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Agrigento
About Agrigento
Basic Information:
- City: Agrigento
- Region: Sicilia
- Province: Agrigento
- Zona: South Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea
- Coordinates: 37°19′18″N 13°35′22″E
- Surface: 244,57 km²
- Population: 59 130 (by 30/04/2012)
- Patron Saint: San Gerlando
- Saint Day: 25 February
- Web site: Official Web Site
Agrigento is an antic city that in nowadays it is the capital city of the province of Agrigento in Sicily.
Founded around 580 BC, Agrigento boasts a territory that was occupied by the various peoples who left traces on the island. Already home to the indigenous peoples dealings with Aegean and Mycenaean, the Agrigento region saw the rise of the polis of Akragas, founded by Geloan of rhodium-Cretan origin.
The city reached its zenith in the fifth century BC, before the decline started from the Carthaginian domination. During the Punic Wars was conquered by the Romans, who latinized his name to Agrigentum.
What to see in Agrigento?
The Valley of the Temples
Today Agrigento is world famous with its Valley of Temples that since 1997 is included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. Going there you should not miss to see its ten Temples (till today only very few of them were preserved very well), three shrines, a large concentration of necropolis (Montelusa, Mose, Pezzino, Roman necropolis and tomb of Theron, Early Christian, Acrosoli, Hydraulic works (Kolymbetra Garden and Ipogei), fortifications, a part of an Hellenic-Roman quarter, two important places of assembly: the Agora bottom (not far from the remains of the Temple of Olympian Zeus) and the upper Agora (which is located inside the museum complex), an Olympeion and one Bouleuterion (boardroom) from the Roman times.
More info about Valley of the Temples
What to see more in Agrigento?
List of Notable palaces, monuments, fountains and museums to see in Agrigento.
How to go to Agrigento?
Agrigento is located in the south part of the island of Sicily. Being also very far from the main continent of Europe it is not easy and fast to reach it.
- By Air
Agrigento does not have its own airport but however the most fast way to reach Agrigento is to choice one of the nearest airport to Agrigento:
- International Airport of Palermo - 158 km far from Agrigento.
- International Airport Catania-Fontanarossa - 164 km far from Agrigento.
- International Airport Trapani-Birgi -175 km far from Agrigento.
- Pantelleria Airport - 323 km far from Agrigento.
Once being at the airport the best solution is to hire a car or to get a taxi to Agrigento.
- By Bus
One of the ways to reach Agrigento easy is by bus. Agrigento has very good bus connection to Palermo, Caltanissetta, Catania, Sciacca and close to Eraclea Minoa, to Gela and Trapani via Mazara del Vallo, Marsala and Castelvetrano for Selinunte.
- By Train
Agrigento has good connections by train to Palermo and Caltanissetta, less frequently is to Enna (note that the station in Enna is at about 5km far from the town). Connecting with the east part of Sicily by train is not so easy, and takes a long time. The train station Agrigento Centrale is at Piazza Marconi, on the southeast corner of the old town. The second on station is Agrigento Bassa.
The stations in Agrigento are served by RFI.
- By Car
Agrigento is easy reachable from other cities in Sicily:
- SS189 from Palermo
- SS115 from Siracusa and Trapani
- E931 from Trapani
- E931 and E45 from Siracusa
- SS640 from Caltanissetta and Highway A19 from Palermo-Catania.
- By Boat
There are daily boats and hydrofoils in summer (fewer boats and no hydrofoils in winter) from Agrigento's port 3 km away - Porto Empedocle to the islands of Lampedusa, Linosa, Pelagie. See SIREMAR and Ustica Lines. There are frequent local buses from Porto Empedocle to Agrigento.
- Go Around
The town center and its medieval streets can easily be reached by foot from the train station.
Frequent city buses run from outside the train station, stopping at the Archeological Museum and slightly further downhill, the main entrance of the Valley of the Temples. Buses 1, 2 and 3 all head down to the temples but you must buy your ticket before boarding from the bar inside the station and validate it once on board the bus. You could also walk, but it can get very hot in the summer.
Events and Feasts in Agrigento
From 1-st to 10-th of February every year there is a particular Festival of Almond Blossom in Agrigento.
More about the Festival of Almond Blossom
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Map of Agrigento
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