★ 37 Riserva naturale orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco (トラーパニおよびパチェーコ塩田自然保護区)

The salt pans extend along the western Sicilian coast south of Trapani, occupying a flat coastal plain that forms part of an important coastal wetland system in western Sicily. Individual basins are arranged in a patchwork pattern between Trapani and Paceco, separated by narrow embankments and supplied with seawater through an artificial system of inlets and canals. Water movement within the complex traditionally relied on wind-powered pumps, whose tower mills remain a characteristic visual feature of the landscape, pumping water between the basins and, historically, powering the grinding of salt.
The terrain consists of shallow, highly saline basins shaped by repeated cycles of flooding and evaporation. These conditions reflect the geomorphological context of western Sicily, where low tidal ranges, coastal sedimentation, and human engineering have long favoured salt extraction. The reserve as designated today covers around 1,000 hectares, though the broader salt-working landscape extends beyond the formal boundaries and includes both active and disused basins.
Historically, the saltworks extended closer to the centre of Trapani than they do today. During the 19th century, major coastal engineering works on the southern side of the Trapani peninsula altered the configuration of the shoreline and reduced the northern extent of the salt basins. The construction of the Colombaia breakwater in 1896—built using 50-ton concrete blockwork, the earliest documented use of this technique in Italy—marked the beginning of the area’s transformation from a shallow, marsh-bordered coast into the modern Port of Trapani. The remaining salt pans now occupy a continuous stretch of coastline between Trapani and Paceco.

Early salt production

Salt extraction along the coast around Trapani is widely regarded as having very ancient origins. Local historical accounts and interpretive materials describe how the first salt pans in the area were probably created by the Phoenicians, taking advantage of the low, flat coastline, the high salinity of the sea and the hot, dry summers of southwestern Sicily. Regional geological documentation similarly notes that salt harvesting in the Trapani and Paceco area "probably" dates back around 3,000 years, to the time of the Phoenicians, and continues today using largely artisanal methods.
The first clear written description of the Trapani saltworks dates to the 12th century. The Arab geographer al-Idrīsī, writing in 1154, records a large salt pan extending from the outskirts of Trapani to the slopes of Mount Erice, indicating that by the Norman period the coastal flats south of the town were already organised for salt production. By the late Middle Ages, the salt industry around Trapani had become a significant economic resource for the town and its harbour, laying the foundations for the later expansion of trade in sea salt from western Sicily.

Peak industrial period

From the early modern period onwards the salt pans of Trapani expanded significantly under successive Spanish and Bourbon administrations. Accounts of the history of the saline note that between the 16th and 18th centuries the industry grew to become one of the most important economic sectors in western Sicily, supported by the region’s climate, the sheltered coastal basins and increasing demand for sea salt across the Mediterranean. During this period many of the evaporation ponds still visible today were constructed or enlarged, giving shape to the characteristic grid of basins…

Salt production at Trapani and Paceco follows a traditional system based on the natural evaporation of seawater. The process begins by drawing water from the coast into wide, shallow intake basins, where the sun and wind initiate the first stage of evaporation. From here the increasingly concentrated brine is moved through a sequence of progressively smaller ponds, each designed to raise salinity step by step as minerals precipitate out of solution.
The movement of water between basins was historically controlled by a network of canals, wooden sluices and wind-driven pumps. The distinctive tower mills that still stand throughout the saline were used both to regulate water levels and, in some cases, to grind the harvested salt. Although mechanical pumps are now employed in parts of the complex, several basins continue to operate using traditional methods, maintaining the characteristic appearance of the working landscape.
Harvesting takes place in summer, when the final crystallisation ponds produce a compact layer of salt that is raked into mounds and left to drain before storage. The resulting sea salt is valued for its purity and for the slow, low-impact production process that preserves many of the techniques used in the saline for centuries.

The salt pans of Trapani and Paceco form one of the most important wetland systems in western Sicily. The shallow, highly saline basins, along with the network of canals and embankments, create a mosaic of habitats that support specialised plant communities and large numbers of waterbirds throughout the year. The area is recognised for its ecological significance at both national and international level, forming part of a wider coastal corridor used by migratory species crossing the central Mediterranean.

Fauna

The saline are especially noted for their birdlife, attracting both resident species and large numbers of migrants. Waders and waterbirds such as black-winged stilts, avocets, herons and egrets are regular breeders, while the basins also provide feeding habitat for shelducks, gulls and terns. In recent decades the reserve has become known for the increasing presence of the greater flamingo, which uses the ponds as a stopover and, in some years, as a breeding site.
During migration periods the pans support substantial flocks of shorebirds moving between Africa and Europe, and in winter they serve as an important refuge for ducks and other waterfowl. This seasonal concentration of species is one of the reasons the site is listed as a Ramsar wetland of international importance.

Flora and vegetation
Vegetation within the saline is dominated by halophytic, or salt-tolerant, species adapted to the extreme conditions of the evaporation ponds. Among the most characteristic plants are glassworts (Salicornia spp.), saltbushes (Atriplex spp.), and the rare sea marigold (Calendula maritima), a species endemic to western Sicily and closely associated with coastal saline habitats. These communities help stabilise the embankments and provide feeding and resting areas for…