Mazara del Vallo: Home of the Dancing Satyr

Mazara del Vallo, an ancient Phoenician settlement at the mouth of the Màzaro River, reached its peak splendor under Arab and Norman rule. Today, it stands as Sicily’s most important deep-sea fishing hub and one of the most prominent in Italy. Highlights include the historic old town, the vibrant canal port flanked by the Norman church of San Nicolò Regale, the Cathedral (originally 9th century, rebuilt in 1694) and the Civic Museum. Not to be missed is the Dancing Satyr, a breathtaking bronze statue recovered from the Sicilian Channel—an extraordinary example of Classical or Hellenistic Greek art depicting a mythological follower of Dionysus, now housed in the museum that bears its name.