Castle of Baida

Arriving in the hamlet of Balata di Baida, at the foot of Mount Sparagio about twelve kilometers from Castellammare, one is amazed by the landscape immersed in rural nature with the sea on the horizon. The hamlet, since the late 1200s following the Sicilian Vespers, came under the control of the barony of the Passaneto family, active in the revolt against the Angevins. Here is the Castle of Baida, a beautiful complex built in stone, whose oldest nucleus could date back to the Arab era; Baida would indeed derive from “al bayda,” meaning white. Not far from the current castle is the Rocca Bianca, which from the time of Frederick until 1846 was under the control of Monte San Giuliano (now Erice). The first construction nucleus of the castle dates back to the late 1200s, but it was only in 1393 that it was listed among the castles of Sicily. The castle, restored in the 1500s, was transformed into a farmhouse. Through the portal, you enter a quadrangular courtyard, surrounded by houses, once dwellings, stables, and warehouses. Two towers are still visible, one octagonal and the other quadrangular, as well as the remains of a small church dedicated to Saint Anne. If you manage to gain access by prior reservation, you can see a fresco of the Madonna of Trapani.