An uninhabited village set in a paleolithic cave, where time seems to stand still. We are in Sicily, in the province of Trapani. And here is one of the most particular views of Western Sicily. This is because Mangiapane is not a village in the true sense of the word, but it is one of the caves of the Caves of Scurati, in Custonaci, inhabited since the mists of time.

High 70 meters and deep 50, the Mangiapane cave was "discovered" by our ancestors in the Upper Paleolithic. The first studies were conducted by the Marquis Guido Dalla Rosa in 1870 and Raimond Vaufrey in 1925. And in addition to rock finds, here were found teeth and bones of animals, worked flints and obsidian, now preserved in the museums Pepoli of Trapani and the Tower of Ligny, as well as in Paris.

This prehistoric refuge was transformed into a micro-village in the nineteenth century and was inhabited until the early 50s by Mangiapane, a Sicilian family of farmers and fishermen who built small houses inside the cave but also a stable for animals, a wood-burning oven and a chapel. In short, the essentials to lead a simple life in front of the breathtaking view of the Gulf of Erice.

The houses of Mangiapane have been restored. But in this cave everything has remained as it was a century ago, allowing visitors to go back in time and learn about the daily life of the villagers, starting from the ancient work tools. In short, a living museum of trades, open from April to November, from 10 to 19 at a cost of 3 euros.

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