Balestrate – directly by the sea

Balestrate lies directly by the sea in western Sicily: a lively village with a long sandy beach, a lungomare and a church right in the middle of the village centre.

The village lives from the sea – fishermen at the small harbour in the morning, beach days on two beaches, and evenings with pizza, gelato and a glass of wine on the piazza. In the following sections you will find our favourite places for food and treats.

Two beaches, one sea

Balestrate lives by the sea – and you stay right in the middle of it. Fine sand, shallow crystal-clear water and the green hills of the Gulf of Castellammare in the background.

The main beach

The main beach of Balestrate stretches for more than 20 kilometres of fine sand all the way to Castellammare del Golfo. It shelves gently, is perfect for children, and in summer you will find lidos and beach bars along the promenade.

The beach towards Trapeto

If you prefer it quieter, walk towards Trapeto: a more natural stretch of beach with plenty of space – and often nothing but the sound of the waves for company.

Food & drink

You eat wonderfully well in Balestrate – and without tourist traps. Fish, pizza, gelato and a glass of wine in the evening: here are a few of our favourite places.

Pizzeria TerraMia
The award-winning pizzeria of the village. If you are looking for the best pizza in the area, you will find it here – crispy, honest, and worth coming back for twice a week.
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Cavalluccio Marino – Gelateria Naturale
One of the best gelaterias in Italy, right in Balestrate: natural ice cream with no artificial anything, new flavours every day. Try one – or two.
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Fish restaurants
Sapori di Mare, La Perla, Da Giovanni – here you get the catch of the day, often straight from the harbour: grilled fish, pasta ai frutti di mare, honest home cooking.
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The piazza
The lively centre with its historic church and bars all around – the best spot for an aperitivo when the evening sun turns the village golden.

Up-to-date restaurant tips and honest reviews: Restaurant Guru ↗

Sweets from the bakery

The village bakeries are full of Sicilian treats: cannoli, cassatelle, almond pastries. Get up early – the best ones are gone by late morning.

Panificio da Nanà
A must-visit: since 1978 this family bakery has been baking bread in a wood-fired oven, alongside traditional dolci and biscuits – all handmade, fresh every day.
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Sfincione
The local pizza-like specialty: a fluffy focaccia topped with tomato, onions, anchovies and cheese – a classic of the Palermo tradition, fresh from the oven at Nanà.
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Bar del Golfo
Cannoli, granita and everything else Italian bar culture does best – perfect for an afternoon sweet break.
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Bar Paradise
Another good stop when you fancy something sweet – best explored one pastry at a time.
Bar Lume
Known for excellent sweets – well worth a try, we promise.
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Arancini
A must-try: stuffed rice balls, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. The name comes from arancia, the orange their shape and colour recall – filled with ragù and mozzarella, or ham and mozzarella. Available in every bar, at any time of day.
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And that is only the beginning: Balestrate has plenty more bars to explore – for cornetti at breakfast, or arancini any time of day.

Getting here: two airports, under an hour

Balestrate is conveniently located between the two airports of western Sicily: Palermo airport (PMO) is about 45 minutes away by car, Trapani airport (TPS) around 40 minutes – both easily reached via the A29 motorway. Your holiday starts with the journey here.

Impressions

Third-party photos: Wikimedia Commons – all credits on the page Photo credits ↗