"Balestrate a wonderful place to spend your Summer" Balestrate by Propermark

Balestrate Travel Guide: 14 reviews and 38 photos

Postcard from Balestrate, Sicily, Italy.

General Informations

Balestrate (ZIP code 90041) is located 138 Km. from Agrigento, 196 Km. from Caltanissetta, 303 Km. from Catania, 215 Km. from Enna, 303 Km. from Messina, 44 Km. from Palermo, which it belongs to, 274 Km. from Ragusa, 345 Km. from Siracusa, 55 Km. from Trapani.

Balestrate counts 6.180 inhabitants. It rises on a level ground, at 38 metres over the sea.

The municipality is located in via Roma, tel. 091-8786145 fax. 091-8787355.

Lively bathing resort, Balestrate is also an agricultural centre, important to the development is the production of vegetables, olives, citrus cultivation and fruit: particularly important is Greenhouse.

Formerly the name of the city was Sicciara, from sicilian dialect Siccia, nominated thus for the abundance of cuttlefish on the coastal seas. In 1307 King Federico III d'Aragona ceded to Partinico countrytown Balestrate territory, reserving to monarchy the state property right along the littoral zone for a depth equal to one crossbow shot (balestra in Italian), which the name derives from.
In 1762 Rosalia Leto gave the uncultivated lands to the farmers obliging them to cultivate, so the village started to grow: it became an autonomous municipality after 1829. During the following years it kept developing further, thanks to the estabilishment of oenological factories of Ingham family, of Woodhouse' and the Florio's.

In the monumental field we remember the Chiesa Madre built in 1843 and Calatubo Castle, a Byzantine stronghold sited on the top of a cliff. It was later rebuilt by the Arabs.

"Vele"

A nice day in Balestrate, Sicily.

Volano le vele

sull'acqua azzurra

imitano gli uccelli dalle grandi ali

che agili incontrano venti d'altura.

scritto da Jole Romeo

Translation

"Sails"

Sails fly

over the bluish water

they look like the big winged birds

that nimbly they meet high winds.

Last visit to Balestrate: Mar 2007
Intro Updated Jun 17, 2007
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (7)

let's have a drink here Nightlife (1)

This is a small bar where you can go at night and have drinks. Next to this bar there's also another one which is bigger... more travel advice

Fresh Fruit Shopping (1)

This is probably the best Greengrocer in Balestrate even though prices are higher than others. You will find fresh... more travel advice

Calatubo Castle, Sicily, Italy, Europe - Balestrate

Calatubo Castle - Balestrate... Things to Do (1)

Balestrate which is 14 km. far from river Jato, has a simple town-planning based upon orthogonal streets and lots of... more travel advice

Wanna Save Money....? Private Flats then! - Balestrate

Wanna Save Money....? Private Flats... Hotels (2)

Check this website: www.balestratemare.it.... There's an English and a German version of the page... more travel advice

Transportation (1)
Transports in Balestrate and...

Restaurants (1)
Eating next to the Beach!

Travelogues (2)

1 - 2 of 2

Comments (5)

Reply
- Report abuse
balhannah Jul 23, 2009 at 2:41 PM

Hi featured member. Thought I would drop by for a look at your pages! Enjoy your travels, travelling certainly does change the way you look at life.
Reply
- Report abuse
Jerelis Jun 26, 2007 at 1:42 PM

Looks like a well hidden gem. Hope to read and see some more soon. Thanx for sharing.
Reply
- Report abuse
aussiedoug Apr 15, 2006 at 7:50 AM

Since I've watched Il commissariio Montalbano I've wanted to visit Sicilia. so perhaps hopefully, in the future, I will. I'll return to read more of your Siciliano pagine. Ciao.
Reply
- Report abuse
Jasen71 Mar 19, 2006 at 10:58 AM

Hi Marco! nice pages and tips... regards jasen
Reply
- Report abuse
CALSF May 19, 2005 at 7:35 PM

You have a really nice country place, Marco!