Guidebook for Agrigento
Food Scene
Il Re Di Girgenti is one of our favourit restaurants. You can also enjoy a beautiful view on the Valley of the Temples.
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Il Re di Girgenti
51 Via Panoramica Valle dei TempliIl Re Di Girgenti is one of our favourit restaurants. You can also enjoy a beautiful view on the Valley of the Temples.
Via Cavaleri Magazzeni, 122
122 Via Cavaleri MagazzeniBakery
Addimura
81 Viale della VittoriaSicilian slowfood
Gelateria Le Cuspidi
4 Via dei GiardiniAuthentic Sicilian ice cream
Le Cuspidi
19 Piazza CavourAuthentic Siclian ice creem
Panificio Costazzurra di Pino Lauricella
2 Via Ferdinando MagellanoTypical sicilian snacks.
We like arancini and cannoli, typical Sicilian specialties. Making this recipe for the classic Italian dessert of cannoli from scratch is such a satisfying experience, from the deep-fried pastry tubes to the decadently delicious filling of sweet, creamy ricotta and mascarpone with chocolate and a fruity twist.
Agora Bar Pasticceria
21 Viale Leonardo SciasciaWe like arancini and cannoli, typical Sicilian specialties. Making this recipe for the classic Italian dessert of cannoli from scratch is such a satisfying experience, from the deep-fried pastry tubes to the decadently delicious filling of sweet, creamy ricotta and mascarpone with chocolate and a fruity twist.
We really appreciate "Arancini" ([aranˈtʃiːni]; Italian: arancino in singular, Sicilian: arancini or arancine) are stuffed rice balls which are coated with bread crumbs and then deep fried. They are usually filled with ragù (meat and tomato sauce), mozzarella with or without ham, and peas.
A number of regional variants exist which differ in fillings and shape. The name, which is translated as "little orange", derives from their shape and colour, which is reminiscent of an orange after cooking.
Panificio Pagano Salvatore
12 Via Giovan Battista PeruzzoWe really appreciate "Arancini" ([aranˈtʃiːni]; Italian: arancino in singular, Sicilian: arancini or arancine) are stuffed rice balls which are coated with bread crumbs and then deep fried. They are usually filled with ragù (meat and tomato sauce), mozzarella with or without ham, and peas.
A number of regional variants exist which differ in fillings and shape. The name, which is translated as "little orange", derives from their shape and colour, which is reminiscent of an orange after cooking.
Ristorante Terracotta is one of our favourits. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday all day from 12:00 to 15:30 and from 19:00 to 23:00. Closed on Monday.
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Terracotta
1 Via Luigi PirandelloRistorante Terracotta is one of our favourits. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday all day from 12:00 to 15:30 and from 19:00 to 23:00. Closed on Monday.
Via Ficani, 32 (Agrigento)
Small tavern on reservation!
...opening hours:
lunch 12:00-14:00
dinner 19:00-23:00
close: SUNDAY
Osteria Al Timone
11 Via Giuseppe GaribaldiVia Ficani, 32 (Agrigento)
Small tavern on reservation!
...opening hours:
lunch 12:00-14:00
dinner 19:00-23:00
close: SUNDAY
Parks & Nature
AREAS OF NATURAL BEAUTY
Situated midway between Sciacca and Agrigento, just south of the small town of Montallegro, Torre Salsa Nature Reserve comprises over 760 hectares of pristine coastline and around 6km of gorgeous sandy beaches. Instituted in 2000, it is managed by the WWF.
The reserve’s territory features a wide variety of landscapes including hills, winter torrents, chalk cliffs, arable fields and wetlands, all of which provide the perfect natural habitat for numerous species of animals and birds, and excellent walking opportunities for visitors.
The transparent, many-blue-hued waters that lap the coast are rich in marine life, making scuba diving and snorkelling popular pursuits. The golden sandy beaches, the longest of which runs around a curvaceous bay in the eastern part of the reserve, are the real draw for visitors, however, and it is possible to walk for miles along them. At the western boundary of the reserve, the beach continues for some 5km up to Eraclea Minoa.
The transparent, many-blue-hued waters that lap the coast are rich in marine life, making scuba diving and snorkelling popular pursuits.
There are four main entrances to the reserve, all accessible from Montallegro. Dirt tracks from two of these wind through the reserve down to the WWF parking area. From there it is a short stroll to the beach, which, even in high summer, is sparsely populated. There are no facilities in the reserve, so if you’re planning on spending several hours there, it is best to come prepared with food, water and an umbrella.
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Riserva Naturale Orientata Torre Salsa
156 / D Via RomaAREAS OF NATURAL BEAUTY
Situated midway between Sciacca and Agrigento, just south of the small town of Montallegro, Torre Salsa Nature Reserve comprises over 760 hectares of pristine coastline and around 6km of gorgeous sandy beaches. Instituted in 2000, it is managed by the WWF.
The reserve’s territory features a wide variety of landscapes including hills, winter torrents, chalk cliffs, arable fields and wetlands, all of which provide the perfect natural habitat for numerous species of animals and birds, and excellent walking opportunities for visitors.
The transparent, many-blue-hued waters that lap the coast are rich in marine life, making scuba diving and snorkelling popular pursuits. The golden sandy beaches, the longest of which runs around a curvaceous bay in the eastern part of the reserve, are the real draw for visitors, however, and it is possible to walk for miles along them. At the western boundary of the reserve, the beach continues for some 5km up to Eraclea Minoa.
The transparent, many-blue-hued waters that lap the coast are rich in marine life, making scuba diving and snorkelling popular pursuits.
There are four main entrances to the reserve, all accessible from Montallegro. Dirt tracks from two of these wind through the reserve down to the WWF parking area. From there it is a short stroll to the beach, which, even in high summer, is sparsely populated. There are no facilities in the reserve, so if you’re planning on spending several hours there, it is best to come prepared with food, water and an umbrella.
The Garden: A true archaeological and agricultural jewel in the Valle dei Templi (now returned to splendour after decades of abandon) Giardino della Kolimbethra is an extraordinary place for the magical blend of nature and the wealth of archaeological finds which are still being discovered today. It occupies an area of approximately five hectares inside the Valle dei Templi, within tuff walls making up its natural perimeter, standing between Tempio di Castore e Polluce and Tempio di Vulcano. Many unique plant species grow here, some of which are no longer cultivated today, outside the property.
History: The origins of the Garden date back to the period when the Greeks colonised Sicily (500 B.C.) and its history is linked to the development of the ancient city of Akragas which once stood on the plateau of the Atenea cliff. Diodoro Siculo wrote that the tyrant Terone
engaged architect Feace to design a system to supply the city with water. Thanks to this new system of channels, the Greeks of Akragas were able to transform the arid Sicilian earth into a flourishing garden rich with Mediterranean plants. The ancient underground works (or Feace aqueducts), which still bubble with clear water used for irrigation, can still be visited today in the Valley of Temples and date back to the 5th century B.C., when they fed the ancient swimming pool (Kolymbethra). In the last decades of the 1900s, due to the old farmers’ inactivity, Kolymbethra fell into a state of abandon until FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano (The National Trust for Italy) intervened. The Garden was granted under concession by Regione Siciliana to FAI, which undertook the extensive landscaping renovation work to return to public enjoyment an important historic, artistic and naturalistic wonder of our civilisation.
Link: http://eng.fondoambiente.it/beni/giardino-della-kolymbetra-fai-properties.asp
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FAI - KOLYMBETHRA GARÐURINN
Viale Caduti di MarzabottoThe Garden: A true archaeological and agricultural jewel in the Valle dei Templi (now returned to splendour after decades of abandon) Giardino della Kolimbethra is an extraordinary place for the magical blend of nature and the wealth of archaeological finds which are still being discovered today. It occupies an area of approximately five hectares inside the Valle dei Templi, within tuff walls making up its natural perimeter, standing between Tempio di Castore e Polluce and Tempio di Vulcano. Many unique plant species grow here, some of which are no longer cultivated today, outside the property.
History: The origins of the Garden date back to the period when the Greeks colonised Sicily (500 B.C.) and its history is linked to the development of the ancient city of Akragas which once stood on the plateau of the Atenea cliff. Diodoro Siculo wrote that the tyrant Terone
engaged architect Feace to design a system to supply the city with water. Thanks to this new system of channels, the Greeks of Akragas were able to transform the arid Sicilian earth into a flourishing garden rich with Mediterranean plants. The ancient underground works (or Feace aqueducts), which still bubble with clear water used for irrigation, can still be visited today in the Valley of Temples and date back to the 5th century B.C., when they fed the ancient swimming pool (Kolymbethra). In the last decades of the 1900s, due to the old farmers’ inactivity, Kolymbethra fell into a state of abandon until FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano (The National Trust for Italy) intervened. The Garden was granted under concession by Regione Siciliana to FAI, which undertook the extensive landscaping renovation work to return to public enjoyment an important historic, artistic and naturalistic wonder of our civilisation.
Link: http://eng.fondoambiente.it/beni/giardino-della-kolymbetra-fai-properties.asp
Essentials
R7 Supermercati
36 Viale CannatelloLidl
210 Viale Leonardo SciasciaCredem Banca
210 Viale Leonardo SciasciaATM
La Farmacia Di Mino
194 Viale Leonardo SciasciaNearest pharmacy 2.4 kilometers.
Farmacia Bruccoleri
11 Via G. B. PeruzzoNearby Pharmacy 5,1 kilometers.
Sightseeing
Farm Menningarpark
Cortile BentivegnaAgrigento's main street, old town. Agrigento sits in hilly countryside very close to the southern coast of Sicily, and because of its superb temple ruins, it's one of the most rewarding towns in Sicily to visit. The numerous ancient buildings stand in vivid contrast to the modern high-rise blocks, which predominate, especially in the southern part of the old town. Besides these testimonies of antiquity, there are also buildings from both the medieval and Baroque periods that are well worth seeing. Beaches are only a short distance away at Lido San Leone and at Porto Empédocle. Agrigento's main tourist attractions from the Christian era are in the present town center, between the railroad station and the cathedral. The ones dating from ancient times are southeast and south of town extending to the Valley of the Temples and beyond.
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Via Atenea
Via AteneaAgrigento's main street, old town. Agrigento sits in hilly countryside very close to the southern coast of Sicily, and because of its superb temple ruins, it's one of the most rewarding towns in Sicily to visit. The numerous ancient buildings stand in vivid contrast to the modern high-rise blocks, which predominate, especially in the southern part of the old town. Besides these testimonies of antiquity, there are also buildings from both the medieval and Baroque periods that are well worth seeing. Beaches are only a short distance away at Lido San Leone and at Porto Empédocle. Agrigento's main tourist attractions from the Christian era are in the present town center, between the railroad station and the cathedral. The ones dating from ancient times are southeast and south of town extending to the Valley of the Temples and beyond.
The Valley of the Temples, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to 500 BC and consists of a series of temples, cemeteries, and tombs. Three of the temples in the eastern group stand together in a row and are illuminated in the evenings. The best preserved of these, the Temple of Concordia, ranks with the Hephaisteion in Athens and the classical Temple of Hera in Paestum as the most perfect temples in the Greek world; it is the best preserved Doric temple in Sicily and conveys the scale of these ancient sacred buildings. The temple was built around 425 BC in classical proportions with six columns on each of two parallel sides and 13 on the other two. Even its interior follows the style that was the norm in Greece, without the adytum, which was usually to be found in Sicily behind the cella. Staircases to the left and right of the cella entrance lead to the roof truss, and the building is preserved right up to the roof. This is because in the sixth century it was turned into a Christian church with the cella as a central aisle, and the columns were walled up. The church was abandoned in 1748 and the building has been restored to its original temple appearance.
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Dalur hofanna
The Valley of the Temples, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to 500 BC and consists of a series of temples, cemeteries, and tombs. Three of the temples in the eastern group stand together in a row and are illuminated in the evenings. The best preserved of these, the Temple of Concordia, ranks with the Hephaisteion in Athens and the classical Temple of Hera in Paestum as the most perfect temples in the Greek world; it is the best preserved Doric temple in Sicily and conveys the scale of these ancient sacred buildings. The temple was built around 425 BC in classical proportions with six columns on each of two parallel sides and 13 on the other two. Even its interior follows the style that was the norm in Greece, without the adytum, which was usually to be found in Sicily behind the cella. Staircases to the left and right of the cella entrance lead to the roof truss, and the building is preserved right up to the roof. This is because in the sixth century it was turned into a Christian church with the cella as a central aisle, and the columns were walled up. The church was abandoned in 1748 and the building has been restored to its original temple appearance.
The Hellenistic-Roman district: In the heart of the ancient Agrigento stood the noble residences of the Hellenistic and Roman eras, decorated with colonnades and elegant mosaics. The district covers an area of about one hectare and was organised on an orthogonal scheme planned by the greatest urbanist of antiquity, Ippodamo da Mileto.
Quartiere Ellenistico - Romano
The Hellenistic-Roman district: In the heart of the ancient Agrigento stood the noble residences of the Hellenistic and Roman eras, decorated with colonnades and elegant mosaics. The district covers an area of about one hectare and was organised on an orthogonal scheme planned by the greatest urbanist of antiquity, Ippodamo da Mileto.
Getting Around
HERTZ NOLEGGIO AUTO E FURGONI
13 Via EmpedocleEuropcar Agrigento
1 Piazza Giuseppe SinatraRent car
Via Ferdinando Magellano, 30
30 Via Ferdinando MagellanoBus stop 750 meters (800 yards)
Viale Cannatello, 76
76 Viale CannatelloBus stop 700 meters (760 yards)
Viale delle Dune, 93
93 Viale delle DuneBust stop at BlueOut Lido Beach Bar (sandy beach).
Shopping
Centro Commerciale Citta' dei Templi
Via Fosse ArdeatineArts & Culture
The regional Archaeological Museum is one of the most modern museums in Sicily and contains important archeological finds from the provinces of Agrigento and Caltanissetta dating from prehistoric to Roman times. Among the collections are finds from the Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages and ancient finds from Gela and the necropolis at Montelusa, the oldest known graves in the area. Highlights to look for include a fifth-century-BC red-figured Greek crater from Gela showing an Amazon battle, black- and red-figured pottery from Athens and Italy dating from the sixth to third centuries BC, capitals and gargoyles with lion's heads from various temples, and the marble statue of an ephebe from about 480 BC. An entire two-story room is devoted to the buildings of the enormous temple of the Olympian Zeus, with a model and reconstruction drawings and one of the original 38 Atlas figures, the head of another Atlas, and other fragments.
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Svæðisbundinn fornleifafræðistofnun í Agrigento
Contrada San Nicola The regional Archaeological Museum is one of the most modern museums in Sicily and contains important archeological finds from the provinces of Agrigento and Caltanissetta dating from prehistoric to Roman times. Among the collections are finds from the Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages and ancient finds from Gela and the necropolis at Montelusa, the oldest known graves in the area. Highlights to look for include a fifth-century-BC red-figured Greek crater from Gela showing an Amazon battle, black- and red-figured pottery from Athens and Italy dating from the sixth to third centuries BC, capitals and gargoyles with lion's heads from various temples, and the marble statue of an ephebe from about 480 BC. An entire two-story room is devoted to the buildings of the enormous temple of the Olympian Zeus, with a model and reconstruction drawings and one of the original 38 Atlas figures, the head of another Atlas, and other fragments.
Opening hours out from the celebrations
10.00 to 13.00 / 15.30 to 18.00
The Church of St. Mary of the Greeks located on the same street, on the hill of Girgenti. It corresponds to the ancient temple of Athena or Zeus Atabirios, dating back to Theron. There are traces of this temple foundations and the remains of the cell: a temple peripteral hexastyle, with thirteen columns on the long sides, similar to the Temple of Concordia , which measured 34.70 meters x 15.10. The church is called because of the Greeks, during the Byzantine era, was the cathedral rite greek-orthodox cathedral became Catholic before San Gerlando. The present building dates from the twelfth or thirteenth century. Simple and severe, the façade has a Gothic style reminiscent of the typical architecture Swabian age. The entrance is adorned with a large ogival portal, whose key has a shield. The interior has three naves. The middle one has a wooden ceiling line fourteenth century, painted trusses. On the walls are traces of seven boxes fourteenth-century frescoes, distributed around the figure of a Madonna and Child Enthroned went partly destroyed. It is the so-called Madonna del latte with an explicit reference to the Church depicted in Mary, indicated by the child as a source of grace. The seven panels representing scenes from the life of Mary. The two remaining are: The Vision of St. Joachim on the Mount , in which an angel appears, announcing the next motherhood of St. Anne, and the Presentation of Mary in the Temple . The church contains a marble sarcophagus in 1570, which contains the bones of two noble Palermo: Bartolomeo Caputo Terms and Isabella. During the last restoration, were found the crypt and the gully of the nineteenth century, where members of the Brotherhood of Santa Maria dei Greeks were allowed to dry, sitting before burial. The chairs are made from the living rock below the level of the floor of the cell of the temple.
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Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Greci
Salita Santa Maria dei GreciOpening hours out from the celebrations
10.00 to 13.00 / 15.30 to 18.00
The Church of St. Mary of the Greeks located on the same street, on the hill of Girgenti. It corresponds to the ancient temple of Athena or Zeus Atabirios, dating back to Theron. There are traces of this temple foundations and the remains of the cell: a temple peripteral hexastyle, with thirteen columns on the long sides, similar to the Temple of Concordia , which measured 34.70 meters x 15.10. The church is called because of the Greeks, during the Byzantine era, was the cathedral rite greek-orthodox cathedral became Catholic before San Gerlando. The present building dates from the twelfth or thirteenth century. Simple and severe, the façade has a Gothic style reminiscent of the typical architecture Swabian age. The entrance is adorned with a large ogival portal, whose key has a shield. The interior has three naves. The middle one has a wooden ceiling line fourteenth century, painted trusses. On the walls are traces of seven boxes fourteenth-century frescoes, distributed around the figure of a Madonna and Child Enthroned went partly destroyed. It is the so-called Madonna del latte with an explicit reference to the Church depicted in Mary, indicated by the child as a source of grace. The seven panels representing scenes from the life of Mary. The two remaining are: The Vision of St. Joachim on the Mount , in which an angel appears, announcing the next motherhood of St. Anne, and the Presentation of Mary in the Temple . The church contains a marble sarcophagus in 1570, which contains the bones of two noble Palermo: Bartolomeo Caputo Terms and Isabella. During the last restoration, were found the crypt and the gully of the nineteenth century, where members of the Brotherhood of Santa Maria dei Greeks were allowed to dry, sitting before burial. The chairs are made from the living rock below the level of the floor of the cell of the temple.
Monastero Santo Spirito
9 8 Cortile Santo Spirito