The Valley of the Temples: What Is It and Where Is It?

Italy is a country full of beauty. In this incredible peninsula you can find the third oldest city in the world (Matera), the eternal city (Rome), and other magnificent places full of history, art, and culture such as Florence, Venice, and Naples. In addition, Italy is also famous for its wide variety of landscapes: from the Alps and the Apennine to the extraordinary beaches of the southern regions. Today we will focus on a specific area in Sicily, the Valley of the Temples. 1. What is The Valley of the Temples? Sicily is a region full of history, culture, and art, mainly due to the various invasions and settlements that have defined the island's history. The Valley of the Temples is one of the best examples of the great historical heritages that Italy keeps. The site is close to Agrigento, province of the largest island of the Mediterranean sea. The archeological site is famous for its exceptional state of conservation, as well as for its classic beauty. The story of the Valley of the Temples dates back to 581 B.C. when the city of Agrigento had paramount importance in the Mediterranean sea. The importance of the town was emphasized by the eleven buildings that today compose the Valley of the Temples. 2. The temples As we said earlier, the wonderful site gathers eleven doric temples dedicated to the greek gods: ● Temple of Hephaestus ● Sanctuary of the chthonic gods with Temple of the Dioscuri and Temple L ● Temple of Olympian Zeus ● Temple of Asclepius ● Temple of Hercules ● Temple of Concordia and Early Christian necropolis ● Temple of Hera ● Rock sanctuary of Demeter ● Temple of Demeter ● Ekklesiasterion and Oratory of Phalaris ● Temple of Athena ● Temple of Zeus 3. How to get there There are different ways to reach this archeological site located in Sicily. Firstly, if you are not on the island yet, you can use a plane or a ferry. Once you are on the island, you can rent a car or use public services (buses and trains) to reach the Valley of the Temples and to enjoy one of the Italian wonders recognized by UNESCO.