Agrigento's allure

Agrigento is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, and is the capital of this province. It was also the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas around 400 BC. It's an easy bus ride from Licata, and a great historical site, so off we went.

Beautiful ceramic coat of arms

A Fascist style Post Office, remnants of Mussolini

Stylish railway station

Agrigento is perched on high hills looking over the sea, so there are wonderful views down to the coast.

Looking down to the coast from Agrigento

Typical streets

Church named after Pirandello, a famous novelist from Agrigento

Baroque entrance to a church ...

... which had a start white interior

... some famous Italian master's art work

... very floral baroque ornamentation

... and an amazing tromp l'oeil dome ceiling, which is actually flat. The columns are painted on

... altar

... and the price of sinning!

Being a capital city of the region, there was more affluence in Agrigento than Licata, and it lacked the 'grittiness' of Licata that we've come to love. But it had great shops, clean streets and fascinating nooks and crannies. We loved wandering around the town, and will return there again.

Sicilian pastries

Civic center

This building is the local theatre

A brass map of Agrigento

Beautiful wrought iron balconies from around 1400 BC

Washing day.

Local fruit seller. This bag was then attached to a line that was hoisted up several stories. Italian home delivery!

Looking inland from Agrigento.

A few kilometres from Agrigento is the Valley of the Temples, a Greek archeological site that features seven temples in the Doric style. This is a world heritage site, but it felt strangely abandoned and unremarkable, even though the temples are stunning.

Walking the way that connects all the temples

The Temple of Concordia

Side view of the Temple of Concordia

A modern bronze of the Fall of Icarus

The Temple of Heracles

View back to Agrigento from the site

A panorama of the view from the archeological site

Winter has arrived with a vengeance, with 30 - 40 knot winds and occasional rain. This has curtailed our wandering a bit. The temperature has plummeted, but we'll be heading back to Australia on the 8th December, for our second summer for this year. Life is hard!! See you back in Oz.