Trapani, Sicily?

We just yesterday returned from a 10 day family trip to Sicily and will be providing a short trip report but the succinct answer to your question is Ragusa Ibla. It is utterly charming, a good location from which to base day trips in the South, and full of extremely friendly people and wonderful food. I am told that many people miss the town entirely, which means it should not be laden with tourist (but as I traveled in the off season when there were few tourists, I cannot vouch for that). If you are traveling in warmer months, I understand nearby Ragusa Marina has marvelous beaches.

Of course, Ragusa is all the way across the island in the SE corner. In that area the hilltop town of Erice is the star, and we liked the Greeek ruins at Selinunte, but that is about an hour south of Trapani. Good luck !

As charming and interesting as Ragusa Ibla is, it unfortunately is not the answer to the question asked by poss. Because her cruise ship will be calling at Trapani, she needs to confine her travels to sites near Trapani which can be visited as a daytrip. Ragusa Ibla is clear across the Island to the east!!

Fortunately, there are numerous things to see around Trapani that will easily exceed the time available.

Firstly, the old town of Trapani itself, just one block from where the cruise ships docks. In particular, the Church of Purgatorio, with its wonderful carved pieces on the Passion of Christ, a truly exceptional work of artistry from the 18th Century.

Just south of Trapani (31 kilometers and 31 minutes by train) is the city of Marsala, with its unique Archeological Museum (relic of a Punic Warship from the 2nd Century B.C., unique on Earth), its Garibaldi Museum (he began his military conquest of Southern Italy from here), and its 8 stunning Flemish Tapestries, a gift of Charles V of Spain.

But wait ... there's more: 30 kilometers and 40 minutes from Trapani by bus are the Greek Temple and Greek Amphitheatre at Segesta, one of the best preserved and most stunning on Earth!! Watch Lina Wertmuller's film "Blood Feud" (Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Giancarlo Giannini) for a great preview.

Even closer to Trapani, 15 kilometers and another 35 minutes by bus, is the medieval hill-town of Erice, with its stupendous views over Trapani, the northern coastline, and the Egadi Islands.

Offshore, the small island of Levanzo (30 minutes by hydrofoil) has the prehistoric Grotto of the Genovese, with its painted figures. One hour by hydrofoil from Trapani is the larger island of Marettimo, wonderful for hiking.