Location Guide
About Salemi and our Studio
Salemi Ceramics is located in the old town of Salemi, Sicily. Salemi is a charming town located on top of a hill, just 55 minutes from Palermo city and 45 minutes from Palermo Airport. It’s a beautiful place with cobblestoned, narrow streets in the Old Town, perfect for a leisurely stroll. The town has a relaxed vibe, especially during siesta from 1 to 4 pm, when everything slows down. Sundays are particularly quiet and slow, with one supermarket open until 1:30 pm.
Outside the Old Town, Salemi has steep streets that are best for capable walkers. This adds to its unique character. Whether you're wandering the charming alleyways or taking in the beautiful hilltop views, Salemi offers a delightful mix of history, charm, and tranquility.
Salemi Ceramics Studio is based in the (former) Chiostro Di Sant’Agostino in Salemi, you'll find us here:
Here is a link to Google Maps that shows precisely where the Convent is.
So… what is Salemi really like? Is there anything to do apart from doing ceramics?
Salemi is a pretty quiet town, but has everything you will need for the week. We live here so it has just about everything we need! There is an increasing number of expats who are purchasing houses here in Salemi to live in so they can also testify to it’s charm, community, and relaxed lifestyle. You’ll see why it was voted as one of the ‘Borghi più belli d’Italia’ (the most beautiful towns in Italy).
It’s also really well located to cities like Trapani and Marsala, and close to some our favourite sites and beaches like Segesta Archaeological Park, Selinunte Archaeological Park and beach, Scopello, and Castellammare del Golfo if you’re planning on exploring before or after joining us.
There are no car hire facilities in Salemi, so if you need a car, your best option is to hire from Trapani or Palermo airports depending on your arrival and plans.
Everything you will need is reachable on foot, we think the furthest you’ll need to walk, depending on where you are staying) is 20 minutes.
Salemi is made up of cobblestones (careful when it’s wet, they're slippery), lots of uphill and downhill walking, and stairs. Expect your accommodation to have stairs as well, lots of accommodation is over 2 or 3 levels. We can’t think of any accommodation that has an elevator.
There are 2 supermarkets, numerous bars open from early in the morning - most close for lunch but stay open in the evening.
In terms of eating out options if you want to do your own thing while you are here - Jolly Pizza, Burger House, Palazzo Monroy and Kuddura. Tazze Pazze is great for an aperitivo after studio finishes as well.
Salemi is not known for it’s bountiful shopping options, however, you will be able to buy local products and handicrafts, there is one small clothing shop, a stationery shop and other small locally owned shops on the main street of Via Amendola.
For power adaptors and chargers you will need to go down to the ‘new town’ to Bonura for those which is about a 20 minute walk downhill, so if you are not up for that, please bring everything you need.
There are a couple of great hikes you can do from the historical centre with amazing views of Salemi - just ask us, including one to Mokarta an archaeological site.
Accommodation
***Important***
Before securing your accommodation, please reach out to us so we can advise you on whether it is suitable and located within a short distance of our Studio or the Old Town.
We strongly recommend you source accommodation in the Old town, as this will make it easy for you to be on foot for the week - walking to and from the Studio and also back to your accommodation after dinner will make your life easy.
Feel free to reach out to us for recommendations or more information about these accommodations. We’d love to help you!
Some of the closest accommodations are listed below. You can find more on Booking.com or Airbnb.com.
Stay with our friends! Click the name of the accommodation to see it.
If you want to stay close to the Studio, this accommodation is literally just around the corner and a 6-minute walk away from Piazza Libertà. It is a great accommodation for those who want to stay in the heart of Salemi's Old Town.
Located at a 4-minute walk from Piazza Libertà and a 5-minute walk from our Studio. Offering spacious, neatly furnished apartments. The owner is very attentive and caring.
This accommodation is a 6-minute walk from Piazza Libertà and a 13-minute walk from our Studio. It features three spacious apartments, each equipped with a well-appointed kitchen, bathroom, dining area, and bedroom.
A 5-minute walk from Piazza Libertà and an 11-minute walk from our studio, this accommodation offers two options: a room with a double bed and another room with two single beds. Both rooms share one bathroom, making it ideal for friends or family attending a course together. This lovely place is run by our local friends.
Dal Barone Rooms is a 7-minute walk from Piazza Libertà and a 13-minute walk from our Studio, similarly like the previous accommodation Halicia Vacanze. The rooms are spacious and have been recently renovated. Each unit features a well-equipped kitchen and a private bathroom, along with a balcony that offers stunning mountain views.
Conveniently located just a 3-minute walk from Piazza Libertà and a 10-minute walk from our Studio. This accommodation offers spacious, modern rooms with fully equipped kitchens, private bathrooms, and balconies with stunning views.
Only a minute walk from Piazza Libertà and a 9-minute walk from our Studio. Each accommodation offers stylish, well-furnished spaces with private bathrooms and kitchens.
You might be a bit surprised that we’ve listed this accommodation, for obvious reasons, it’s a bit far from Salemi’s Old Town. The great news is that the operators have come up with a fantastic solution for our students. They offer included rides between the accommodation and Piazza Libertà. Plus, every Salemi Ceramics student gets a discount, just don’t forget to mention it when you book your spot!
If you look at this map below, anywhere here will be ok to stay.
In addition to the accommodations mentioned above, there are other options on Booking.com and Airbnb which are suitable.
The further you are away from the Red Point on the map, the further the walk will be. The historic old town is on the right hand side of this map, and the left hand side is the newer town.
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