A Local’s Guide to Visiting Agrigento, Sicily
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Agrigento is a pleasant little coastal city in central Sicily that is best known for being home to the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Temples. This magnificent archaeological site testifies to a past of splendor when Agrigento was a grand Mediterranean city with 300,000 inhabitants, rivaling Syracuse and Carthage.
According to mythology, the city was founded by Daedalus and his son Icarus, but as far as we know, it was actually founded in 580 BC by the Greeks from the nearby city of Gela. Eventually sacked by the Romans, ruled by the Byzantines, invaded by Arabs, and reconquered by the Normans before finally falling under Spanish rule, Agrigento still retains traces of all the peoples who have crossed through the city.
Beyond traffic and concrete, the city gifts an unforgettable experience to a visitor willing to be surprised. The old town is a true unexplored gem that unfolds along the pedestrian Via Atenea, dotted with noble palaces and a maze of small side alleys to explore. It also boasts an unexpectedly vibrant nightlife, which is a treat to discover after a day visiting the archaeological site!
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Table of Contents
Why visit?
Where is Agrigento
How to get here
How long to stay
What to see and do in Agrigento
1-day Agrigento itinerary
Local help with your planning
Aside from the little-visited interior of the island, the land around Agrigento is Sicily’s least touristed. But those who make the wise choice to linger are rewarded with a truly authentic Sicilian experience.
Here, you’ll find secluded beaches that are empty even in the height of high season. The countryside offers the chance to experience Sicily as it was decades ago and to witness, and partake in, traditions and a way of life that have existed for centuries.
To learn how to get away from the crowds and experience authentic Sicily during your visit, consider scheduling a Sicily travel consultation with one of our Local Experts.
These are one-hour Zoom calls where you’ll get to chat with a Sicily-based travel pro about the trip you’re planning and they’ll share their tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
Why visit?
The spectacular Valley of the Temples alone is a sufficient reason to stop in Agrigento, but don't let yourself be absorbed only by the Doric columns and the Greek history of the city. Agrigento is also the Italian Capital of Culture for 2025, so give yourself the chance to discover its poignant and decadent beauty.
Wander through its narrow lanes and spot Baroque palaces, old churches, graffiti on the stairways, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, a monastery producing sweet delicacies, and the unique pistachio couscous still prepared by the nuns.
Just outside the city, you can also hike in a wild nature reserve, relax on Sicily’s most secluded beaches, and taste a cuisine that offers up authentic and unexpected flavors.
And in the evening, mingle with friendly locals while enjoying an aperitif at sunset.
Where is Agrigento?
Photo: Hel-hama, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The city of Agrigento is the capital of the Agrigento province and is located in central Sicily on its southern coast, near the San Biagio river. It is 122 km south from Palermo and 155 km southeast of Trapani, while the capital of Italy, Rome, sits 685 km to the north.
The city rises up on a plateau encircled by cliffs and dominated by a ridge with twin peaks. Its surroundings offer Sicily’s wildest landscapes and along the coast here, you will find kilometers of golden sandy beaches.
How to get to here
By train and bus
From Palermo: Agrigento is easily reached by train from Palermo, with regular departures every day starting from 6 am and going until 8 pm. The journey takes around 2 hours and one-way tickets cost €9.
If the trains’ timing doesn’t work for your schedule, you can also catch a bus. The journey takes about 3 hours, costs €12 one way, and is operated by the company Autoservizi Cuffaro, with departures throughout the day from 8 am to 6 pm.
From Trapani: If you’ll be arriving from Trapani, forget the train - the bus is a much better option. The route is operated by Autolinee Salvatore Lumia, and there are four daily departures. The journey takes 3 hours and a one-way ticket costs €12.
The Agrigento bus station is on Piazza Rosselli, a few steps from the central Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. From there, you can also catch the local buses (TUA lines 1, 2, 3) between Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples.
Where to buy train and bus tickets
I always recommend booking direct with service providers, but to check train and bus options all in one place, you can try using Omio.
It’s an online aggregator that shows all the different public transportation options for getting places. Buying tickets through the site costs a tiny bit more than booking direct, but their website is easy to use and very convenient.
By car
As always in Sicily, having a car is best, especially if you intend on visiting the surrounding area outside of Agrigento. By car, Agrigento is a little over 2 hours away from both Palermo and Trapani, and just under 2 hours from Catania. To get here from any of those cities, you will be traveling along well maintained state roads.
Once you arrive to Agrigento, be aware that it can be very hard to find parking in the city. There is metered parking in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, and that is usually a good option.
If you plan to visit the Valley of the Temples, you’ll find parking lots at the entrances at Porta V and Porta Giunone. The parking fee is €2 for the first hour, €1 for the second hour, then €0.50 for every following hour. You will pay a maximum rate of €5 per day.
Where to find a car rental
Agrigento has a couple of rental agencies in town (including Avis), but you don’t have much selection. If you’re planning to have a car during your visit of western Sicily, you’re better off renting in Palermo or Trapani, where you’ll have more options and typically better prices.
If you’re planning on renting a car, I’d recommend checking prices on the following two online aggregator websites:
DiscoverCars includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. I always recommend checking prices on it as you can frequently find great deals.
AutoEurope tends to be more expensive, but they only list options from large, well-reviewed companies and their customer service is excellent. Their deals often include “zero deductible” (i.e. full coverage) rental insurance and they’re the best option if want the easiest experience and are ok paying a little more for it.
Connect with a Sicily travel expert for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
How long to spend in Agrigento
If you’re only coming to Agrigento to visit the Valley of the Temples, then you can visit on a day trip, stopping here as you travel from east to west (or vice versa) on your Sicily road trip. A tour of the archaeological site will take nearly the whole day, but you can easily travel on to your final destination afterwards.
However, if you’re also interested in exploring the historic center of Agrigento and potentially visiting some of the nearby points of interest, then you should stay for one night at the very least. This way, you could tour the temples and then spend the evening wandering around Agirgento and taking advantage of its surprisingly dynamic nightlife.
The next morning, get an early start and visit the city’s surroundings a bit on your way to your next destination. You can spend some time on a wild beach, see the impressive Scala dei Turchi, discover a Roman villa, or buy coral jewels in Sciacca.
Spending the night in Agrigento is always my recommendation, as there is much more to this city and area than just the archaeological site. Two days here would be even better.
Where to stay
If you choose to stay overnight, here are two hotels that I alway recommend in the city:
Terrazze di Montelusa is hosted in an old palace with original furniture. It also has lovely terraces with nice views. Rooms are usually $80-120 USD
Locanda degli Scrittori is a lovely choice if you prefer quieter accommodation. Rooms are hosued in a modern country house surrounded by a lush garden. Nightly rates from $100 USD.
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you could also look at two luxury hotels in the countryside outside of Agrigento, both of which offers stunning views over the Greek ruins of Valley of the Temples.
Doric Eco Boutique runs around $300 a night.
Villa Athena, the ultra high-end option, costs from $600 and up.
What to see and do in Agrigento
1. Stroll along Via Atenea and discover the old center
Seen from the Valley of the Temples, Agrigento looks almost like a big blog of concrete. But be ready to change your mind once you actually reach the city: here, tiny, charming alleys branch off everywhere from the central Via Atenea, lined by bars, restaurants, and shops.
Among the secondary streets, you’ll stumble upon 18th and 19th-century noble palaces with ornate balconies and imposing churches, such as Santa Maria dei Greci, built on a former 5th-century temple, or the 11th-century cathedral of Saint Gerlando.
Enter the cathedral to discover a Roman sarcophagus, a painted wooden ceiling, and the manuscript letter of the devil dating back to the 17th century. It was written in unknown characters and no one has ever been able to decipher it.
Do not miss the colorful Scalinata degli Artisti (artists' staircase) covered in murals and drawings.
Agrigento’s Cathedral. Photo: Toni Pecoraro, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Sample an unusual couscous at Monastero di Santo Spirito
The Monastero di Santo Spirito, a Cistercian convent, was founded in 1290 and it houses splendid stucco artworks by Giacomo Serpotta. But within its walls, there is also a jealously guarded secret: the recipe for a mouthwatering pistachio couscous. Made by the nuns of the convent (who also bake desserts using pistachios and almonds), this sweet couscous is truly unique.
According to the legend, African women from Tunisia taught the nuns how to prepare the dish in the 13th century and they have been making it ever since.
3. Travel back in time at the Valley of the Temples
The ancient city of Akragas (Agrigento) was founded by the Greeks, who built imposing temples in a green valley, now UNESCO-listed for having the best-preserved temples outside of Greece. The archaeological site lies 3 km below the actual city.
Stroll along the 2 km-long pathway amongst olive trees and admire the ruins of the temple of Hercules, the huge temple of Zeus, the still intact temple of Concordia, and the Demeter and Kore sanctuary.
Along the way, you can also visit old necropolises, a hypogeum, and an Art Nouveau villa.
4. See the treasures at the archeological museum
Your visit here would be incomplete without a tour of the archaeological museum Pietro Griffo, just north of the temples. It houses all the stunning treasures discovered in the valley and the surrounding area.
The collection includes the colossal statue called Telamon, which once supported the Temple of Zeus.
5. Relax in Giardino della Kolymbetra, a slice of Eden on earth
You'll feel like the first human on earth wandering through this little slice of Eden. The Greek historian Diodorus wrote that the Valley was dug by Carthaginian slaves in 480 BC to ensure water supply to the city. Later, in the Middle Ages, it became a lush garden thanks to the ancient water conveyance system.
Today, it is home to 300 species of plants, including rare citrus varieties. You can bring a picnic with you, and in summer evenings it hosts concerts and also has a small bar among the trees.
Photo: Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
6. Enjoy dinner with a view over the temples
When in Agrigento, you must book a table at the restaurant Re di Girgenti. Be sure to sit outdoors as the terrace overlooks the Valley of the Temples. You can enjoy an excellent meal while looking out over the illuminated temples shining in the distance.
Alternatively, you’ll find excellent local food at La Scala, housed in a restored historic building on Via Atenea.
7. Visit the home of a Nobel-prize winner: Casa Pirandello
The Nobel laureate Luigi Pirandello was born in Agrigento and his family's villa is still there, 5 km southwest of the city. Browse the rooms and learn about his life, plays (he was a writer and playwright), memorabilia, and photographs.
You can also pay homage to the writer as his ashes are buried at the foot of a huge pine tree in the garden.
8. Attend the Almond Blossom Festival
If you happen to visit Agrigento between February and March, you can participate in an wonderfully engaging local feast called Festa del Mandorlo in Fiore. It celebrates the blooming of the almond blossoms all around the city and the Valley of the Temples. The festival actually originates in Naro, a small village not far from Agrigento, but has been held here since the 1950’s.
Today, it’s a big festival with torchlight processions, folk groups from all over the world performing in the streets, and food stalls full of typical products to taste.
9. Have an aperitif at sunset in San Leone beach
In summer, every local enjoys a ritual by the sea: sipping an aperitif on San Leone beach at sunset. San Leone is a seaside resort a short distance from the city center (6 km). Join the locals, who often stay until late into the night enjoying cocktails, food, live music, and dancing.
Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
10. Visit Farm Cultural Park, an art gallery in Favara
Favara, a 15-minute drive from Agrigento, houses a quite unexpected art gallery. The founders, Andrea Bartoli and Florinda Saieva, saved an abandoned section of the town by buying up dilapidated buildings and restoring them to host art installations and international exhibitions. Their gallery has brought new life to the community.
More than just a gallery, it also hosts workshops, talks, and film screenings.
While in Favara, do not miss the chance to taste the typical marzipan lamb. It’s a little marzipan sheep stuffed with pistachio paste and traditionally prepared for Easter.
11. Tour the old harbor: Porto Empedocle, Andrea Camilleri’s home
Porto Empedocle is Agrigento’s old harbor, originally called Marina di Girgenti. It became Porto Empedocle in 1863 as a homage to the Greek philosopher Empedocle, born here.
The city was also the birthplace of the writer Andrea Camilleri, whose series of novels “The Shape of Water” were the inspiration for the TV series “Inspector Montalbano” (a hugely popular show in Italy). You’ll find alarge mural dedicated to the writer on Via Salita Chiesa.
And in case you’re interested in visiting Lampedusa, ferries depart from the Marina di Girgenti for the island.
12. Marvel at the Scala dei Turchi, an imposing chalky cliff
The famous rocky outcrop of the Scala dei Turchi, which forms the shape of a giant staircase, lies just 15 km west of Agrigento. Arab pirates, who in Sicily were improperly called Turks, took refuge here during storms between one raid and another (which is the reason for it’s name - Stair of the Turks). Arrive early if you want to be sure to find parking.
You can enjoy a panoramic viewpoint along the road or reach the beach via 10 minutes of walking. Climbing the cliff is no longer allowed, so you can only admire it from the beach on the right-hand side.
13. See the mosaics at Villa Romana di Durreli
Just 12 km from Agrigento is a Roman villa preserved over millennia. It dates back to the 1st century AD and was the seaside residence of a Roman businessman. Its rooms, discovered in 1907 while workers were building the nearby railway, are decorated with fine mosaics.
14. Go for a swim beside a legendary Greek city: Eraclea Minoa
The ancient Greek settlement of Eraclea Minoa lies 35 km west of Agrigento. Legend has it that it was founded by the Cretan King Minos. The archeological park sits on a rocky spur overlooking a marvelous seascape: a long, golden sand beach backed by greenery and cliffs. Of course, if the weather is good, you must take a dip!
15. Get into nature on a wild beach in the Torre Salsa Nature Reserve
If you are keen on a solitary beach experience, head to Torre Salsa, Sicily’s wildest beach. The nature reserve is 30 km from Agrigento and extends for more than 700 hectares.
Unwind among dunes, turquoise waters, wetlands, and white cliffs. One of them, called Dama Bianca, seems like a smaller Scala dei Turchi.
Leave your car at the parking lot next to the Pantano entrance, just a short walk from the beach.
Photo: Fonsi51, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
16. Shop for handmade pottery and coral jewels in Sciacca
The town of Sciacca has been a renowned thermal resort since the 5th century. Discover the church of Santa Maria del Soccorso erected in 1108, admire Renaissance palaces, enjoy the view from Piazza Scandaliato, and reach the harbor following the majolica-decorated Scalinata Artistica.
Next, go shopping for handmade pottery and coral jewels on Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The local coral is sustainable as it is fossilized thanks to the local volcanic activity.
How to spend a day in Agrigento
Morning
Start your day by visiting the magnificent Valley of the Temples. If you arrive by car, choose the Porta Giunone entrance, from where you’ll be heading downhill for the 2 km-long pathway. Later, you can return to the parking lot by walking (if you feel like doing the route backwards) or by taking a small electric shuttle (€3).
Expect to spend at least the whole morning at the temples.
At the end of the valley tour, discover the magnificent Kolymbetra garden before heading up to the city of Agrigento.
You can enjoy a picnic in the garden or have a quick lunch in Agrigento at A’ Putia Bottega Siciliana, which offers focaccia, platters with local cheese, and craft beers.
Afternoon
Get lost in the side streets of the historic center to discover the artistic wonders hidden in the heart of Agrigento. Go to the monastery of Santo Spirito and spoil yourself with the sweet couscous prepared there by the nuns. After a lot of walking at the temples and in the city, you’ll have earned this delicious sweet treat!
Afterwards, stop in for a quick visit to the city’s archaeological museum. From the museum, head down to the sea and enjoy an aperitif at sunset on San Leone beach.
End the day tasting a Sicilian dinner with a view over the temples at Re di Girgenti.
The next morning
Before leaving the Agrigento area to head on to your next destination, treat yourself to a morning at the seaside in the shade of the impressive Scala dei Turchi cliff or on the secluded beach of the Torre Salsa nature reserve.
Alternatively, you can visit the ancient Greek settlement of Eraclea Minoa or the splendid Roman Villa di Durreli.
If you are heading to Trapani from here, be sure to stop in the interesting town of Sciacca along the way.
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