After the Palermo Marathon: Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples

The Route: Palermo → Agrigento → Palermo Logistics: An intercity bus from Pizzetta Cairoli beside Palermo Centrale, about 2 hours each way. There were around 13 weekday departures and 5 on Sundays on the information available, so check the timetable before you commit. Marathon Month: November Duration: 2 nights

Palermo Centrale (Pizzetta Cairoli) ──(Cuffaro bus, about 2 hrs)──> Agrigento bus station
                                                                         │
                                          town centre or Valley of the Temples
                                          (about 5 km, bus or taxi)

The Valley of the Temples is not a valley. It is a ridge, a line of Doric temples on a limestone shelf above the plain, about 5 km south of the modern town of Agrigento and a few kilometres from the sea. The Greek colonists of Akragas built them in the fifth century BC. The Temple of Concordia, over 13 m high, is among the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, and it survives in part because it was turned into a church in the sixth century AD. Two nights is the right length: one day to travel and rest, one to walk the ridge, and then the bus home.

Check the Cuffaro timetable at cuffaro.info before booking. Buses are more frequent on weekdays than on Sundays, and the last bus back matters.

November in Agrigento: the weather is mild, though rain and wind are possible. Temple stone gets slippery when wet. The almond trees do not bloom until later in the winter, so the valley is green and uncrowded. Daylight ends early, so plan to be inside the archaeological park before the afternoon.

Night One: Agrigento

The bus arrives in the lower town. The old hilltop centre has steep streets and steps, and it is not the easiest place to walk on tired legs. The main street, Via Atenea, runs along the crest and has shops and cafés. The cathedral stands at the top.

Where to stay. Villa Athena Resort sits right beside the temples, within the archaeological park. Check the rates in November, and confirm the opening dates of the restaurant. A cheaper option is a guesthouse in the lower town, though you will then need a bus or taxi to the valley.

Where to eat. Try pasta with a pistachio or almond sauce, and a plate of roasted lamb or fish. Book in advance, since some places shut early in the off-season.

Day Two: the Valley of the Temples

Entry to the park started at about €21.50 on one source, so use the figure as a guide only; there is a combined ticket that includes the archaeological museum. Check the opening hours at parcovalledeitempli.it.

The park is long and gently sloping, about 3 km from end to end, and walking it takes two to three hours at a leisurely pace. A flat path runs along the ridge between the main temples. Start at the eastern end with the Temple of Hera, which sits on the highest point with a view down to the sea, and walk west past the Temple of Concordia. Beyond it, a short walk goes down to the Garden of Kolymbethra, an irrigated valley garden with citrus trees, which is reached by a path and some steps.

Allow time for the Archaeological Museum, which holds a reconstructed telamon, one of the giant stone figures that supported the Temple of Zeus. A copy lies among the ruins of that temple in the park. Bring water and a hat, and wear shoes with grip.

Getting back

Take the bus from the bus station back to Palermo Centrale. Check the last departure, which is earlier on Sundays, and allow a margin if you have a flight the same evening.