I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise, but both of us have a deep love for history, especially ancient relics. So after driving for just over 2 hours, we found ourselves in the hilly terrain of the beautiful southwestern district of Agrigento. The Valley of the Temples, despite its name, is actually situated high up in the hills, providing natural fortification on all sides. After reading a few reviews, we discovered that the best way to experience the seven temples is to park the car in the western car park, take a €6 taxi ride to the eastern car park, and then walk the few miles back through the UNESCO site. And so, that’s exactly what we did. Given the 35 degree temperature, I put on my new hat, and off we went.
Almost immediately, we were greeted by the Temple of Juno. Its structure is perfectly balanced and faces east, as worshippers believed that the gods wanted to witness the sunrise. It’s fascinating to think that these temples were not intended for public access; ordinary citizens could only observe them from afar. Built in the 5th century BC, the Temple of Concordia (later converted into a church by the Romans) is the most well-preserved structure in the Valley of the Temples. It is truly incredible, and we stood in awe for quite some time. What added to its dramatic impact was the recently commissioned bronze sculpture of a fallen Icarus with clipped wings and broken limbs, symbolizing his downfall after flying too close to the sun and placed as if fallen at the foot of the temple. It always amazes me what these buildings have witnessed how they’ve withstood the test of time.
Continuing our walk, we encountered the remaining temples, which may not have been as visually striking as the first few, but were impressive nonetheless. We were rewarded with stunning views overlooking Agrigento on one side and the Med on the other. Finally, we took a stroll through the Garden of Kolymbetra, a tranquil and serene place adorned with ancient olive trees, some of them gnarly and aged. I can confirm that the olive trees were not only beautiful but also produced some delicious oil!
Dream Chasers 