Agrigento Things to Do and the Valley of the Temples · Province of Agrigento

Agrigento lies on the south coast of Sicily and is the capital of the province of the same name. The city is known for the Valley of the Temples below its center: the excavated site of the Greek city of Akragas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 that covers 934 hectares. Plan at least half a day for the valley, plus time for the old town, the museum and the beach.

The Valley of the Temples

On a ridge above the sea stands a row of Doric temples, among them the temples of Concord, Juno and Heracles. Agrigento was founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC and became one of the major cities of the ancient Mediterranean. The Kolymbethra garden lies inside the site. It began as a water basin of the ancient city, and since 1999 it has been looked after by FAI, the Italian National Trust. Finds from Akragas are on display in the archaeological museum at the edge of the valley. More on the temples: Valley of the Temples.

The old town and Via Atenea

The old town sits on the hill above the valley, and its main street is Via Atenea. The writer Luigi Pirandello was born in Agrigento. In 2025 the city was Italian Capital of Culture.

Almond blossom in late winter

In late winter the almond trees in the Valley of the Temples come into bloom, and the city holds its almond blossom festival, the Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore, at that time. The city announces the dates. The festival has its own page: Almond blossom in Agrigento.

The beach and day trips from Agrigento

The city's beach resort is San Leone, with a sandy beach a few kilometers from the Valley of the Temples. To the west are Realmonte, with the white cliff of the Scala dei Turchi, and Porto Empedocle, where the ferries leave for Lampedusa and Linosa. To the northeast is Favara with the Farm Cultural Park arts project. Every destination nearby is on the Province of Agrigento page.