Southern Italy - Pt. 6 - Marsala

We wanted to see the west coast of Sicily, so we used Marsala as our jumping off point. Another delightful town with a vibrant centro storico. Passegiata is real here and fun to do. The Arab influence is evident in the architecture and much to explore around the city. Our hotel was the Grand Hotel across from the marina http://www.grandhotelpalace.eu/en/ . Some have said it may be too far out of town. We disagree. The walk to the town center was just right for us but being on the sea and close to the boats was lovely. The grounds of the hotel are well appointed and relaxing as well. The staff were friendly and helpful with all of our needs and questions from an extra espresso to cultural curiosities.
An added bonus is that two of the wineries that made the most sense to visit are literally within walking distance. We were there during the off season, so appointments were required. The one we visited was Donnafugata Winery https://visit.donnafugata.it/it-it/visitaci-marsala. They have vineyards all over Sicily, but their home is Marsala. They have an amazing partnership with a famous Sicilian artist who captures the spirit of the wines beautifully. The other winery is a conglomerate where the Marsala part of the business is in Marsala, but you can experience their other products (I do enjoy a good Corvo Rosato!) as well. Cantine Florio https://www.duca.it/florio/ Duca, Corvo & Florio.
We took a daytrip to the Motzia/Motya Salt Flats following the road along the coast to get there. Local villas dot the shore and small boats are moored and ready for adventures to the Egadi Islands. The salt flats themselves are amazing to see. While the harvesting is more for show now, the salt itself is still used locally.
Our other day trip was to visit the Asaro farm. This is our favorite olive oil – Partanna – which is produced in Sicily and can be imported. The Asaro family uses the Motzia salt to cure their olives. With a great attention to detail, the care and attention they place on the quality of their olives and their relationships with local olive farmers was an honor to behold during harvest. We will never forget this touching experience and have great respect for the family’s hospitality during a very busy time for them. The factory is very near Selinute, another amazing site of Greek domination during a previous time.
Back in Marsala, because it was close, we were delighted to enjoy a simple meal at Il Vecchio Molo Bistrot - Via Vincenzo Florio 2 which is right on the water. As our Italian got better, this was a real treat to see Italian families come through, grabbing a bite. The family owners take great care and pride in producing excellent food for a great value. And we watched the sun go down over the sea and the islands during our dinner.