Valle dei Templi

In Agrigento follow the signs for the Valle dei Templi. The name is misleading: the archeological site is actually on a plateau to the west of town—not in a valley at all. Plan to spend two nights in Agrigento so that you can spend one entire day leisurely seeing the ruins. A wide pedestrian road connects the temples—start at one end and savor the haunting beauty of each. Most of these Doric temples are in ruins, with only enough columns remaining to give you an idea of what they used to be in their glory. The best preserved is the Temple of Concord which dates back to 440 B.C. See them all: the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Hercules, the Temple of Dioscuri, the Temple of Jupiter, and the Temple of Castor and Pollux. The setting is beautiful with the sea in the distance and colorful wildflowers in the surrounding fields. It is a thrill to stroll from one temple to the other, marveling at their grandeur and trying to envision what these incredible structures dedicated to Greek gods looked like 2,000 years ago. To complement your sightseeing at the temples, take a walk to the Archaeological Museum. The museum has a mock-up of the Temple of Jupiter, plus many vases and artifacts from the site.