pretty small, but there are many different kinds of sea creatures, some of which I’ve never even heard of.
And these things, I’m afraid to cook and eat. But they’re probably delicious.
We arrived at the market around 11 am, and trading was already coming to an end. After all, buying fresh fish, let alone fishing, is not for those who like to sleep in.
Fishermen’s boats are moored near the market.
In the photo below, the site’s chief editor, Jana Jakucewicz, is enjoying the Sicilian November sun.
After marking our presence in such an authentic place, we headed to the westernmost point of Sicily. Still, you can read about it in other articles.
If you’re renting apartments with a kitchen and know how to cook seafood, or if you’re just interested in the life of the local Sicilians, the fish market in Trapani is a place worth visiting.