A Local’s Guide to Visiting the Valley of the Temples, Sicily
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The UNESCO-listed Valle of the Temples is the heart of the once-great ancient Greek city of Akgragas. It was one of the most prominent cities in the area known as Magna Graecia (Greater Greece) whichover much of southern Italy.
Founded in the 6th century BC by Greek settlers from the nearby Gela (south of Agrigento), Akragas became a leading Mediterranean city with a population of more than 300,000 people, rivaling Carthage and Syracuse for importance.
Its honey-colored temples still dominate the valley, having stood there for over 2,500 years. They also are the best preserved Doric temples outside of Greece.
This Greek city experienced great prosperity during the time when the temples were erected, contributing to its fame. Unfortunately, in 406 BC it was attacked by the Carthaginians, then defeated by the Romans in 210 BC, after which it lost its primacy forever. Its treasures were not rediscovered until the 19th century, when the archaeologist Domenico Antonio Lo Faso Pietrasanta uncovered them.
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For more info on travel in Sicily, check out our Sicily travel guide and our guide to Agrigento.
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Table of Contents
Why visit?
Where is the Valley of the Temples?
How to get here
How to visit the Temples
Opening hours
Tickets
Guided tours
Which entrance to use?
Best time of day to visit
How long to spend
Main points of interest
Valley of the Temples itinerary
Where to stay
Why visit?
Extending over 1,300 hectares, the Valley of the Temples is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world. Along with Pompei, it is the most impressive testimony of the ancient world in Italy. On a visit here, you will literally walk through history while exploring the gold-hued temples dotting a green valley full of almond and olive trees.
The site consists of eight stunning temples, along with many other remains, such as necropolises and sanctuaries. They are among the finest testaments to the Greeks and one of their best preserved archaeological sites.
Some go so far as to consider the site second only to the Acropolis of Athens due to its importance! No doubt, it will make archeology lovers jump for joy.
Where is the Valley of the Temples?
Photo: Hel-hama, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Valley of the Temples is located just outside the modern city of Agrigento, about 3 km away. It lies along the center of the southern coast of Sicily, overlooking the intense blue Mediterranean Sea. Palermo is 122 km to the north, while Trapani lies 155 km to the northwest.
Despite its name, the site is not actually a valley as it stands on a ridge about 230 meters above sea level, majestically overlooking the surrounding countryside. It offers a formidable sight, as the temples are scattered amongst olive and almond trees.
How to get to there
Palermo to Agrigento - by train and bus
You can reach Agrigento from Palermo by catching the train, which has regular daily departures from 6 am to 8 pm. One-way tickets cost €9 and the ride takes 2 hours. Once arrived in Agrigento, the local buses to the Valley of the Temples depart from Piazza Rosselli, just 500 meters from the railway station.
Otherwise, you can take the bus from Palermo to Agrigento (Autoservizi Cuffaro, departures from 8 am to 6 pm). One-way tickets cost €12 and the journey takes 3 hours. The bus arrives at Piazza Rosselli, from where you can then catch the local bus to the temples (TUA lines 1, 2, 3).
Bus from Agrigento to the Valley of the Temples
From Agrigento, bus Line 1 departs every 30 minutes and takes 20 minutes to reach Porta V, the western entrance to the Valley of the Temples. Along the way, it stops at the archaeological museum.
Line 2 runs basically equally frequently and stops at Porta Giunone, the eastern entrance.
Line 3 runs less frequently and leaves you in the middle of the path along the Valley.
One-way tickets for all the lines cost €1.70 and you can buy them in advance from a kiosk next to the bus stop or on board the bus. Always remember to validate your tickets when you board.
On foot (from Agrigento)
If you like to walk, you can also reach the temples on foot. They are just 3 km from Piazza Rosselli in central Agrigento. It is an easy walk downhill and you can see the valley from the road, catching a stunning glimpse of just how big it is.
By car
As always in Sicily, having a car is best. From Palermo and Trapani, the Valley of the Temples is a little over 2 hours away. If coming from eastern Sicily, the Temples are just under 2 hours from Catania, for example. To get here from any of those cities, you will be traveling along well maintained state roads.
Once you arrive to the archaeological site, you’ll find parking lots at the entrances at Porta V and Porta Giunone. The parking fee is €2 for the first hour, €1 for the second hour, then €0.50 for every following hour. You will pay a maximum rate of €5 per day.
If you’re planning on renting a car, I’d recommend checking prices on the following two car rental websites:
DiscoverCars includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can often find great deals.
RentalCars is very similar, although they tend to list mostly larger companies. It’s now owned by Booking.com, so is backed by a familiar and reputable brand. Their prices are good too.
By guided tour
If you’ll be staying in Palermo and want to make a day trip to Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples, fret not! Full-day tours from Palermo usually leave early in the morning, returning in the evening. To make the most of the day, most tours will visit a few places en route or nearby (Scala dei Turchi, for example).
Our favorite local guide Giorgio Calò is based in Palermo and has been running tours to Valley of the Temples and all around Western Sicily for 20 years.
Connect with a Sicily travel expert for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
Planning your visit
Opening hours
The site is open daily from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm. From mid-July to mid-September, the opening hours extend to 11 pm during weekdays and till midnight on weekends. By night, you can see the temples illuminated.
Admission tickets
Admission tickets for most adults cost € 12 per person, or €6 if you are an EU citizen aged 18-25 (you’ll need to show your ID). Children under 18 years old are free. English audioguides are available for €5.00 at the ticket desk.
For a comprehensive visit, you can purchase a combo ticket that includes the Kolymbetra Garden (€18) or the archaeological museum (€16.80).
Buy the tickets in advance if you want to avoid lines at the ticket office. On-site, tickets can be purchased at either the western or eastern entrance.
Every first Sunday of the month, entrance to the site is free for everyone.
Guided tours
You can visit the site independently or join a scheduled guided tour starting from the Porta Giunone ticket office. Group tours depart every day from 10:45 am to 5:15 pm and cost €20 per person in addition to the entrance fee.
Alternatively, you can hire a private guide. In summer, you can opt for a guided tour by electric scooter (1 or 2 hours, € 55-75 per person, two persons minimum). The driving is easy and your guide will lead you around the park, answering your questions the whole way. Arrive early, as there are not many electric scooters available.
Another option is to visit the Valley of the Temples at sunset, joining a sunset tour at 5:00 pm (€ 25 per person in addition to the entrance fee). From mid-July to mid-September, you can join an evening tour, starting at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm.
Which entrance: eastern or western?
There are two entrances to the Valley of the Temples: Porta Giunone is the eastern entrance, while Porta V is the western entrance. Technically, it doesn’t matter from where you start the visit, but since the path to Porta Giunone is downhill, many people prefer to start from there.
Wherever you choose to start, you can return to the parking lot by retracing your steps or taking the small electric shuttle (similar to a golf cart) that takes you back up for €3. If you plan to arrive late in the morning, be aware that the western entrance has more parking spaces.
Best time of day to visit
If you can, try to visit the site early in the morning. It will be less hot and less crowded, as the tourist buses will not have arrived yet and the peak heat of midday will still be a long ways off.
Alternatively, consider visiting the valley in the late afternoon or evening. The heat will be less stifling, the tour buses will likely have departed by then, and you will undoubtedly enjoy seeing the illuminated temples at night.
If you are visiting Sicily during the summer, be prepared for the heat. Wear a hat and bring lots of sun cream as inside the archaeological park, there is next to no shade. Avoid exploring it in peak sunshine hours (about 12:00 to 3:00 pm).
Along the path, you'll find some water fountains where you can grab a drink or fill up your bottle, and in the eastern zone, there’s a cafe where you can stop to relax and grab something to eat and drink.
How long does a visit take?
The site extends over a much larger area than you’re probably expecting and a visit involves walking about 4-5 km of walking. With that in mind, you should budget about 3-4 hours to see the entire site.
From one entrance to the other is about 2 km, but you will inevitably deviate from the path here and there to see the attractions. Then, after you’ve seen everything, you'll need to retrace the route backwards to return to your car.
Main sights
Temples in the eastern zone
The best-preserved temples lie in the eastern zone. Hera Temple (or Juno Temple) was dedicated to Zeus’ wife. It was burned down by the Carthaginians in 406, but it was reconstructed.
The stunning Temple of Concordia, dedicated to the goddess of harmony and unity, was built in the 5th century BC. It is very well-preserved as it was consecrated as a Christian basilica in the 6th century AD.
The Temple of Heracles, of which only eight columns remain, is considered the oldest temple on the site.
Temples in the western zone
The western zone is home to the imposing Temple of Zeus, destroyed by the Carthaginians before being completed. It could have been the greatest Doric temple in the entire West.
The Temple of the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux) and a Sanctuary dedicated to the goddesses Demetra and Kore lie in the same area.
In addition to the temples, you can also see late-Roman and Byzantine necropolises, ancient residential areas, and the lush Kolymbetra garden, once a Greek pool and now home to a wide variety of exotic and indigenous plants.
Valley of the Temples itinerary
For this itinerary, I would suggest starting from the eastern entrance at Porta Giunone. Pass through the security check and proceed straight to the ticket office (unless you’ve already booked your tickets online).
Once you’ve entered the site, your first stop is the Hera Temple, immediately followed by the superstar of the Valley of the Temples, the amazing Temple of Concordia. You cannot go inside, so just admire its perfectly preserved exterior and the imposing Doric columns. At its base, you can see the Fallen Icarus by the Polish artist Igor Mitoraj. The bronze statue, lying legless and wingless, was part of an exhibition that took place here in 2011.
Continue west along the main road. You’ll pass by Villa Aurea, a 19th-century villa where the British archaeologist Alexander Hardcastle, who financed the reconstruction of many temples, lived between 1925 and 1932. You can stroll around a small garden on the premises of the villa to take a break from the scorching heat. There’s also a water tap to refill your bottle.
Next up, you’ll stumble upon the Temple of Heracles, located on a rocky spur near the Villa Aurea. From here, you can see the city of Agrigento standing atop a ridge.
Continuing further down, you will find a bridge connecting the eastern and the western zones. Right off the bridge, you’ll see the Altar of the Temple of Zeus. Next to it is the Temple of Zeus, one of the largest ancient Greek temples in the world. Explore the ruins thoroughly to see the three fallen statues.
As you continue through the western side, you will reach the Temple of Dioscuri, also known as the Temple of Castor and Pollux, twin brothers according to Greek mythology. The size of the temple is massive, but not much remains today except for the foundation and a few columns.
Next to the temple is the Kolymbetra garden, which is a lovely green space that can be visited if you’ve purchased a combined ticket. At this point, you will have reached the end of the path, and have essentially completed the sightseeing portion of your visit.
If you drove here and parked your back back on the eastern side at Porta Giunone, you can now retrace your steps back to the parking lot. Alternatively, if you took the bus or are getting picked up by someone else, continue along a path through the tunnel that leads to the western entrance, where you will find the parking lot and the bus stop to take you to Agrigento.
A few final tips
Stick to the route: It is forbidden to walk over the temple grounds but there aren’t many attendants around the park, so it’s visitors’ responsibility to respect the site, avoiding touching the ruins, statues, and temples.
Get a map of the grounds: Unlike in other sites in Sicily, a map/written guide is not provided here. You can buy one at the souvenir shops next to the entrances for €1 or can get a digital one (find it here). You may need the map and corresponding written explanations as there aren't many explanatory panels around the park.
Photographs: Visit the site as early as you can in the morning if you want the best light for photography (most of the temples face east). Remember that tripods are not allowed.
Where to stay
If you’ll be staying overnight in the area, most accommodation options are in the nearby city of Agrigento or the surrounding countryside.
In town, I suggest booking at Terrazze di Montelusa, hosted in an old palace with original furniture. It also has lovely terraces with nice views. If you prefer quieter accommodation, choose Locanda degli Scrittori, a modern country house surrounded by a lush garden. Both cost around $100 per night.
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you could also look at two luxury hotels in the countryside outside of Agrigento, both of which offers stunning views over the Greek ruins of Valley of the Temples: Doric Eco Boutique runs around $300 a night while the ultra high-end Villa Athena costs from $600 and up.
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