Exploring 'Greater Greece' in Sicily

Almond blossoms frame Temple of Concord in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento.

Sicily has long been a prize for the powerful: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Hohenstafens, Angevins, Aragonese, Spanish and Bourbons all had their time ruling Sicily before the country was finally unified with Italy in the last half of the 19th century. Throughout Sicily, one can find remnants of ancient cultures, but its Greek ruins are perhaps its most precious artifacts. In fact, there are more Greek archaeological sites in Sicily than in Greece.

Temple of Concord in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

On one particularly beautiful day during our second week here, we take an early morning train to Agrigento, on the south coast of Sicily. It's an easy bus ride from the train station to the Valle dei Templi, where we spend the day exploring the incredible remains of a Greek colony.

Porta V in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

Temple of Castor and Pollux in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

Temple of Olympian Zeus in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

Founded in 581 BC by settlers from Gela, the town of Akragas ballooned to a population of 200,000 within 100 years. Here we find the remnants of temples dedicated to Hercules, Olympian Zeus (Jupiter), Demeter, Hera (Juno), Concord, Vulcan, Aesculapius, and Castor and Pollux.

Temple of Hera in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

Temple of Hera in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

The largest and most magnificent structure in the Valley is Temple of Concord. According to Joseph Farrell in the guidebook, "Sicily: A Cultural History," the name Concord is a misnomer, having been taken from an inscription found nearby the site. However the Doric-style temple is one of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere in the world.

Temple of Concord in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

Early Christian cemetery and kilns in Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

The following week, we join an all-day tour out of Catania that includes a stop at the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis in Siracusa (Syracuse). The site contains a large number of well-preserved Greek and Roman ruins. The Greek Theater is the main attraction. Its 59 rows of seats could accommodate up to 15,000. Greek tragedies are performed here during an annual festival from mid-May through June.

Greek Theater in the Archaeological Park of Syracuse

The park also contains remnants of a massive Roman amphitheater, limestone caves, and a beautiful garden, once a quarry, called Latomie of Paradise. Here, we find the entrance to "The Whispering Cave," also called Ear of Dionysius, which is pitch-black inside. It was in this cave that Athenian prisoners were brought, tortured, taunted, and, if they lived for 10 weeks, were sold as slaves.

Latomie of Paradise in the Archaeological Park of Syracuse

Roman Amphitheater in the Archaeological Park of Syracuse

Our last stop on this tour is Ortygia (Ortigia), an island that is Syracuse's historical center. We pause at the Tempio di Apollo, located just over the short bridge that joins Ortygia to Siracusa. The remains are of the oldest Doric temple in Magna Graecia, the region that includes Sicily and southern Italy.

Tempio di Apollo, Ortygia

Tempio di Apollo, Ortygia