The Stunning Valley of the Temples in Agrigento,Sicily

February 16-18, 2025

After our relaxing stay in Cefalu, we headed to our next destination: Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples. Rather than navigate the inconvenience of the Sunday train schedule, we opted to splurge on a private driver to take us via Sicily’s interior. It was a pleasant ride and an opportunity to enjoy the island’s natural landscape. We arrived in Agrigento before noon, giving us time to check-in, grab a light lunch and head to the Valley of the Temples.

At first sight, the valley is vast and overwhelming. As we wondered where to begin, a woman approached us and asked if we were interested in an English-language tour. Elizabeth was an official guide and the fee was $20 euros each plus our entry fee. We agreed immediately and the three of us had Elizabeth to ourselves. She was informative and delightfully fun. The tour lasted almost three hours and the time flew, because she entertained us the entire time. In addition to ancient history, she shared mythological stories and tidbits of Sicilian culture. She taught us the meaning of several Sicilian gestures and shared her enthusiasm for Sicilian cuisine, especially “Pasta alla Norma.)

Experienced in utilizing the stunning backdrops, Elizabeth took several photos of us. At the temple of Heracles, she produced props and insisted that we stage a wedding ceremony with Betty as the high priestess and Bill and me as the happy couple.

We enjoyed Elizabeth’s tour so much that we hired her to take us on a walking tour of Agrigento’s town center the next day. Most tourists only come for the temples, so a visit to town is a true local experience. We had coffee with city hall workers taking a quick break and were invited to pop into a matinee variety show at the Pirandello Theatre, because Elizabeth knew the director. Such personal touches really made our day.

Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936), a 1934 Nobel Prize winner was a native of Agrigento.

Ancient Agrigento was the third largest of the Greek city states, after Athens and Syracuse, with a population of 200,000. Today, the city of Agrigento has a population of 60,000. The contrast between the grandeur of the amazingly well-preserved temples and the humble backstreets of town is striking. The population has dwindled due to limited economic opportunities for the younger generation.

Agrigento has been named the Italian Cultural Capital of 2025. I recommend a visit. There are a few nice hotels in the city near the train station and some restaurants and pizzerias. There are also a number of small bed and breakfasts in the valley itself. Consider all of your options when planning a visit. More remote places have magical views, but less easy access to food.

We stayed for two nights at Panoramica dei Templi B and B. It is located about halfway between the city and the Valley of the Temples. The room was clean and comfortable and our terrace had a great view of the temples, especially at night. The staff was friendly. A good breakfast was included, although the breakfast room lacked ambience. The restaurant downstairs (Trattoria dei Templi) was closed during our stay. We walked to Terrazza degli Dei for fine dining with a great view of the temples.

From our lodging it was over a mile uphill walk to town and buses didn’t seem to run very often. The distance to the temples was over a mile as well and we chose to take a taxi to the park entrance, thus saving our time and energy for the sites. There is plenty of parking at the park for those who drive.

After our two night stay, we took the train to Palermo for five nights in Sicily’s capital. Look for my next post!

Thank you for reading. Geri