Travel Date: October 2017
Whether you subscribe to the theory of alien builders providing help for ancient architectural wonders or not, the size and scale of some of the ancient constructions is mind-boggling.
A tourist attraction based around architectural ruins isn't for everyone.
On the face of it, these are dilapidated buildings. Many sites don't have evidence of what these structures looked like. Just a few sites have artists' impressions of what these ancient civilizations, cities and streets may have looked like hundreds of years ago. After a few hours of looking around, there may appear to be a sameness to the ruins, with the ancient temples all beginning to look the same.
These are all opinions I've heard from others but I'm firmly not a member of that camp.
There is a certain romance to the notion of ancient man battling the elements, the limitations of the knowledge of the day in order to build something enormous to honour celestial beings to whom everyday occurrences were attributed. That sense of romance seems to do it for me.
Having said all of this, the iconic Greek temples in Agrigento's "Valley of the Temples" have been a spectator of Sicily's history for the last 2 and half thousand years. It almost seems essential to walk through the asphalt pathway, lined by olive trees and bushes, visiting these iconic landmarks.
Located outside Agrigento on the Southwestern coast of Sicily, Agrigento's Valley of the Temples is reachable by public transport or rental car.
If you're driving in, as we did, there are 2 public parking facilities - by the Porta Quinta (West of the Valley) or by the entrance of the Temple of Juno (East of the Valley).
The signs to the parking were clearly visible but there are a few circles that need to be navigated to get there. We parked at the Parcheggio Tempio Di Giunone (Parking of the Temple of Juno) and so putting this into Google Maps is probably the best bet.
The park is open until 7 pm in general and up to 11 pm in Summer (with tickets for adults costing 12€), but the dusk and nighttime visits are the most popular and crowded because of the best light for photography and how hot the park gets during the day. The entire site is much larger than you'd expect and requires a fair amount of walking (you can expect to walk up to 3 Km and spend about 3-4 hours), so it is best to plan your visit beforehand and do a bit of research - like picking your parking spot and your walking route based on which temples you would like to see.
The park's Eastern zone has 3 of the most complete ruins in the park - the Temple of Hercules, the amazing Temple of Concordia and the Temple of Juno. Along the walking path between these temples is also a small cafe (with ice creams) and toilets.
The Western zone has the temples of Zeus, Castor and Pollux and others.
The Temple of Juno - in the eastern part of the valley, it was a temple to the goddess of fertility. This temple, supposedly similar to the Temple of Concordia, was said to have been destroyed in a fire in 406 B.C..
Olive bushes line the walk from the Temple of Juno to Concordia. There is also the chance to stop for a rest.
Also by the temple is a statue of the fallen Icarus (from the story of Daedalus and Icarus).
The Temple of Hercules is the oldest of the temples in the park. It was believed to have held inside it a bronze statue of Hercules. Destroyed by war and natural disasters, it has only 8 of its columns still standing.
The Temple of Castor & Pollux (Dioscuri) representing the twin brothers born from Jupiter and the Queen of Sparta has only 4 columns now left.
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