Sicily's Top Archaeological and Ancient Sites by Solange Hando

Sicily’s ancient sites reflect the island’s turbulent past and feature among Italy’s top archaeological wonders. The Greeks arrived in Sicily in the 8th century BC to secure western trade routes and set up new colonies. Often resisted but at times tolerated by the local Sikels, Greek settlements blossomed until challenged by the Carthaginians and later the Romans. Sicily was left impoverished as its once wealthy cities fell into ruins.

Today crowds come from afar to gaze at the stunning remains of these great civilisations. From the Greek and Roman vestiges of Syracuse World Heritage to Agrigento’s Valley of Temples or the ancient site of Selinunte, Sicily’s southern coast amazes history fans and casual visitors. Stretch out your hand and you almost touch the past.

Syracuse World Heritage Site

Syracuse claims a wealth of Greco-Roman remains with the greatest concentration in the Neapolis Archaeological Park. There’s a huge Greek altar, a Greek theatre once seating 15 000 spectators and used today to stage classical plays and old stone quarries where prisoners were kept. Votive niches and graves line the Via dei Sepolcri and water from the ancient aqueduct continues to flow into the Nymph Cave.

Carved out of the rock in an elliptical shape, the Roman amphitheatre is tucked among olive groves beyond the souvenir stalls. It’s an atmospheric sort of place where grass grows from the stones and a few Roman names can be deciphered on the seats.

Agrigento Valley of Temples, Roman Villa del Casale

Agrigento, the Greek Akragas, grew to symbolise wealth and harmony. Once described as the most beautiful city built by mortals, it is perched on a ridge looking out to sea and is as breathtaking today as it was in ancient times. The lofty columns of Herakles temple, Concord, Sicily’s finest Doric temple, the tumbled remains of the temple of Olympian Zeus, all glow ochre and gold in the southern sun.

It’s a fair walk with little shade through the Valley of Temples but pony and traps offer leisurely rides around the site. The Romans left few traces in Agrigento but it’s well worth driving inland to Villa del Casale to see their fabulous mosaics depicting scenes of daily life, including the famous bikini girls.

Selinunte

Selinunte was the most westerly of Sicily’s Greek colonies, suffering more than others at the hands of Carthaginians and ravaged by earthquakes. Excavations begun in the 19th-century revealed remains of temples and city walls.

Temple E was reconstructed  in 1958, Temple F has thick walls mysteriously filling the gaps between columns and Temple G claims one remaining column standing above tumbled down remains. Other temples, all named by letters, are mostly scattered ruins, except for the rebuilt colonnade of Temple C towering above the Acropolis.