Visit Agrigento, Italy

Sicily's most enduring visitor destination, Agrigento is most famous for its classical Greek temples which sit on a sloping ridge within the so-called Valley of the Temples, just below the town. Dating back to the 5th century BC, the ruins were part of the ancient city of Akragas, once one of the Greek Empire's most lavish outposts.

The modern town of Agrigento has a storied medieval core, Baroque churches, a Norman cathedral and many lively restaurants and bars lining the narrow, winding streets. It makes for an atmospheric place to stroll after a day of sightseeing.

While Agrigento’s focal point is the Valley of the Temples (my tip is to tour them by night, when it’s cooler), if you do nothing else, make sure to try some of its almond delicacies, beloved throughout Italy.

Things to see and do in Agrigento

Valley of the Temples

Founded in 581 BC by settlers from Gela and Rhodes, Akragas was a vast city renowned for its wealth. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which encompasses a grid of ancient streets as well as five massive Doric temples.

The oldest surviving of these is the Temple of Hercules which dates from the end of the 6th century BC and sits among a cluster of ruins in the east of the site. There's also a garden full of olive and citrus trees and a comprehensive archaeological museum that houses a large collection of ceramics and sculptures.

Temples of Concordia and Juno

The best preserved monument in the Valley of the Temples is the Temple of Concordia, a colossal structure that offers a good sense of how prosperous and significant Akragas once was. The building is one of the largest and most intact Doric temples in the world. Its proportions and elegantly simple design are largely untouched despite being converted into a Christian basilica in the 6th century.

Nearby is the very similar Temple of Juno, which was damaged by an earthquake in the Middle Ages and is less well preserved. On the eastern side of the temple, however, are the clear remains of a sacrificial altar.

Favara Cultural Farm

Just east of Agrigento, Favara is a maze of small lanes and twisting streets adorned with contemporary urban art and sculpture. Formerly a struggling town with a dwindling population, it has become one of Sicily's trendiest destinations thanks to an ambitious regeneration project.

Restored buildings now house gallery spaces, bookshops, vintage clothes stores, cafés, boutiques and bars. Artists and craftspeople flock here and there are permanent and temporary exhibitions of paintings and photography as well as regular art and cultural events. It's a vibrant place to wander around, with a small castle to explore and a thriving art market.