Agrigento, Sicily
37°19'38" N, 13°35'36" E
Sing along on our Sicilian road trip:
Getting from Sicily to Montenegro in the winter is actually a complicated puzzle without a boat. We looked for weeks at different options: plane, boat, train, and something else. We decided on a flight combination that included stops in Germany, Croatia, and a taxi ride. The only hiccup was our departure time. Our first leg left Palermo at 8am and the earliest a train will get you to the airport is 7:30am. We are usually ok with pushing security line wait times in small airports, but considering the stack of connections we didn’t want to chance it. What to do? Mary had the brilliant idea to rent a car from the airport and go on an adventure before flying out. The greatest two day adventure was born! We ventured to Agrigento to check out the Valley of the Temples.
We experienced being passengers in Palermo where there are no designated lanes on the road and traffic indicators are suggestions. Somehow driving in Sicily just works, but you have to be brave and intentional with your next steps. Rental cars in Sicily are also manual, so Mary was our designated driver. Krystal is too cautious for such a driving adventure. Before we set off we let our new friends know our plans. We will rent a car and drive to Agrigento. Anything to worry about? This question was answered with eyebrows…slightly raised eyebrows with a “youʻll be ok - you have plenty of time, right?” Only one “it is horrible” came through. What does this mean we thought? Krystal looked over the route on Google Maps street view and things seemed to be ok. So we set out, picked up our rental car with the fullest of full coverage, and hit the road. 175 of the 177 kilometer drive was stunning, easy, and absolutely enjoyable. And then we were almost there…
Out of nowhere the road split, crumbled into rubble and construction barriers, and there were literally two signs indicating the same thing pointing in different directions. So we veered right! And then ended up behind a bus in the town of Agrigento. And then went back down to the highway to try again. And ended up at the same split and chose the other direction only to be spit back into the town. What in the actual f*ck is happening? We stopped the car, looked closely at the map, and decided to avoid the highway. We made it. Eventually. Now we understand the eyebrows.
The area was founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC and rumor has it that the temples are some of the best preserved outside of Greece. Never in a billion years did Krytal think she would be standing at the base of a doric column let alone on the same island generations of her family have called home. The place is stunning. No words or images will ever capture what it is like to be here in person. We were also absolutely blessed with blooming almond trees. Here is our best attempt at sharing something truly magnificent.
Known as the city of Akragas in ancient times, this place was once a walled city of immense temples inhabited by 200,000 people. In 406 BC the Carthaginians showed up and destroyed the city. Continuing to change hands from Greeks to Carthaginians, to Romans, Muslim, and Christians. The temples were pulled apart and their building materials used to create other structures. Since 1997 the Valley has been recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Site. The first temple we came upon as the sun was starting to settle down in the west was the Temple of Hera Lacinia (Juno). Graced by stunning golden light we basked in the opportunity to stand alone with the remains of this giant on the highest peak. The experience was breathtaking as we looked out over the valley to the Mediterranean Sea. We giggled and wondered how this is even real life.
Just a few steps away is the Temple of Concordia. The most well preserved of the temples thanks to the preservation efforts in exchange for its time as a Christian church. As we walked around the western side towards the setting sun we realized our footsteps were navigating a necropolis. Ah, the dead! The impressions of their final resting places are everywhere on this island!
The sun ducked below the horizon as we ventured beside the toppled columns of the remains of the Temple of Heracles. The opportunity to observe the inner workings of such giant architecture was fascinating. The immensity of the building materials put into perspective the enormity of our dreams. This is proof that humans can accomplish anything they put their minds to. We relished in the sunset and then wandered to find a restroom. The temples are lit at night making the park a really dramatic place to be as the stars start to come out. We enjoyed a passeggiata, a leisurely stroll, back to the base of the hill to grab a quick cab ride back to the bed and breakfast.
We wandered into Villa La Lumia just as the cats and hosts were turning in for the evening. Piero and Reno, constant welcoming faces of the Villa, welcomed us home and poured us two glasses of Sicilian red wine. We cuddled up on the swing overlooking the valley and the cats. The Villa sits on a stunning little orchard of orange, lemon, and olive trees. In the morning we were blessed with a fresh breakfast and words to live by: “Here time passes and in admiration it stops.” Piero encouraged us to go visit the 1,200 year old olive tree and spend some time with her. How could we say no? Incredible to consider the lifetimes this olive tree has been witness to.
For our final adventure in Agrigento we paid a visit to the “Pietro Griffo” Regional Museum of Archaeology. It is where they put all of the stuff they found around the temples. To imagine the hands that made and held the artifacts is a gift. Although, we wonder if the folks who were buried in the urns and tombs ever imagined they would be placed in glass cases. It puts our modern rituals into perspective. Where will your cell phone be 2,500 years from now?
This adventure was the absolute best solution to an early flight time. For the files - one could absolutely make it through security at the Palermo airport in under 30 minutes, but it will take a few days to really soak up the incredible magic of the Valley of the Temples.