Agrigento and Valley of the Temples Day Trip from Palermo

From Palermo across the heart of Sicily

The day starts in Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, in front of Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy and a landmark of central Palermo. From here the minivan or coach heads south across the island, leaving the Conca d'Oro plain for rolling hills of wheat fields, olive groves and hilltop villages that turn green in spring and gold in summer. The drive to Agrigento takes about two and a half hours in total.

About an hour and a half into the journey the driver makes a 30-minute coffee stop at a local bakery, a good moment to buy a packed lunch of arancini or a sandwich, since there are few places to eat inside the archaeological park. This Agrigento day trip from Palermo is ideal if you do not want to drive the inland roads yourself or juggle infrequent bus connections.

Valley of the Temples: ancient Akragas

The Valley of the Temples is in fact a long ridge south of modern Agrigento, where the Greek city of Akragas stood. Founded around 582 before our era by colonists from Gela, it became one of the richest cities of the Greek world, and its temples were lined up along the ridge to be seen from the sea. UNESCO listed the site in 1997, and today it is among the largest archaeological parks in the Mediterranean.

At the eastern end stands the Temple of Hera, raised on a high base with fine views over the countryside. Valley of the Temples tickets are not included in this trip and are bought at the entrance; the park opens every day from early morning, with evening openings in summer. Is the Valley of the Temples worth visiting? For anyone interested in ancient history, it is one of the highlights of Sicily.

Temple of Concordia

The Temple of Concordia, built around 440 to 430 before our era, is the jewel of the valley and among the best-preserved Doric temples in the world, with its full peristyle of columns, its pediments and its golden limestone almost intact. It survived because in the sixth century it was turned into a Christian church, and arches were cut into the walls of the inner cell, which you can still see today.

Along the path to the temple you pass rock-cut tombs and an early Christian burial area carved into the ancient city walls. The best time to visit the Valley of the Temples for photos is the morning or late afternoon light, and in February the almond trees around the temples bloom white and pink. Bring water and a hat: there is little shade on the ridge.

Temples of Heracles, Olympian Zeus and the Kolymbetra Garden

West of Concordia stands the Temple of Heracles, the oldest temple in the valley, with a row of re-erected columns. Beyond it lie the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, once one of the largest Doric temples ever planned, whose giant stone figures, the telamons, supported the upper structure; a reconstructed telamon lies on the ground among the fallen blocks. Nearby, four restored columns of the Temple of Castor and Pollux have become the symbol of Agrigento.

In a hollow below these temples lies the Kolymbetra Garden, an ancient basin dug by prisoners of war in the fifth century before our era and now a green valley of orange and lemon trees, olives, almonds and carob. Entry requires a small additional ticket bought on site. With about two hours in the park, the guidebook helps you plan your route between the eastern and western zones.

Scala dei Turchi

After the temples, a 20-minute drive brings you to the coast near Porto Empedocle and Realmonte for a photo stop at Scala dei Turchi, the Stair of the Turks. This dazzling white cliff of soft marl has been shaped by wind and waves into natural steps that descend into the turquoise sea, a striking contrast with the golden sand of the beaches around it. Its name recalls the pirate ships that once sheltered in the bay.

The stop lasts about 15 minutes, enough for photos from the viewpoint and the beach area. Access onto the cliff itself is often restricted to protect the fragile rock, so please follow local signs. On the way back to Palermo the driver makes a 20-minute café break, and you arrive at Piazza Giuseppe Verdi in the late afternoon.