The town of Salemi, photographed, is a gem in western Sicily. Not only does it boast a very cool castle that dates back to Arab times, but, in addition to a remarkable St. Joseph’s Day feast tradition, its civic museum is outstanding. Before I tell you more about that, I must mention the busiate pasta festival and that my favorite sheep farm/cheese maker is also just outside of town… But I digress (Oh, and Salemi was the first official capital of Italy in 1860… even if just for a day!).

What I wanted to highlight, however, is that in the town museum, which is actually four+ museums in one building, there is the most outstanding anti-mafia exhibition that you will find in all of Sicily (IMHO). I’m not one to push people towards seeking out la Cosa Nostra; however, it is a subject that holds much curiosity for tourists, and if you want to discuss it in an intelligent, engaging manner, the Salemi museum fosters an excellent opportunity to do so. Your heart and mind will be changed forever once you have witnessed the provoking message of the Salemi Mafia Museum.