Riserva naturale orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco, Salt production reserve in Trapani, Italy.
The Saline di Trapani e Paceco is a protected reserve featuring salt ponds, channels, and windmills spread across flat terrain between two towns. The site remains actively used for salt production, with seawater pumped through a series of connected basins until salt crystals form.
Salt production in this region began in ancient times under the Phoenicians and developed further under Arab and Norman rule. Medieval rulers recognized its economic value and made salt production a royal monopoly that shaped the region for centuries.
The salt ponds shape the local landscape with geometric basins and old windmills that define the view across the flat terrain. Visitors can observe workers using techniques passed down through generations to harvest and process salt.
A visitor center housed in a restored mill provides information to help you understand the site. A visit works best during cooler months when the flat terrain is easier to explore.
The patchwork of salt ponds attracts thousands of migrating birds that stop here to rest and feed, especially during migration seasons. This wildlife richness earned international recognition as a wetland of global importance for biodiversity.
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