Set amid a landscape of centuries-old olive trees and almond groves, the monumental ruins of ancient Akrágas stand as one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean.
Our tour will take you along the rocky ridge of the Valley of the Temples which, beginning in the late 6th century BC, was adorned with a series of sanctuaries dedicated to the city’s most important patron deities. From the so-called “Temple of Juno” to the colossal Olympieion, we will journey through ancient Greek temple architecture that here, as in few other places, has kept its formal perfection intact.
After walking through the Valley of the Temples, we will reach the Monastery of San Nicola, home to the Agrigento Archaeological Museum, which houses some of the most significant finds unearthed in the ancient city its surrounding territory. From prehistoric and protohistoric ceramics to fine Greek pottery, as well as monumental Telamon statues and elegant terracotta votive figurines, we will retrace the different stages of Akrágas’ artistic tradition.
Moreover, our museum visit will offer a glimpse into the political heart of the ancient Greek city, bringing us right where the main administrative buildings - the ekklesiasterion and the bouleuterion - once stood.
