In today’s article, we explore the Agrigento Archaeological Park, also known as the Archaeological Area of Agrigento. The Valley of the Temples is an entirely Sicilian archaeological park, renowned for its exceptional state of preservation and its significant Doric temples from the Hellenic period. This area corresponds to ancient Akragas, the monumental original core of the city of Agrigento.
Since 1997, the entire area has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list and is now a sought-after tourist destination, as well as a symbol of the city and one of the main attractions of the entire island.
The park, covering approximately 1,300 hectares, preserves an extraordinary landscape and monumental heritage, which includes the remains of the ancient city and the surrounding territory extending to the sea. Akragas was one of the most important Greek colonies in Sicily, covering about 450 hectares and founded in 582 BC by colonists from nearby Gela and Rhodes.
The chosen site was a plateau naturally protected to the north by the Athena Rock and the Girgenti Hill, while to the south by the long Temple Ridge, and was flanked by the Akragas and Hypsas rivers, converging into a single course to the south.
But how many temples are in the Valley of the Temples? It is characterized by the remains of ten Doric temples, three sanctuaries, a large concentration of necropolises, fortifications, and part of a Hellenistic-Roman quarter built on a Greek plan, as well as two important gathering places: the lower and upper Agora, an Olympieion, and a Bouleuterion.
Opening Hours of the Agrigento Archaeological Park
The opening hours for the archaeological park are as follows: from January 1 to June 30, it is open from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM, with the last entry at 7:00 PM. From July 1 to September 15, evening entry is available from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 AM to 11:00 PM, with the last entry at 10:00 PM.
On the first Sunday of each month, free entry is allowed from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM (with site exit at 8:00 PM), while from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM, entry is subject to a fee.
How can you reach the Valley of the Temples? There are various buses available every day at almost all hours, departing from Catania Airport, Palermo, and Agrigento.
An interesting fact about the Agrigento Archaeological and Landscape Park of the Valley of the Temples is that it provides two electric wheelchairs for visitors with special needs, ensuring everyone can fully enjoy the park. This service is completely free and available only by reservation one day in advance.
