Akragas had 100,000 inhabitants in the 5th century BC. Its temples are still there, on the hill above the Mediterranean. The Temple of Concordia at sunset is one of the finest views in the Mediterranean.
Plan your trip →Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples are one of the most extraordinary experiences in Mediterranean antiquity, and one of the UNESCO sites least understood for the scale of their importance. The seven 5th-century-BC Greek temples along the ridge above the Sicilian sea aren't the ruins of a small peripheral colony: they're what's left of Akragas, which in the 5th century BC was the fourth-largest city by population in the Greek world (after Athens, Syracuse, and Corinth), with over 100,000 inhabitants. The temples, the Temple of Concordia (perhaps the most intact in the world), the Temple of Heracles, the Temple of Juno, have stood for 2,500 years on the same ridge. Seeing them at sunset, when the limestone turns gold, is one of the most beautiful sights in Italy.
Agrigento: tours & tickets
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See availability & prices →Compare tours on Viator →We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.Temple of Concordia (around 440 BC): the best preserved of the Greek temples after the Parthenon. It has 34 nearly intact columns of local limestone, the frieze, and part of the original entablature. Its exceptional state is down to its conversion into a Christian church in the 6th-7th century AD. As with many converted Greek temples, that religious takeover paradoxically saved the structure. The position on the ridge with the sea behind it is unmatched.
Temple of Heracles (510-500 BC): the oldest in Agrigento, in archaic Doric style. Only 8 of the original 38 columns still stand, and some were re-erected in 1924 thanks to funding from Alexander Hardcastle, a wealthy Englishman who loved Agrigento. The elongated proportions of the columns give away the pre-classical archaic style.
Temple of Juno (around 450 BC): at the east end of the ridge, with scorch marks on the columns, perhaps traces of the Carthaginian fire of 406 BC. Extraordinary view over the valley and the sea.
Temple of Olympian Zeus (480-406 BC): the largest Doric temple ever built in the ancient world, had it been finished. It never was. The foundations reveal enormous proportions. One Telamon (a colossal male figure used as an architectural support) is on display in the nearby Regional Archaeological Museum.
A full visit to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento takes 3-4 hours, including the "Pietro Griffo" Regional Archaeological Museum (which holds the finds from the excavations) and the Giardino della Kolymbetra (a medieval Arab-Norman garden preserved inside the archaeological area). To see only the main temples on the eastern ridge, count 1.5-2 hours.
Akragas (the Greek name for Agrigento) was founded in 580 BC by colonists from Gela, themselves Rhodian-Cretan colonists. In the 5th century BC it reached the peak of its prosperity, the temples were all built in this period, under the tyrant Theron and then a democratic structure. The poet Pindar called it "the most beautiful city of mortals." The catastrophe came in 406 BC: the Carthaginians besieged and destroyed the city. Roman Agrigento was rebuilt lower down than the temples, which is why they sit isolated on the hill. The Arabic name of the city (Kerkent, then Girgenti, used until 1927) survived in the local dialects into the 20th century.
From Palermo to Agrigento: by train about 2h (direct line with changes, limited frequency, check schedules on trenitalia.com). By car: the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway, then the SS640 toward Agrigento, about 1h50. By bus: SAIS Trasporti from Palermo Centrale, about 2h, regular service. The Valley of the Temples is 3 km from the center of Agrigento, take a taxi or local bus to reach it.
How do you find a good local restaurant in Italy? Three reliable signs: tables full of people speaking Italian (not English), a handwritten or chalkboard menu (it changes with the season), and distance from the main attractions (more than 200m from the main square is already a good sign). Avoid restaurants with menus in 6 languages and laminated photos of the dishes.
How do you book certified tour guides in Italy? Official tour guides in Italy hold a license issued by their regional authority. You find them through the regional associations (AGAT, ASTI, Federagit) or through portals like TourLeaderPro.com. A certified guide is the difference between a generic visit and an experience that changes the way you look at a place.
How do you get between the Italian islands? Tirrenia and Grimaldi ferries for Sardinia and Sicily (from Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo). Ustica Lines and SNAV hydrofoils for the smaller islands (Aeolian, Pontine, Egadi). In summer, book the car space on the ferry months ahead, the car slots sell out fast.
What to do if you lose your wallet in Italy? File a report at the Questura or with the Carabinieri (for loss or theft). For travel documents: contact your country's consulate. For cards: block them immediately via your banking app and the toll-free number. For stolen cash: travel insurance reimburses it partially if you have the police report. The Polfer (railway police) in stations have a lost-property office.
How does the right of return work in Italian shops? In Italy the right of withdrawal for in-store purchases is NOT required by law (unlike online purchases). If the seller doesn't offer it voluntarily, you can't return the item. Always check the return policy before buying anything valuable.
1. The African summer of the cities: July and August in the big Italian cities (Rome, Naples, Palermo) are scorching, 35-40°C with humidity. The local middle class leaves town in August (especially Ferragosto week). The cities go nearly empty of locals and fill with tourists. Air-conditioned museums become essential refuges. The real "Italian experience" in August is at the sea or in the mountains, not in the art cities.
2. The unwritten code of the thermal baths: At many Italian thermal baths (especially the natural public ones) there's an unwritten etiquette: don't talk loudly, don't bring food into the water, give up your spot to older people in the hottest pools. This is obvious to Italians, less so to foreign tourists.
3. Museums closed for restoration: In Italy it's very common for rooms or entire museum sections to be closed for restoration with no warning on the website. Always check what's actually open by calling the museum directly the day before. This goes for the big sites too, like the Uffizi and the Vatican Museums.
4. The value of printed guidebooks: The Touring Club Italiano (TCI) guides and the Gambero Rosso Ristoranti d'Italia are the most reliable printed guides for Italy. Out of fashion in the app era, they're still more accurate and up to date than user-generated content online for many smaller destinations.
5. Prices in the central bars vs the neighborhood bars: In any Italian tourist city there's a 50-200% price difference between the bars facing the main monument and the bars two streets away. A coffee in Piazza San Marco in Venice costs €7-12 with the "show" included; 200 meters away the same coffee costs €1.20-1.50. Both experiences are legitimate, but knowing the difference saves you surprises.
The principle of geographic proximity: Italian travel works best when you respect the geographic logic of the regions. You either do all of Sicily in one week or split it into two distinct zones (Palermo-Agrigento-Trapani in the west; Catania-Syracuse-Noto-Ragusa in the east). Mixing the two in a single week produces stress and little learning. The same goes for Tuscany (Florence-Chianti-Siena vs Maremma-Grosseto-Coast) and the Veneto (Venice-Vicenza-Verona vs Belluno-Dolomites-Treviso).
How to plan a custom itinerary in Italy: Start from the number of nights you have. Subtract 1-2 for transfers. Split the rest into geographic clusters of 2-3 nights. Don't change base every day, it's tiring and expensive. A fixed base with day trips radiating out is the most efficient structure for exploring an area in depth.
Agriturismo vs hotel: when to choose which: An agriturismo is the right call when: you want to immerse yourself in the rural landscape, you have your own transport, you prefer homemade breakfast to industrial buffets, you want contact with local producers. A hotel is right when: you're in a city, you don't have a car, you need a 24h front desk, or you're staying fewer than 2 nights in one spot.
How to read a wine list in an Italian restaurant: The wine list in a good Italian restaurant is organized by region, not by type of wine. Look for the section of the region you're in: local wines are almost always the best value in a regional restaurant. The "house" wine (on tap) at many trattorias is made by quality local winemakers, don't be afraid to order it.
How to bring food and wine home from Italy: Non-perishables in your suitcase (pasta, preserves, honey, taralli, cookies, grappa, limoncello): no problem. Cheese and cured meats: dry aged products (Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, vacuum-packed cured ham) clear US and UK customs. Fresh, soft cheeses: trouble at international controls. Wine: a maximum of 5 liters per passenger in checked baggage; use protective wine skins to avoid breakage.
Italy, with 58 UNESCO sites as of 2025, is the country with the most World Heritage sites. That concentration reflects the density of history, art, and cultural landscapes in a relatively small territory: the peninsula has been inhabited, urbanized, and culturally active for 3,000 years straight, with layering you rarely find elsewhere. Each UNESCO site tells a different chapter of that layering: the Trulli of Alberobello document a medieval building system; the Dolomites a geological landscape; Pompeii a Roman city preserved by disaster; the historic center of Florence five centuries of artistic greatness. The geographic spread is skewed toward the Center-North. The southern regions have exceptional sites (Agrigento, Paestum, Caserta, Matera) but fewer in number than the enormous heritage they hold.
Is Italy expensive? It depends a lot on where and how you spend. The top art cities (Venice, central Florence, the Amalfi Coast) are among the most expensive destinations in Europe in high season. Inland Italy, the South, and the shoulder seasons are very affordable.
Is English spoken in Italy? In the main cities and tourist areas, yes, well enough. In the countryside and smaller villages, less so. Google Translate with the camera is very handy for menus and signs.
Can you travel Italy without a car? Yes for the main cities and the coast. No for the deep interior, the hill towns, the wine areas. Italy is best explored by train between the major centers and by car for the rural areas.
Which Italian region is the most beautiful? There's no answer, every region has its strengths. Asking "which is the most beautiful Italian region" is like asking which musical movement is the most important.