Paceco
Discover Paceco, from its historic agricultural roots to its distinctive food traditions, vineyards and coastal salt pans.
History
Founded in 1607 as a planned town under Spanish rule, Paceco stands within a landscape inhabited since prehistory. Archaeological discoveries document early communities and rural settlement, while the town's later history reflects the changing organisation of Sicilian agriculture, from aristocratic estates to cooperatives and modern local government.
Prehistory · The earliest communities
Archaeological discoveries indicate human activity in Paceco's territory from the late Upper Palaeolithic. Stone tools have been found at Sciarotta, Costa Chiappera and along the Baiata valley, while pottery from Grotta Maiorana documents Neolithic activity. Evidence of farming communities appears during the Copper Age. Six Early Bronze Age vessels discovered at Contrada Piano in 1870 are now held by the Museo Pepoli in Trapani. Most finds come from surface surveys rather than excavated contexts, so some dates and interpretations remain uncertain.
9th–2nd centuries BCE · Indigenous and Mediterranean influences
During the first millennium BCE, Paceco's territory lay between indigenous Sicilian communities and the Greek and Phoenician-Punic spheres of western Sicily. Pottery from Verderame suggests activity in the ninth or eighth century BCE and has parallels at Erice and Segesta. Later finds, including those from Timpone Mosca, show indigenous, Greek and Punic influences, indicating rural communities linked to wider Mediterranean networks.
Roman period · Agriculture and rural settlement
The countryside between Drepanum (Trapani) and Lilybaeum (Marsala) supported rural settlement under Roman rule. Finds at Cipponeri suggest a villa, with architectural fragments, coins and a sculpted head identified as Emperor Caracalla. Other surveyed sites point to continuing cultivation and settlement across the territory, rather than the emergence of an urban centre at Paceco.
Medieval period · A landscape of rural settlements
Before the modern town was founded, the area contained scattered rural settlements and possible defensive structures. At Timpone Castellazzo, surveys recorded masonry and flooring associated with a possible medieval fortified building, although its identification remains uncertain. Further medieval material has been found at Verderame and elsewhere in the countryside, within the hinterland of Trapani and Monte San Giuliano (Erice).
9 April 1607 · The foundation of Paceco
Placido Fardella, Marquis of San Lorenzo, received the licentia aedificandi et populandi, permitting him to establish and populate a town on his family's estates south of Trapani. The foundation formed part of a wider programme of rural colonisation in Spanish-ruled Sicily, intended to attract settlers and extend cultivation. Ten days later, Fardella married Maria Pacheco y Mendoza, niece of the Spanish viceroy Juan Fernández Pacheco. Paceco was named in honour of her family.
12 September 1609 · The Principality of Paceco
Placido Fardella received the title Prince of Paceco, strengthening the family's aristocratic standing and formalising its authority over the new settlement. The principality combined noble status with the practical task of attracting inhabitants and bringing surrounding land into cultivation.
Early 17th century · A planned town takes shape
Paceco developed on a regular grid of intersecting streets and residential blocks. Early buildings included the princely residence and the churches of Santa Maria di Portosalvo, the Rosario and San Francesco di Paola. Incentives encouraged families to settle and cultivate the land. By 1623 the town had approximately 590 inhabitants in 160 households. After Placido Fardella's death that year, his son Giovan Francesco continued its development.
Mid-17th century · Population growth and migration
The population reached approximately 1,670 by 1668, sustained largely by migration from Trapani and other Sicilian communities. Historian Francesco Benigno's research shows that migration, rather than natural increase alone, drove this growth. Mortality and changing economic conditions also caused periods of stagnation, revealing the fragility of the new settlement.
1680 · The principality passes to the Sanseverino family
The principality passed to the Sanseverino family through the marriage of Anna Maria Fardella e Gaetani to Luigi Carlo Sanseverino. Paceco remained a predominantly agricultural town, while its principal church and other buildings developed during the following century. Its original street grid continued to define the centre.
1812 · The abolition of feudalism
The abolition of feudalism in Sicily brought an end to the legal order under which Paceco had been founded. Aristocratic jurisdiction changed, but large estates, tenancy and agricultural labour continued to shape local society throughout the nineteenth century.
1901–1915 · The rise of agricultural cooperation
Agricultural workers and smallholders organised to improve their economic position. The Società Agricola Cooperativa, founded on 24 November 1901, had grown to 1,334 members and managed around 1,252 hectares of rented land by 1922. The Cassa Agraria Cooperativa Libertà, established on 4 April 1915, provided rural credit and later developed into the Banca di Credito Cooperativo Senatore Pietro Grammatico. These institutions marked an important shift in local economic and political life.
1965 · The rebuilding of the municipal palace
The municipal palace on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele was demolished in 1965 and replaced by the present building. Its predecessor had been remodelled from an eighteenth-century residence associated with the Sanseverino princes and later acquired by the municipality. The rebuilding significantly changed the appearance of Paceco's main square.
1980–1998 · Archaeological collections and museums
A prehistoric collection was established in the municipal library in 1980, bringing together artefacts from the surrounding territory. In 1998, the Antiquarium of Paceco was established to present the area's archaeological history, from prehistory to the medieval period. The initiatives helped make the results of local archaeological research more accessible.
2025–2026 · UNESCO Biosphere Reserve candidacy
The salt pans of Trapani and Paceco became part of the proposed Saline di Sicilia UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. A promotional committee formed in 2025 to advance recognition under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme. The candidacy progressed through the Italian approval process in 2026, but UNESCO designation remained pending.
Paceco today
Paceco lies immediately south of Trapani and covers approximately 58 square kilometres, from the inland town and agricultural plains to the salt pans around Nubia. With roughly 10,600 inhabitants, it is a separate municipality closely connected to Trapani through employment, services and everyday life.
From a planned settlement to a modern town
The seventeenth-century street grid remains legible in Paceco's centre, where churches, public spaces and civic buildings reflect successive stages of development.
The town expanded beyond its original boundaries during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. New housing, schools and commercial premises accompanied population growth, while postwar rebuilding altered parts of the older centre. Paceco now serves as a residential and service centre for its surrounding countryside.
Population and settlements
The municipality's principal settlements are Paceco, Nubia and Dattilo. The main town is its administrative centre; Nubia lies near the coastal salt pans, while Dattilo occupies a more rural inland setting.
Smaller localities include Castellazzo, Culcasi, Dattilo Soprano, Murana and Verderame, reflecting a dispersed settlement pattern across the countryside.
Geography and landscape
Paceco occupies low plains and gently rising land between Trapani, Monte Erice and the countryside towards Marsala. Fields, vineyards, olive groves and seasonal watercourses shape its inland landscape.
The Baiata stream drains part of the territory. Lago Baiata, also known as Lago di Paceco, is an artificial reservoir associated with twentieth-century flood-control works. Proposals for a public park and improved access around the lake have been developed, but should not be confused with completed facilities.
Near Nubia, the landscape changes to evaporation ponds, canals and wetlands within the Salt Pans of Trapani and Paceco. Much of this working salt-producing landscape is protected by the nature reserve established in 1995 and managed by WWF Italia, which also provides important habitat for birds.
Municipal administration and regional connections
Paceco is an independent comune within the Libero Consorzio Comunale di Trapani, which succeeded the former Province of Trapani. Its administration serves the main town and the smaller settlements across its territory.
It is a founding member of the Unione dei Comuni Elimo-Ericini, established in 2004 to coordinate shared services. The union comprises Buseto Palizzolo, Custonaci, Erice, Paceco, San Vito Lo Capo and Valderice.
Economy & investment
Paceco's economy combines farming, food production, winemaking, salt extraction and local services. Its agricultural businesses operate within the wider Trapani economy, while distinctive crops and the protected coastal landscape support specialist production and visitor activity.
Agriculture and food production
Agriculture remains a central part of Paceco's economy, with vineyards, olive groves, cereal fields and horticultural crops extending across the plains south of Trapani. The municipality forms part of one of Sicily's principal agricultural areas, where viticulture and olive cultivation are important alongside vegetable production. According to ISTAT's 2020 Agricultural Census, vineyards accounted for almost 70% of the province of Trapani's land devoted to permanent crops.
Paceco is particularly associated with specialist agricultural products, including Aglio Rosso di Nubia and the Cartucciaru melon. Both are protected by Slow Food Presidia, which support traditional cultivation methods and help small producers maintain the commercial viability of distinctive local crops. Around Nubia and Dattilo, growers cultivate vegetables, cereals and other crops, with some businesses combining farming, processing and direct sales.
Local enterprises illustrate the diversity of agricultural production. The family-run Paceca farm produces extra-virgin olive oil and operates rural accommodation, while the organic agricultural business of Francesca Simonte in Dattilo produces and markets traditional crops, including Slow Food products. These activities connect agricultural production with food processing, specialist retail and rural hospitality.
Agricultural development is also supported by European and regional programmes for farm modernisation, competitiveness and diversification. Sicily's 2023–2027 rural development programme provides funding for agricultural investment and processing, while PNRR measures have supported the modernisation of machinery and improvements in farming efficiency.
Wine and food businesses
Wine production is an important part of Paceco's commercial economy. Firriato, one of Sicily's established wine producers, has its registered headquarters and winemaking facilities in the municipality, where wines are processed and bottled for domestic and international markets. Founded in the 1980s, the company has expanded its operations beyond western Sicily to include vineyards on Mount Etna and Favignana. Its production combines traditional Sicilian grape varieties with modern winemaking methods, while its international distribution network connects Paceco with markets beyond Italy.
Food processing and distribution also support the local economy. Olive-oil producers, agricultural businesses and specialist food suppliers transform and market products from the surrounding countryside, complementing the municipality's agricultural activities. These enterprises range from family-run businesses selling directly to consumers to larger companies supplying regional and international markets.
Salt production and the coastal economy
Traditional salt production continues around Nubia, where seawater passes through evaporation basins before harvesting. The protected landscape also supports guided visits, environmental education and heritage tourism, linking an established industry with conservation.
Public investment and infrastructure
Public investment in Paceco focuses on improving municipal infrastructure, public buildings and essential services. The municipality's 2025–2027 public works programme includes the restoration of a property confiscated from organised crime in Via Castelvetrano, improvements to the Giovanni XXIII primary school and plans for a new nursery school. These projects form part of a wider programme of investment in public facilities and community services, supported in part by funding from Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
Infrastructure projects include measures to reduce hydrogeological risk at Rocche Malummeri, alongside road safety and drainage improvements in Paceco and Nubia. Investment in public lighting has also continued, with a contract awarded in 2026 for energy-efficiency improvements and extensions to the municipal lighting network.
The public works programme also includes improvements to recreational facilities, including a new playground in the municipal gardens. Together, these investments address the needs of Paceco's residential communities while improving the safety and functionality of its public infrastructure.
Culture & traditions
Religious festivals, ceremonial foods and local associations remain important to community life in Paceco and its surrounding settlements. Several traditions reflect the relationship between religious observance and the agricultural calendar.
Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
Santa Caterina d'Alessandria is Paceco's patron saint, celebrated on 25 November with religious observances that include a procession through the town. Local tradition links the devotion to the Fardella family, although its origins are uncertain. The Bishop of Trapani formally confirmed Santa Caterina as patron saint in 1984.
The Invito di San Giuseppe
The feast of San Giuseppe on 19 March is marked in Paceco, Dattilo and Nubia by the Ammitu, or Invito di San Giuseppe. Families prepare decorated altars and symbolic breads, and offer a ritual meal to three people representing Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The custom brings together religious devotion, hospitality and communal food preparation.
Community life and local heritage
Religious associations, cooperatives and social clubs have long contributed to local life. Paceco also has a tradition of historical and cultural research, notably the Paceco publications of Edizioni La Koinè della Collina, which record the town's history, dialect and customs.
Food, wine & landscape
Paceco's countryside and coast produce some of western Sicily's distinctive foods, from red garlic and traditional melons to salt and wine. Dattilo is especially known for its cannoli, while the Baiata valley and the coastal wetlands reveal contrasting sides of the municipality's landscape.
Aglio Rosso di Nubia
Traditionally cultivated in the dark, clay-rich soils around Nubia, Aglio Rosso di Nubia is known for its reddish cloves and strong flavour. A Slow Food Presidium supports its cultivation, including the practice of braiding dried bulbs into long plaits. It is also a key ingredient in pesto alla trapanese, made with tomatoes, almonds, basil and olive oil.
The Cartucciaru melon
The Cartucciaru is a traditional winter melon with an elongated shape, yellow skin and pale flesh, valued for keeping well after harvest. Its cultivation declined as commercial varieties spread, but local growers recovered traditional seeds. A Slow Food Presidium now supports its preservation.
Traditional onion varieties
Paceco is also associated with two traditional onion varieties, the Dolce di Paceco and Amara di Paceco. Both have been studied by researchers at the University of Palermo as part of a programme to preserve Sicily’s agricultural biodiversity. The varieties are particularly valued for their ability to be stored without refrigeration, while the Amara di Paceco is also distinguished by its relatively small bulbs.
The cannoli of Dattilo
Dattilo is renowned for large cannoli with crisp pastry shells and generous fillings of sheep's milk ricotta. The ricotta is traditionally less finely worked and less sweetened than in many other versions. Filled shortly before serving, the pastries have become a particular attraction of this inland village.
Wine and the agricultural countryside
Vineyards, olive groves, cereal fields and farm buildings define much of Paceco's inland countryside. Wine production forms part of the wider Trapani tradition; producers such as Firriato link local vineyards and businesses to markets across Sicily and beyond.
The Baiata valley and inland landscape
The Baiata stream and its tributaries cross cultivated plains and low hills before draining towards the coast. Lago Baiata is an artificial reservoir built for flood protection. Plans for a park around the lake, revisited in 2025, envisage walking and cycling routes and recreational space, but the project has not been confirmed as completed.
The salt pans and coastal wetlands
Around Nubia, shallow salt basins, embankments and traditional windmills form a distinctive coastal landscape. Salt harvesting continues within the protected Riserva Naturale Orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco, an important habitat for migratory birds and salt-tolerant vegetation. The area is also included in the proposed Saline di Sicilia UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Sources & further reading
The following sources provide the historical, archaeological and contemporary evidence used to document Paceco, its development, agricultural traditions and surrounding landscape. They include academic research, institutional publications and local historical studies.