Balestrate - Italian comune

Balestrate is a municipality of 6,500 people (2015) in Palermo Province, Sicily. Balestrate's population swells up to almost 30,000 during the summer season with vacationing Europeans and Italians from the colder climates seeking the warm water and sun. It is in the middle of the gulf of Castellammare, at about 50 km both from Palermo and Trapani.

Understand

Balestrate originated in the 17th century around the tonnara of the Fardella's family. At first it was called Sicciara, that is the place where they fished cuttlefish (siccia in Sicilian). On March 29th 1820, thanks to the decree of King Ferdinand I of Bourbon, this maritime village took the name of Balestrate. The name is derived from an anecdote: in 1307 King Frederick II of Aragon, fell in love with the beauties of its sea and beaches and reserved the sovranity of those places for a width as large as a pulling from a crossbow.

Get in

By plane

• Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (Aeroporto Falcone e Borsellino), 38.1866°, 13.1052°, +39 0917020273. You can reach Balestrate, at about 45 km, through the A29 Motorway (towards Trapani, junction for Balestrate). The airport is linked by train or shuttle bus to Alcamo (at 12 km from Balestrate). You can get the http://www.rome2rio.com/it/s/Aeroporto-Palermo-PMO/Balestrate-Italia train going from Punta Raisi to Balestrate railway station. From this airport there are home and international flights and several low cost connections; many touristic and charter flights in summer. 2016-05-22
• Trapani-Birgi Airport (Aeroporto Vincenzo Florio), contrada Birgi, Trapani (60 km from Balestrate), 37.9135°, 12.4920°, +39 0923 610111, info@airgest.it. You can arrive to Balestrate through the A29 Motorway Trapani-Punta Raisi and going out at the junction for Balestrate. Shuttle bus services are carried out by Terravision and Salemi for Trapani and Palermo. From and to Trapani Birgi there are home, European and low cost flights. Seasonal touristic flights also in summer. 2016-05-22 There are also taxi and shuttle bus services from Palermo and Trapani airports as far as Alcamo (for information phone: Gabellone Viaggi e turismo, Viale Italia, 31, phone: +39 0924 505955).

By car

You can easily reach Balestrate from Palermo, at about 40 km, or from Trapani, at about 60 km, through the A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo. For further information see the link: Autostrade Italiane - Automap.it (http://www.automap.it/autostrade/)

By ship

• Grandi Navi Veloci, +39 010 2094591. 08:00-21:00. from Naples, Civitavecchia, Leghorn, Genoa, Tunisi. 2016-05-22
• Linea Tirrenia, +39 0923 545433. from Cagliari to Trapani. 2016-05-22
• Linea Grimaldi, +39 0923 542470. Tunisi-Trapani 2016-05-22
• Linea Ustica Lines, +39 0923 873813. Leghorn-Trapani 2016-05-22
• Siremar, +39 0923 24968. For the Egadi Islands and Pantelleria 2016-05-22
• Traghetti delle Isole, via Ammiraglio Staiti, 23, +39 0923 22467. 2016-05-22
• Ustica Lines, +39 0923 873813. Hovercrafts for the Egadi Islands, Pantelleria, Ustica and Naples. 2016-05-22

By train

You can go to Balestrate by catching a train on the line Palermo-Trapani (the railway station is in the town centre).

By bus

There are different bus services from Palermo, Alcamo or Castellammare del Golfo.

• Atlassib Italia, via Mazzini, 22 Alcamo, +39 0924 508758. 2016-05-22
• AST (Azienda Siciliana Trasporti), via Virgilio, 20 Trapani, +39 0923 21021. from Trapani 2016-05-22
• Autoservizi Russo, Corso Garibaldi 210 Castellammare del Golfo, +39 0924 31364, autoservizirussosrl@alice.it. from Palermo, Trapani, Castellammare del Golfo, San Vito lo Capo. 2016-05-22
• Segesta autolinee, Via Libertà, 171 Palermo, +39 0923 2006, +39 091 304106, +39 091 342055, info@segesta.it. Palermo - Trapani and Roma-Trapani 2016-05-22

Get around

Balestrate has a strategic position: in fact it is in the middle of the Gulf of Castellammare and between the provinces of Palermo and Trapani. It is few kilometres from places of great touristic appeal like Palermo, Monreale, Segesta, Erice, Mozia, riserva Naturale dello Zingaro, Oasi Capo Rama. West of the town there is a large beach with a promenade, with strips of free beach, but also bathing establishments with every comfort. East of Balestrate the coastline is made up of a large beach with fine sand, and again free beach and bathing establishments. There is a quite appealing Site of Community Importance, a wood which represents the only equipped area, where you can have healthy and relaxing walks being plungled into nature.

See

• Calatubo castle. 2016-05-22
• Chiesa di S.Pietro (Saint Peter's church). 2016-05-22
• Chiesa di S.Anna (Matrice), Piazza Rettore Evola,56, 38.0499°, 13.0055°, +39 091 8786135. 2016-05-22
• Sanctuary of Madonna del Ponte. 2016-05-22
• Remains of the old borgo, Tonnara Fardella. 2016-05-22

Do

• Tiro a segno (target-shooting), Contrada Bosco Falconeria (S.S 113 Km 316 Partinico), +39 339 6578779. 2016-05-23

Beach life

• Lido Copacabana, Lungomare "F. D'Anna" Spiaggia Ovest. Beach club 2016-05-23
• Lido Ipanema, Lungomare "F. D'Anna" Spiaggia Ovest. Beach club 2016-05-23
• Lido Lagoa, Lungomare "F. D'Anna" Spiaggia Ovest. Beach club 2016-05-23
• Lido Le Blond, Lungomare "F. D'Anna" Spiaggia Ovest. 2016-05-23
• Lido Le Grotte, Lungomare "F. D'Anna" Spiaggia Ovest. Beach club 2016-05-23
• Lido Lo Squalo Beach, Contrada Foce Spiaggia Est. Beach club 2016-05-23
• Lido Oricao, Lungomare "F. D'Anna" Spiaggia Ovest. Beach club 2016-05-23

Buy

• Banca Don Rizzo (Credito Cooperativo della Sicilia Occidentale), Via Roma, 90. 2016-05-24
• Unicredit SpA, Piazza Rettore Evola, 1. 2016-05-24
• Bar Tabacchi Tropicana, Contrada Forgitella Spiaggia Ovest. 2016-05-24
• Frutti di Mare da Giovanni, Via Madonna del Ponte Ovest, +39 091 8786605. 2016-05-24
• La Perla, Via P. Gesugrande, 40, +39 091 878 7592. Seafood 2016-05-24
• Sapori di Mare, Via Madonna del Ponte, +39 091 8786158. Seafood 2016-05-24

Eat

Budget

• Bella Piazza, Piazza Rettore Evola. Spaghetteria. 2016-05-22
• Carpe Diem, Via Madonna del Ponte, 76. Rotisserie 2016-05-22
• Cavallino Bianco, Contrada Piano Tresca, 38.0462°, 13.0056°, +39 091 898 7272. Pizzeria 2016-05-22
• Dèjà Vu, Via P. Gesugrande, 32, +39 03807934429. 06:30-22:30, closed Thursday. Pizzeria, refreshments. 2016-05-22
• El Tiburo'n, Via G. Garibaldi (at the corner of Via Repubblica). Pizzeria an take away. 2016-05-22
• La Capannuccia, Lungomare "Felice D'Anna" Spiaggia Ovest (west beach). Pizzeria 2016-05-22
• Lo Squalo, Contrada Foce Spiaggia Est (east beach), +39 091 8786382. Pizzeria 2016-05-22
• Onda Azzurra, Contrada Foce Spiaggia Est (east beach), +39 091 8786595. Pizzeria. 2016-05-22
• Paramaribo, Via Libertà, 28, +39 334 3478101. Pizzeria and take away 2016-05-22
• Piccola Palermo, Via P. Gesugrande, 22, +39 091 8787271. Rotisserie 2016-05-22
• Pizza in Piazza, Piazza Rettore Evola, +39 091 8787601. Pizzeria and take away. 2016-05-22
• Sabbia D'Oro, Contrada Forgitella Spiaggia Ovest (west beach), +39 091 8987319. Pizzeria 2016-05-22
• Taxi Pizza, Via Madonna del Ponte, 36, +39 091 8786535. Pizzeria and take away. 2016-05-22

Medium range

• La Sicciara, Via Madonna del Ponte, +39 091 878 7099. Restaurant, pizzeria. 2016-05-22
• Oltremare, Via Madonna del Ponte, 105, +39 339 169 3858. Restaurant 2016-05-22
• Rosa dei Venti, Via Madonna del Ponte, +39 091 8987497. Restaurant, pizzeria. 2016-05-22
• Trattoria dalla Nonna, Via Madonna del Ponte, 82, +39 091 8786574. Restaurant, pizzeria. 2016-05-22
• La Buona Forchetta, Via Madonna del Ponte, 76, 38.05000°, 13.00296°, +39 393 979 2343. A genuine cuisine and a cosy restaurant. You will find fresh and well cooked fish. 2016-05-22
• La Balestra, Via Madonna del Ponte, 38.0491°, 13.0004°, +39 388 863 1351. With a wonderful view on the sea, there is a menu with a large choice of meat and fish dishes. the restaurant has also celiac foodstuffs. Moreover you will find a pizzeria with a wood oven and outdoor tables too. 2016-05-22

Drink

• Bacco's Pub (Nichida Service), Piazza Rettore Evola, 38.0502°, 13.0050°, +39 091 8987955. Pub. 2016-05-24
• Black & White, Via Repubblica. Pub. 2016-05-24
• Blanko Pub, Piazza Rettore Evola, +39 091 8787601. 2016-05-24
• La Piazzetta, Via Della Repubblica, 74, +39 091 8787830. Pub 2016-05-24
• Why Not?, Via Della Repubblica, 90, +39 388 751 9148. Pub. 2016-05-24

Sleep

Budget

• Casa sul Mare, Via della Repubblica,13, +39 328 944 9872. Bed and breakfast. 2016-05-19
• Residence Valentina, Contrada Giardini, +39 091 987142, office@residence-valentina.eu. Every flat has an independent entrance, living room, TV, free Wifi, kitchen and a bathroom with shower. There are also a garden, an open-air swimming-pool and a barbecue. Free car-park. The residence is at about 500 metres from shops, supermarkets and restaurants. €95 for 4 people, 2 bedrooms 2016-05-19
• Fattoria Manostalla (Villa Chiarelli), Contrada Manostalla, +39 091 8787033, info@fattoriamanostalla.com. The farm is an old baglio of the first decades of Ottocento, a property of Jesuits at the time and used as a place for praying: it is located in one of the most characteristic landscapes of rural Sicily and near the Calatubo Castle. The restaurant suggests its typical products: oil, milk, cheese, ricotta, vegetables and sheep and beef meat from its production. Old recipes of ancient tradition are prepared with these products. €70 2016-05-19
• Residence "Eloisa", Via Madonna del Ponte 96 (About 800 metres from the beach), +39 091 87 86 979, +39 331 10 84 572. Has flats with free Wifi, air conditioning, TV, kitchen, bathroom with a shower and phone. Sea view from the balcony. In front of it there is a bus-stop with services for Palermo and San Vito Lo Capo. €4 2016-05-19
• Residence Villaggio Petruso, Contrada Sicciarotta, +39 091 8787572, +39 091 842 0462, info@villaggiopetruso.it. It has a terrace with solarium and an open-air swimming-pool with a view on the Gulf of Castellammare. Free Wifi inside the flats and outside; you can also play darts, table-tennis and billiards. All the rooms have air conditioning, TV, fridge, kitchen and private bathroom. €45/60 2016-05-19

Medium range

• Baglio Carta, Contrada Bosco Falconeria S.P. 17, +39 091 8789279, +39 339 4062869, baglio@bagliocartaruffino.it. €80 2016-05-19
• Casa Ruffino, Via Madonna del Ponte, 49 (near Via Crispi), 38.05105°, 13.006162°, +39 091 8787114, +39 342 1507679, +39 380 1399314, info@casaruffino.it. Check-in: 14:00-24:00, check-out: 08:00-11:00. The bed and breakfast Ruffino is located in the 19th-century Palazzo Ruffino; the rooms have air conditioning, TV, private bathrooms and the hotel has free Wi-Fi and free parking for guests. Their typical Sicilian breakfast includes sweet and savory food. €60/90 2016-05-19
• Costa Azul, Contrada Forgia Spiaggia Est (About 150 metres from the beach and one mile from Balestrate), +39 091 8786994, +39 3466557372, info@hotelcostaazul.it. Has rooms with air conditioning, veranda and TV. The rooms facing the sea or the swimming-pool have TV, minibar and private bathroom with phone and courtesy set. There are also a bar, reading room or solarium terrace, swimming-pool with a hydromassage area. €84 2016-05-19
• Hotel del Golfo, Via Madonna del Ponte, 109A, +39 091 8786328. 2016-05-19

Splurge

• Marina Holiday Hotel, Via del Mare, 38.0524°, 13.0036°, +39 091 878 6401, info@marinaholiday.it. Located in three groups of buildings in the touristic port, the hotel has a fitness centre(with hydromassage bath and sauna), a terrace facing the sea and free Wifi. The elegant rooms have conditioned air and Tv, private bathroom with hair-drier and some of them have a hydromassage bath. At the restaurant you can taste the dishes of Mediterranean diet. There is also a meeting centre well equipped. €105 2016-05-23
• Il Baglio Della Luna Relais, Contrada Bosco Falconeria SS 113 km 318,200, Partinico, PA, +39 0918789106, +39 3450736557. Check-in: 16:00-20:00, check-out: 09:30-11:00. Located in a garden, the Bagliois inside a restored fortress. Very tranquil because it is far from the roads and at about 7 km from the sea. Free Wifi and car-park. All the rooms, furnished in an elegant way, are different; they include private bathroom, conditioned air, Tv, minibar, hair-drier. Breakfast is also included. Animals not admitted. 2016-05-23

Stay safe

• Carabinieri's post headquarters, Via Madonna del Ponte-Est, 76, +39 091 8786141. 2016-05-23
• Carabinieri's post, Via Libertà 15, +39 091 8787500. 2016-05-23
• Farmacia D'Arrigo Antonina, Via Madonna del Ponte, 44, 38.05083°, 13.00577°, +39 091 8786121. 2016-05-23
• Farmacia Zangara Gaspare, Via Madonna del Ponte, 10. 2016-05-23
• First-Aid Station (Guardia medica), Via Giliberti,42, +39 091 8786790. 2016-05-23
• Traffic Police (Polizia Municipale), Via Mattarella, 10, +39 091 898 0059. 2016-05-23

Connect

Post Office

• Poste Italiane Spa, Via S. Giovanni Bosco, 27, 38.0519°, 13.0067°, +39 091 898 7381. M-F 08:30-13:30, Sa 08:30-12:30. 2016-05-24

Internet

• Blue Sky, Via Madonna del Ponte, 84, 38.0497°, 13.0012°, +39 091 878 6170, blueskybalestrate@hotmail.it. Restaurants and acitivity of mobile restoration, internet café. 2016-05-24
• Simsalabim, Via Madonna del ponte 45, +39 091 878 6781. Tourists' assistance, info point, internet point, transfers from Palermo and Trapani airports, /Birgi, tour of Sicily, car and bike rent, tour by boat, holiday houses, hotels and restaurants bookings. 2016-05-24

Go next

• Partinico
• Alcamo
• Alcamo Marina
• Castellammare del Golfo
• Segesta
• Scopello
• Monreale
• Palermo