The Casbah is the old Arab quarter of Mazara del Vallo, dating from the centuries when the town was an important outpost of Arab Sicily. Today it is home to a large Tunisian community — the largest outside Tunisia — and the streets feel genuinely different from the rest of the island: there are halal butchers, North African pastry shops, and the sound of Arabic.
Walking the tight alleyways is the main activity. The quarter is compact but atmospheric, and best explored without a map. A handful of mosques and small hammams sit alongside Norman churches. The Piazza della Repubblica, just outside the Casbah, is surrounded by Baroque buildings and the cathedral, making for a striking contrast with the Arab streets immediately behind it.