Agrigento is known for the ruins of the ancient city of Akragas in the Valley of the Temples, a vast archaeological site with well-preserved Greek temples. On the modern city’s outskirts is the Museo Archeologico Regionale ‘Pietro Griffo’, with artifacts and a telamon (giant male figure). West lies Scala dei Turchi, a stepped white cliff overlooking sandy beaches.
Knowing we were hiring a car for this trip we packed our sat nav and having the European maps on there it was fairly easy to navigate our way across Sicily.
We took the most direct route from Syracuse on the A19 through the centre of Sicily and dropping down to Agrigento. Directions can be found here The journey in total took about 2 1/2 hrs. I must admit the scenery on route was spectacular.
On our way back to Syracuse we opted for a more coastal route but before heading back we went a bit further up the coast to visit the Scala dei Turchi before heading back to Syracuse. Our homeward directions can be found here.
Parking is permitted in the official car parks of the Temple of Hera Lacinia (Juno), Gate V and the Pietro Griffo Regional Museum of Archaeology, located opposite the Entrance/Ticket Office – Hellenistic Theatre. Camper vans and vans are permitted only in the Gate V car park.
Open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00; from 15:00 to 19:00 Entrance to Juno’s ticket office
All tickets are subject to visitor numbers and booking is recommended, however we didn’t book on the day we visited but we did wait in a queue to get in so arrive early to get the best out of your visit.
Akragas and the valley of the temples was only re-discovered around the 18th century when the first European travellers arrived in Sicily. The natural landscape surrounded by fragrant trees and looking over the Ionian Sea provides a backdrop any ancient Sicilian would be proud of. The site has loads of temples for you to see all built between 510 BC and 430 BC and most are still in pretty good shape.
In addition to the temples, there are also Greek and Roman necropolises, residential areas, the tomb of Theron, and many other buildings and ancient relics.
Typical Italian town with bars and cafes offering coffee, aperitivo, sandwiches, pizza and all the other traditional Italian delights you could want.
Tickets cost €8 unless you already have a combined ticket for access. Don’t miss the vases and other amazing artefacts from the site
Just up the coast from the valley of the temples and a spectacular sight. The Scala is formed by marl, a sedimentary rock with a characteristic white color. It lies between two sandy beaches, and is accessed through a limestone rock formation in the shape of a staircase, hence the name. A wonderful place to relax after a dusty day in the Valley of the Temples
We have always tended to use Booking.com having said that if your on a tight budget another good site to try as a comparison is Hostelworld, If your looking to compare different sites you can do that on Hotellook, we tend to look on here first to make sure we are getting the best deal.
You can book your visits as you go at the entrance to your chosen attraction or site. Or you could use the following links to book in advance or just to find out what your choices are in the area. GetYourGuide and Tiqets are our go to choices you could try Viator to see how they compare.
For a full list check out our resources page. Don’t forget always shop around to find the best deal for you. What works for us should be good for you but it’s always reassuring to check.
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Palermo is on the North Western tip of Sicily nestled in the Bay of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea and is the capital of the island of Sicily.
Ragusa is one of the most picturesque towns in Sicily. the view from the upper town over Ragusa Ibla on its own separate hill top is quite breathtaking.
San Vito lo Capo is on the western side of Sicily just West of Palermo and we chose this town as we wanted a few days of relaxing on the beach, swimming in the sea and eating delicious seafood and this town fit the bill.
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4 thoughts on “How to explore Agrigento Temples | Scala dei Turchi”
Looks like a truly beautiful time! These places where we can wander through ruins is like wandering through time itself. To be able to put our hands on the stone that was sculpted and placed by the ancients is like touching their hands in an esoteric way.
Thank you
This looks like a wonderful way to spend a day exploring. Thanks for sharing, I am adding it to my list and look forward to going there myself. Very well written and informative!
Thank you