Agrigento (province)

Province of Agrigento

Agrigento is a province on the southwestern coast of Sicily, Italy, that stretches from the south coast into the mountainous hinterland. The province faces the Channel of Sicily in the south and is known for its beaches. Torre Salsa's beaches have been designated natural reserves and are protected due to their environmental importance.

Cities

• 1 Agrigento — to the south and particularly noted for the Valle dei Templi (Valley of Temples) ( UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• 2 Caltabellotta — hilltop village outside Sciacca
• 3 Heraclea Minoa (Eraclea Minoa) — Greek ruins above an attractive beach
• 4 Porto Empedocle (Marina) — port town close to Agrigento
• 5 Sciacca — quiet south coast port town
• 6 Canicattì — Working class city between Caltanissetta and Agrigento
• 7 Palma di Montechiaro —

Other destinations

• 1 Pelagie Islands (Isole Pelagie) — most southern, in the Mediterranean Sea

Understand

Gela inhabitants founded the province in the 6th century BCE as Akragas. The Carthage destroyed the province in 406 BCE but was later ruled by the Romans, Goths, Byzantines, and Arabs. The Arabs rebuilt several parts of the province. Several ancient Doric temples were constructed during the 6th and 5th century BCE to worship Hercules, Olympian Jupiter, Juno, Castor, Pollux, and Demeter. They are located in the Valley of Temples (Valle dei Templi). The ancient temples and other architectural structures were built using the stones of the hills near Capo San Marco.

Climate

In summer it can be unbearably hot in Sicily with its arid Mediterranean climate, in winter the temperatures are often pleasant and snow hardly ever falls. In spring and autumn, the temperatures are very pleasant, apart from the sometimes heavy thunderstorms.

Get in

By car

From the A19 Palermo - Catania motorway to Caltanissetta, then on the SS640, through the mountains to the south coast. Alternatively on the southern coastal road SS115, which runs along the entire southern coast of Sicily from Trapani to Siracusa.

By train

Ferrovia Palermo - Agrigento - Porto Empedocle line or Agrigento - Caltanissetta line and then connection to the Palermo - Catania line.

Get around

The region can be easily travelled by car. With larger vehicles or mobile homes, caution is advised in narrow towns, scooters can get through everywhere without any problems.

As in all of Italy, people drive in Sicily quite "impulsively" and quickly. As a rule, it is important to be very attentive at all times, but this also applies to local road users: in rural Sicily, the right-of-way is often not stubbornly insisted on — a vehicle is sometimes allowed to enter from a turner or stopped for a left turn, the traffic partners mist clearly see what you are planning to do.

Travelling in the region by public transport is challenging, railway connections are rare, all towns and cities are connected by a dense bus network, the website of the Sicilian bus company AST seems a bit confusing and is written in fluent Italian.

See

Near Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi) has many temples from Greek antiquity. Eraclea Minoa is an archaeological site with a Greek theatre. Capo Bianco, near the bathing beach of Cattolica Eraclea and Scala dei Turchi, a rocky coast with stepped white marl formations, are both recommended.

Do

• 1 Monti Sicani park (Parco dei Monti Sicani).  

Eat

The Sicilian cuisine in the southern provinces is similar to that of Italy: fish and fresh seafood are mainly offered in the port cities, in the mountain areas ham and mountain cheese are instead on the appetizer plate.

Drink

The province is well known for its vineyards and wines. Around three-quarters of the Sicilian land devoted to growing Fiano grapes is in the province. Some of the important municipalities known for their vineyards include Sambuca di Sicilia, Menfi, and Santa Margherita di Belice.

Stay safe

Security in southern Sicily is not much different from other rural areas of Italy. Pickpocketing and car break-ins are to be expected if valuables are left in the vehicle. However, the risk is no greater than in large cities in northern Europe.