Hikes in Agrigento

Following well-maintained paths—starting on a road with little traffic—you’ll hike from Agrigento to the Norman church of San Biagio and then along the Passeggiata Archeologica through the Valley of the Temples. A stroll through the Kolymbethra Gardens and a stop at the Archaeological Museum on the way back round out the itinerary.▶ From Piazza Marconi near the Agrigento 01 train station, walk along the long Viale della Vittoria—lined with a row of ficus trees—until you reach the end. After passing through a gate, turn right downhill at the fork; the narrow road winds down to the cemetery, and the Ingresso Demetra 02 is located near the parking lot. A gravel path leads toward San Biagio; if the green iron gate is locked, you can walk through a narrow passage next to the lower iron gate along the cemetery wall and then turn left through the almond and olive grove to reach the gravel path. Follow a trail uphill to the Norman church San Biagio 03. It stands on the site of a temple dedicated to Demeter, and from here you can enjoy a beautiful view. Return along the same path; the ancient place of worship dedicated to Demeter—a rock sanctuary on the steep slope below—is locked and inaccessible. At the end of the cemetery wall, turn right downhill at the fork 04, then immediately right again through the woods along the cemetery wall up to the hilltop 05.Behind it, to the left and below, lie the foundations of the Punico quarters 06; follow the wide path to the road and walk along it briefly to the Ingresso Ginnone 07. After a thorough security check like at an airport (no knives allowed!), head up to the left toward the Temple of Juno or Hera 08. Of this sanctuary, which stands at the very top of the row of temples, 25 columns were re-erected during the Romantic rediscovery of antiquity. Following the old fortification wall—which is built into the rocks at the edge of the steep drop-off—you’ll pass through an almond and olive grove to reach the Temple of Concordia 09. It owes its good state of preservation to the fact that it was converted into a Christian church in the 6th century; the intercolumniations were bricked up at that time and later reopened during the renovation to restore it as a temple. The olive tree in front of it has also reached a venerable age of 500 to 600 years.As you continue on your way, you’ll pass the Roman-era necropolises on your right, then the Villa Aurea, and arrive at the imposing ruins of the Temple of Heracles 10. It was destroyed by the Carthaginians in 406 B.C., rebuilt by the Romans, and later destroyed again by earthquakes; during the 1923 restoration, the Englishman A. Herdenstel had eight columns re-erected.Cross the street via a bridge near the main entrance to reach the western temple ruins. The massive former Temple of Zeus 11 is now a vast pile of rubble; the grooves for the lifting ropes and the recesses for the stabilizing pegs are clearly visible on the column drums and stone blocks. One can get a sense of its gigantic dimensions by imagining that 38 Atlantean figures, each 7.65 m tall—a replica lies within the temple grounds, while an original stands in the museum—supported the entablature.To the west lies the extensive sanctuary of the chthonic deities; the reconstructed northwest corner of the Temple of the Dioscuri 12 has become a landmark of Agrigento.To the right of this is the entrance to the Giardino della Kolymbethra 13, a sprawling garden in the ravine, through which flows a stream lined with reeds, willows, tamarisk, and poplars.After returning to the main entrance 14(parking lot, bus station, bar), take the city bus back into town.On the way, it’s worth making a stop at the Archaeological Museum, which displays, among other things, artifacts from the Valley of the Temples, as well as the Church of San Nicola and a small theater dating from the 1st century B.C.

La Magna Via Francigena, un'antica via di pellegrinaggio che collega Palermo ad Agrigento, è un percorso che affonda le sue radici nella storia e che attraversa alcuni dei paesaggi più suggestivi dell'isola. Se sei un appassionato di trekking, storia e cultura, questo itinerario ti permetterà di immergerti nel cuore della Sicilia, tra borghi medievali, monumenti storici e meravigliosi panorami naturali.

"Da colline e mandorleti al mare aperto: un itinerario che attraversa la Sicilia agricola fino alla costa."

"Un viaggio dalla costa all'entroterra, tra vedute mozzafiato e l'autenticità della Sicilia rurale. Perfetto per gli amanti dell'avventura."

"Un itinerario tra natura e archeologia, verso una delle città più affascinanti della Sicilia."

Besichtigung Tempel Agrigento Start und Ziel großer Parkplatz an der Via Angelo Bonfiglio (auch für Wohnmobile geeignet) man kann dort angeblich auch übernachten

Auf Sizilien Wandern und eine historische Stätte besuchen: Hier z.B. ein Rundkurs der in Agrigent startet und wunderbare Aussichten bietet. Über wenig begangene Treppen erfolgt der Abstieg. Das Ziel ist das beeindruckende "Tal der Tempel". Auf einer riesigen Fläche sind hier mehrere sehr gut erhaltene griechische Tempel zu besichtigen. Der Aufstieg erfolgt abseits der Massen auf einem schönen Weg. Diese Tour habe ich am 9.3.23 gemacht.