Just outside the fascinating city of Trapani, following the coast road towards Marsala, lie the remarkable Trapani’s salt pans and Marsala’s salt pans with their windmills, white salt dunes and flocks of migratory birds. Here wind, sun and sea have been used, since ancient times, in the cultivation of salt, that today is still collected using centuries-old methods. Sea water, once transported by windmills, is carried via a system of channels to large tubs where the water evaporates leaving a deposit of sodium chloride. According to the time of year there are various itineraries offering the chance to observe the different phases of salt production or an infinity of rare birds and plants. The beauty of Trapani’s and Marsala’s salt pans is best seen at sunset, when sea and sky are tinged with red while the sun slowly and silently disappears behind the Egadi islands. If you decide to book a villa near Trapani’s and Marsala’s salt pans, don’t miss a guided tour of the Ettore e Infersa salt pans (booking only), a visit to the Salt Museum or a boat trip around the nearby Stagnone reserve and the island of Mothia.