The name Álcamo comes from the Arabic word „Manzil Alquama“, which can be translated in two different ways: some say, it means: „station of the lotus fruits”. The other translation would be “homestead of the poisonous water melons”.
Today Álcamo is a big agricultural centre of the isle. Situated exactly between Palermo and Trapani, wine and corn are grown here. The town belongs to the province Trapani.
The Piazza Ciullo d’Alcamo is named after the correspondent poet who lived at the time of Frederick II and marks the centre of the town. Here you also find the church Sant Ólivia. Other sights are the Chiesa Matrice, the Benedictine church and a castle which is used as a prison today.