Valle dei Templi

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08-09 May 2019
Agrigento, Sicilia

You want Greek temples?
We got Greek temples!

We took a leisurely drive from Modica to Agrigento, passing farm fields and especially vineyards. Our Agrigento hotel was not in the city center but out at the beach. This spot seemed like a working community with few tourists. The waiter at the bar where Robert got his morning cappuccino knew on the second day that no sugar was needed and that the cornetto should be vuoto (not filled). And the lady at the panificio (bakery) knew that Bonnie did not tolerate milk, warning Robert which pastries had cream. Pretty good! We do not get that personal attention at Starbucks or Peet’s.

Robert noticed the working farm across from the panificio planted with beans, onions, and fave.

We came to Agrigento—Valle dei Templi— for the Greek temples. We drove to the temple site with perhaps a sense of obligation to see more important ruins. Our first siting came as we drove along a winding country road through wooded fields. That first glimpse of the Temple of Concord, very big, up high, orange against the blue sky, almost completely intact, made Bonnie gasp, “wow.” The entire temple park is a national monument of Italy and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the 1,300 hectares make it the largest archaeological site in the world.

A string of seven temples stretch along a four-kilometer ridge. Some temples still stand while others do not.

We were pretty amazed at the scale and expanse of the area. Along with the museum where we spent about an hour, we took about 4 hours strolling slowly from temple to amazing temple.

Temple of Concord
Temple of Hera
Central four-kilometer path connecting the temples
Temple of Hercules

Other just as important items

We rounded a corner on our pre dinner walk and found a mob of people in front of this gelateria. The photo shows only one of the TWO cases of gelati flavors. Not sure how people eat a large gelato and soon after eat dinner but it seems routine here.
White sparkling wine made from Nero d’Avola grapes. Very good.
Local bar where we had evening drinks and Robert had his morning cappuccini and cornetti. Note Italians consistently in black or navy, and Robert not.
Beans, fave, and onions

4 thoughts on “Valle dei Templi”

  1. Bonnie and Robert: Ciao! (That’s the extent of my Italian except for maybe food items like gelato and pasta names.) Your pictures of antiquities, people, places, and foods are divine. The clarity, detail and colors are breathtaking. I am wanting Italian food every time you post. I trust you’re having a wonderful time, relaxing, and traveling at your place, and…living. Viaggi sicuri (according to Google)! Oh, and a early happy birthday to Bonnie! Best always, Jen L.

  2. Greek Temples! Breathtaking! You know, I studied Aristophanes in college and directed Lysistrata as an undergraduate honors program full production in my senior year at UC Berkeley. These gorgeous and very sharp photos took me back to my Aristophanes days.

    And the part about eating gelato then having a full meal right after…. no problem. You obviously haven’t hung out with me much. Also, looks like I’l have to go to Agrigento for my morning cuppa and pastry. It’ll mean waking up earlier but probably worth it.

    Keep enjoying. I’m living vicariously.

    2. We just missed the annual May performances of Greek plays at Siracusa. We could hear them rehearsing in the big Roman amphitheater. I think one of the three plays this year is Lysistrata

      I’m trying to make one meal a day a salad, not entirely successfully, because the afternoon presents so many opportunities to sample specialties I must try while in Sicily, like granita, pastries of almond paste, gelato, good Marsala, and other aperitivos,

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