Free walking tours in Agrigento and what to see

Must-sees

Agrigento, on Sicily's south coast, is the ancient Greek Akragas, and its great sight is the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The route follows a ridge facing the sea: the Temple of Concordia, which was turned into a church and so keeps its Doric structure almost intact, the Temple of Juno up high, with wide views, and the Temple of Heracles, with eight columns standing. Further down are the remains of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, with its telamons, and the four columns of the Temple of the Dioscuri, the city's symbol.

Inside the park, the Kolymbethra garden is a small valley of citrus, olive and almond trees between tuff walls. The Regional Archaeological Museum helps you understand what you have seen. The modern town, on the hill, has its own old centre around Via Atenea and the cathedral of San Gerlando. Nearby, on the Realmonte coast, the Scala dei Turchi is a white marl cliff that drops in steps to the sea.

Free tours and guided visits

Agrigento does not have a regular free walking tour; people usually visit the Valley of the Temples with a guide or on their own. You can choose a group tour, a private one or a ticket with an audio guide, and a very popular option is the sunset visit, with the temples lit up. For the coast there are boat trips in front of the Scala dei Turchi and kayak outings in the Torre Salsa nature reserve.

How long to spend

The Valley of the Temples needs at least half a day, best first thing or late in the day, as in summer the sun is fierce and there is little shade. With a whole day you add the museum and a walk along Via Atenea. With two days you can add the Scala dei Turchi and a beach or two on the coast.

Where to stay

The historic centre, around Via Atenea, has hotels and guesthouses with restaurants nearby and some terraces overlooking the valley. In the countryside around the temples there are country houses and hotels with views of the ruins, convenient if you are driving. San Leone, by the sea, is the beach option, and Realmonte is right next to the Scala dei Turchi.