Valderice ( Sicilian: ''Valdèrici'') is a town and ''

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

'' in North-Western

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, administratively part of the

province of Trapani The province of Trapani (; ; officially ''libero consorzio comunale di Trapani'') is a Provinces of Italy, province in the autonomous island region of Sicily, Italy. Following the suppression of the Sicilian provinces, it was replaced in 2015 by ...

. The city is located in the inland, close to the provincial capital city of

Trapani Trapani ( ; ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') with 54,887 inhabitants, on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an important fishing port and the mai ...

, but includes also a seaside ''

frazione A ''frazione'' (: ''frazioni'') is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' ('municipality') in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidat ...

'', Bonagia, in its territory. Previously called Paparella, the comune was created following the division of the comune of

Monte San Giuliano Erice (; ) is a (municipality) contiguous with the provincial capital Trapani, in western Sicily. Its historic core occupies the site of the ancient city of Eryx, one of the most significant archaeological and religious centres in pre-Roman w ...

, which had contained

Erice Erice (; ) is a (municipality) contiguous with the provincial capital Trapani, in western Sicily. Its historic core occupies the site of the ancient city of Eryx, one of the most significant archaeological and religious centres in pre-Roman w ...

Custonaci Custonaci ( Sicilian: ''Custunaci'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Trapani, north-Western Sicily, southern Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western E ...

and

Buseto Palizzolo Buseto Palizzolo ( Sicilian: ''Palazzolu'') is a town and ''comune'' in North-Western Sicily, Italy, administratively part of the province of Trapani The province of Trapani (; ; officially ''libero consorzio comunale di Trapani'') is a Provin ...

, as well as Valderice. It is the chief comune of the five Elimo-ericini communi and the most populous of them; it is the eighth most populous comune in the province. Valderice contains several scenic areas: hills, wooded areas, beaches, sea-cliffs, and countryside. There are three beach resorts: Bonagia, Lido Valderice, and Rio Forgia beach.

History

The history of Valderice is connected to that of

Monte Erice Monte Erice, or ancient Greek Mount Eryx, is a mountain of Sicily, in the province of Trapani. Location The mountain is to the east of Trapani and encompasses an area of 18.3 km2. The Lenzi River has its source on the mountain. The city ...

, since the population moved from there to the fertile valleys of the mountain, establishing settlements like S. Marco, Ragosia, Misericordia, S. Andrea, Bonagia, Casalbianco, Crocci, Chiesanuova, Lenzi, Fico e Crocevie. With the end of

Fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

in 1943, the socialist Gaspare di Vita was elected mayor at

He did not resolve the controversy then raging about the position of Erice as the chief settlement of the area. However, after the

1946 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1946. Africa * French legislative election, November 1946 (French Equatorial Africa) * French legislative election, November 1946 (Guinea) * 1946–1947 Moyen-Congo Representative Council election * ...

, a left wing administration was formed and the question of Erice's position was reopened and the various

frazioni A ''frazione'' (: ''frazioni'') is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' ('municipality') in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidat ...

renewed their calls for autonomy. San Vito Lo Capo, Buseto Palizzolo, and Custonaci were the first to receive administrative autonomy. On 28 January 1955, San Marco, Peparella and the neighbouring frazioni were split off in order to form the comune of Paparella-San Marco, which was renamed Valderice on 25 January 1958. Municipalities of the Province of Trapani {{Sicily-geo-stub