AFFITTACAMERE DONNA LETIZIA
CIR: 19084001B441426
CIN: IT084001B4UWPXYCYG
Phone
Address
Via S. Michele, 29, 92100 Agrigento AG, Italia
+39 389 180 7112
ac_donnaletizia@virgilio.it
Agrigento, not just temples
Agrigento is known worldwide for its extraordinary Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But the archaeological site, one of the largest in Europe, is not the city’s only attraction. It is, in fact, washed by the sea of the Sicily Channel, which over the centuries has shaped its splendid beaches, and in its more than 2,500 years of history, the succession of many civilizations has given Agrigento an unmatched cultural heritage. The old medieval walls that surround the hilly area enclose many examples of the city’s intricate cultural fabric.
At the top of the hill rises majestically the Cathedral of San Gerlando, built at the end of the 11th century and enlarged and reworked several times. Then come the Bishop’s Palace, the Diocesan Museum and the Lucchesiana Library.
Near the Cathedral, there is a noteworthy church, Santa Maria dei Greci, built over an ancient Greek temple, bearing witness to their presence well beyond the Valley of the Temples. Coming down from the hilltops, along the narrow streets of the old town, you can come across many churches dating from the period between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Some examples of Chiaramontano-style art can be found here and there, such as the Monastery of Santo Spirito, with the adjoining church which over the centuries has been enriched several times with works and artistic elements of particular value. Going further down, you reach Via Atenea, the city’s shopping street, with its imposing 18th-century palaces.
From here you reach the Basilica of the Immaculate, or Church of Saint Francis, with the adjoining Chiaramontano Complex, now home to exhibitions and cultural conferences. The church was restored in the 17th century and the contrast of the architectural styles that followed one another is therefore visible.
Walking along Via Atenea to the very end, you reach Piazza Pirandello, where you can admire the Church of San Domenico and the Palazzo dei Giganti, a former Dominican monastery and now the Town Hall, through whose doors you arrive at the Pirandello Civic Theatre, formerly Regina Margherita.
Going down to the right of the town hall, along Via Empedocle, which overlooks the railway and from which you can see an unrivalled, contrast-rich panorama, between ancient and modern, between natural and man-made, you can admire the remains of the ancient medieval walls, broken up from time to time by their gates.
Walking eastward, you reach Viale della Vittoria, one of the finest in all Sicily, facing entirely south and from which you can glimpse, besides the view over the Valley, the ancient calcarenite rock quarries, once used for building work.
Beyond the Valley of the Temples, heading down toward the coast, you reach San Leone, a summer holiday spot for many people from Agrigento. Noteworthy is the Falcone and Borsellino Seafront, and the beaches, with free access, invite you to spend relaxing days under the warm Sicilian sun.
Many more are the attractions that Agrigento offers. Accept our invitation to visit a jewel of our wonderful island that has had such importance in the history of the European continent.