Located just outside of Agrigento, The Valley of Temples or Valle dei Templi in proper Italian should not be missed while in Sicily. This place is by far the best preserved greek ruins still standing outside of Athens, Greece. The shear size of this archeological site is immense so bring your walking shoes, pack some water and get to walking. There is a small hill to climb and the summer months can reach well over 100 degrees so make sure you have a hat and some sunblock as well. Entrance fees run about 12 euros per person. There are a few cafes and restrooms located on site for the ever needed pit stop. Parking is plentiful and cost is about 3 euros for the day if you feel the need to spend the whole day.
Starting at the bottom of the entrance there is a path that will take you to all the ruins. As you head up the hill the ruins get grander in size. There are two white solid marble statues that are a must see. They were unearthed in 2002 and are in excellent shape. Like minded historians or the average onlooker would be impressed at the craftsmanship from the 5th century B.C. Just a side note and some advice would be to arrive early. Gates open at 8:30 a.m and by noon the site will be very busy. Especially in the summer months.
Another great reason to visit is the proximity to the town of Agrigento and the world famous beach of Scala dei Turchi. Spend a few hours exploring the temples, then either make your way to the old town of Agrigento for more exploring or hit the beach to cool off. It’s a ten minute drive to reach either or from the temples. Both Agrigento or Scala dei Turchi offers excellent restaurants and views. Just depends on what you’re looking for. The Valley of Temples is two and a half hours from Palermo by car via the highway and a great day tip. My recommendation would be to spend a few days in southwest Sicily if you came this far. There are tons of vineyards in the area and the coastline is beautiful. In my opinion this should be in the top five on your Sicilian itinerary. Something you wouldn’t want to miss!
