While many travelers visit Sicily for its beaches, hill towns, and cuisine, the island also holds some of the Mediterranean’s most extraordinary archaeological treasures. On a recent trip to Sicily, a group of friends and I visited two of the island’s most fascinating ancient ruins, including the remarkably preserved ancient Roman mosaics of Villa Romana del Casale and the towering Greek temples of the Valley of the Temples. These two UNESCO World Heritage Sites reveal Sicily’s rich history, shaped by powerful civilizations that once flourished on the island. My exploration provided a glimpse of Sicily’s remarkable history and understanding of the cultures that helped define the island for centuries.
Villa Romana del Casale
Set in the rolling hills near the hill town of Piazza Armerina, the Villa Romana del Casale is one of the most extraordinary archaeological treasures in the Mediterranean. The villa, dating to the early 4th century AD, is regarded as home to the most extensive collection of Roman mosaics still preserved in place anywhere in the world.
While the specific owner of the villa is unknown, it was built as the home of a vast agricultural estate for a wealthy and powerful Roman aristocrat, which helped to sustain the Roman economy in Sicily. At its height, it exemplified both colossal wealth and the agricultural power of the Roman Empire. After centuries of occupation, the villa was eventually abandoned and gradually buried beneath landslides and flood sediment during the 12th century, ultimately preserving its many treasures. Excavations began in the early 20th century, uncovering what is now considered one of the greatest surviving examples of Roman domestic architecture.
From the exterior, the complex seems like simply another Roman ruin. Once I stepped inside, I was awestruck with what was presented — brilliantly preserved mosaics so vivid and detailed that they feel almost alive. I walked along an elevated corridor that offered views below of room after room, observing the mosaic scenes, some of which looked like they could portray aspects of modern day life.
As I continued my tour, I began to understand the remarkable size and scale of the villa. It contains more than 50 rooms covering roughly 54,000 square feet (about 5,000 square meters). It included grand reception halls, thermal baths, private apartments, courtyards, service areas, and long colonnaded corridors. The villa is most famous for its extraordinary mosaics that covered most of the villa and decorated nearly every room. The villa was constructed in three phases. The first included a rectangular courtyard surrounded by public and private rooms. A second phase added a private bath complex, and a third phase included a monumental entrance, a grand hall, and enlarged basilica.
At the Monumental Entrance, a three-arched gateway provides the main access to the villa, which leads to an atrium with a square fountain, and surrounded by marble columns. Off the atrium is the rectangular shaped courtyard. In the center stood a three-basin fountain decorated with fish swimming along waves. Off the courtyard, opposite the atrium is the massive basilica or throne room. This audience hall was the most formal room in the villa. The floor and walls are made of marble, constituting the material of greatest prestige in the Roman world. Off the south side of the courtyard is the oval shaped courtyard known as the Xystus, which leads to the great hall. Within the great hall are mythical mosaics including Hercules, Jupiter, and Lycurgus.
Many of the mosaic scenes revealed the ambitions, pleasures, and worldview of Roman elite society. One of the most famous scenes is the “Great Hunt,” an immense corridor-length showpiece illustrating the capture and transport of exotic animals destined for Roman entertainment, including elephants, lions, leopards, and ostriches.
Another famous scene is the “Bikini Girls” mosaic. It depicts young women participating in athletic competitions, or lifting weights, while wearing two-piece garments strikingly similar to modern bikinis. This surprisingly contemporary image from nearly 1,700 years ago has fascinated visitors for decades. Elsewhere, mosaics portray mythology, children playing, pets, theatrical performances, and daily Roman life, creating an intimate portrait of the ancient world.
A large tourist center is located outside the ruins, and includes souvenir shops, restaurants, restrooms, and seating areas.
The Valley of the Temples Agrigento
A little over an hour west of Villa Romana del Casale, overlooking Sicily’s southern coast, rises the Valley of the Temples Agrigento. The ruins contain some of the best surviving examples of ancient Greek architecture outside of Greece itself. Despite its name, the “valley” is actually built along a hilltop plateau, where massive stone temples rise dramatically against the blue Sicilian sky.
The origins of the site stretch back to around 580 BC. Greek colonists from the cities of Gela and Rhodes founded the city of Akragas (known today as Agrigento). Akragas quickly grew into one of the wealthiest and most influential ancient Greek due to the surrounding fertile land and access to important Mediterranean trade routes. At its peak during the 5th century BC, the city may have been home to more than 100,000 residents, rivaling many of the great urban centers of the time. The city extended far beyond the temple ridge that is seen today, and included defensive walls, homes, markets, water systems, cemeteries, and public gathering spaces. Greek inhabitants dominated the city for several centuries until in 406 BC, when the Carthaginians attacked and devastated Akragas. It was later rebuilt under Greek and eventually Roman rule, but gradually declined over the centuries and was largely abandoned by the early medieval period.
Today, the Valley of the Temples stretches across more than 3,000 acres, making it one of the largest archaeological parks in Europe. It includes seven temples, most of which were constructed of local sandstone between the 6th and 5th centuries BC. They were dedicated to Greek gods and reflected both religious devotion and civic pride. The modern city of Agrigento actually sits on a bluff to the north of the park.
There are two entrances to the park, including one on the east, and one on the west. From the ticket office on the east side of the park, we walked beneath the scorching sun along a wide path leading to the preserved ruins that stretched for over a mile to the west. Along the path are the remains of an early Christian cemetery built between the 4th and 7th centuries AD, containing tombs within arches alcoves.
Temple of Juno – Near the eastern entrance is the Temple of Juno, perched dramatically on a hill where we were rewarded with panoramic views of the countryside, other temples and the sea. Built on a huge artificial terrace, only one side is intact with 13 columns and the beam resting above them, while only a portion of columns remain on the other three sides. The temple dates to 450 BC, was destroyed by a fire in 406 BC, and later restored during the Roman period.
Temple of Concordia – The next ruin was the Temple of Concordia, built around 440 BC and the most striking and preserved of all the temples. It ranks amongst the most notable edifices of the Greek civilization that still exist today. Designed in the Doric style, it includes six columns along the front, while the sides include 13 columns, with the harmonious proportions remain astonishingly complete. The temple is remarkably intact due in part to its later conversion into a Christian church during the 6th century AD.
Temple of Heracles (Hercules) – Nearby, the Temple of Heracles, believed to be the oldest at the site, still retains eight of the original 38 columns. It once housed a bronze statue of Hercules who was venerated by the Akragantines.
Temple of Olympian Zeus – From the Temple of Heracles, visitors take a bridge that crosses over a road to reach the western side of the park. The first temple on this side is the enormous Temple of Olympian Zeus. Greeks built this temple after the victory of the war with Carthage. It once ranked among the largest temples ever built in the Greek world, though today only immense fallen stones and fragments remain after earthquakes and centuries of stone reuse. At one time, the temple featured enormous sculpted human figures that supported portions of the structure, with remnants that are still visible.
Temple of Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux) – This temple is dedicated to legendary twins born from the union of the Queen of Sparta and Jupiter. Today, the temple only has four remaining columns and is the symbol of the city of Agrigento.
Temple of Hephaestus (Vulcan) – The furthest temple to the west is the Temple of Hephaestus. At one time, it was the most imposing in the valley, but today, only one partial column remains.
Temple of Asciepius – We didn’t visit the Temple of Asciepius, as it is the furthest temple, south of the main path. In the past, it was the destination of pilgrims seeking cures for illness.
Beyond the temples themselves, the archaeological park includes ancient fortifications, early Christian tombs, necropolises, attractive gardens and an archaeological museum. Between ruins stand almond and olive trees adding to the natural beauty of the valley. Unlike other archaeological sites that were once buried, the Valley of the Temples was never entirely lost to history. Many of its monumental ruins remained visible for centuries, attracting travelers, artists, and scholars during the Grand Tour era of the 18th and 19th centuries. Systematic excavation and archaeological preservation did not begin in earnest until the 18th century, accelerating significantly in the 19th and 20th centuries.
While we toured around on our own, visitors can take a guided tour or arrange ahead of time an escorted tour are available through companies like Viator. It’s highly recommended to bring a hat and water as there are no vendors and few shaded areas within the park.
Getting There
Getting to Sicily is easiest by flying to either of the two major cities, Palermo (located on the northwest side of the island) or Catania (located on the eastern side of the island). Both airports offer service to cities throughout Europe, and limited service to the U.S. via New York. The Villa Romana del Casale is located about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Piazza Armerina in central Sicily. The easiest way to get there is by car, especially if combining the site with other inland Sicilian destinations. From Catania, the drive takes roughly 1.5 hours, and from Palermo, the drive takes approximately 2.5 hours. Public transportation is possible via bus or train connections to Piazza Armerina, followed by a local shuttle, taxi, or short drive to the archaeological site, though schedules can be limited. For many visitors, the villa makes an ideal stop while crossing Sicily between the eastern and western parts of the island.
The Valley of the Temples is another hour west of the villa near the city of Agrigento. The site sits just outside modern Agrigento, roughly two to three hours by car from Palermo or Catania. While buses and trains connect Agrigento with major Sicilian cities, it is easiest to reach the site by car. From central Agrigento, local buses, taxis, or short drives provide easy access to the archaeological park. Visitors to both sites should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water due to the heat. Visiting during morning or late afternoon are strongly recommended.
At Valley of the Temples, the signage is a bit confusing, directing visitors to various locations. Make sure to park near one of the main entrances. We accidentally parked in a lot near the Archaeological museum, and then proceeded to walk a mile to the eastern entrance.