Erice
Erice was an ancient Greek and Phoenician settlement,
secured 751 metres high on the mountain of the same name. It is crowned
with a triangular shaped plateau, forming a perfect viewpoint above the
sea.
The town was, and still is surrounded by old walls and bastions and has
a labyrinth of extremely narrow cobbled streets. The terraces houses have
pretty internal courtyards, alsomst hidden from view.
In ancient times, Erice was known for its temple where the Phoenicians worshipped Astarte, the Greeks worshipped Aphrodite and the Romans worshipped Venus. The fame of the Erice Venus became so important that a temple was built for her in Rome and the cult of Venus spread all over the Mediterranean.
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