4/5 Mario F. 5 years ago on Google
Despite
being
a
one-bite-sized
sliver
of
land
where
a
warren
of
unpretentious
backstreets
rub
shoulders
with
a
couple
of
elegant
parading
walkways,
Trapani’s
Old
Town
still
merits
a
visit,
not
only
for
its
wonderful
surrounding
waterfront
promenade
and
its
cluster
of
fine
medieval
churches
but
more
for
its
wealth
of
unusual
dishes
of
Sicilian
fare,
for
the
most
part
consisting
of
local
busiate
pasta
and
fresh
Mediterranean
seafood.
To
add
zest
to
the
gastronomic
allure
of
this
chocolate
box
of
a
city,
Trapani
invented
a
glitzy
food
market
and
built
an
arcaded
sanctuary
to
house
it.
Located
at
the
extreme
northern
end
of
Via
Torrearsa
right
in
front
of
one
of
the
loveliest
stretches
of
Trapani’s
coastline,
the
Mercato
del
Pesce
is
an
extraordinary
and
an
exuberant
food
market
that
deals
in
everything
eatable
from
fruit
and
vegetables
to
spicy
concoctions
and
raw
olives.
The
daily
main
item
on
view
is
of
course
fish
-
this
includes
colourful
wrasse
which
Trapanesi
use
with
onions,
olive
oil
and
mint
to
make
a
savoury
fish
soup,
clams
which
are
seasoned
with
garlic
and
olive
oil
to
make
vongole
sauce
and
mussels,
often
cooked
with
hot
pepper
sauce
to
prepare
zuppa
di
cozze.
Dominating
the
fish
market
are
fresh
crayfish,
squids
and
octopuses
(usually
still
alive
and
making
a
last
attempt
at
freedom),
these
being
the
favourite
staple
diet
of
many
Trapanesi.
For
a
taste
of
all
this,
head
to
one
of
the
many
fish
restaurants
that
line
Corso
Vittorio
Emanuele
or
its
continuation
Via
Carolina
and
ask
for
busiate
alla
bersagliera,
a
homemade
pasta
dish
with
a
speciality
concoction
of
at
least
five
varieties
of
seafood.
The
Torrearsa
food
market
often
spreads
along
the
streets
beyond
the
covered
market
hall
but
the
fish
market
is
always
sheltered
inside
where
a
supply
of
seawater
is
unfailingly
on
tap.
This
ensures
freshness
and
the
longest
extent
of
conservation
possible.
The
promenade
in
the
neighbourhood
of
the
Mercato
del
Pesce
is
a
haven
of
lovely
bars
and
trattorias
where
you
can
join
the
friendly
locals
and
enjoy
hours
of
idle
talk,
good
food
and
Trapani’s
exquisite
cannoli.
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