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The Valley of the Temples outside Agrigento holds some of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, strung along a ridge above the sea on Sicily’s south coast. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, and the Temple of Concordia alone is worth the journey. Good planning makes a real difference here: the site is large, shade is scarce and the light at the end of the day transforms the stone.
This guide covers the history in brief, ticket and tour options, opening hours including the summer evenings, which entrance to use, what to see and how to fit the visit into a wider trip through Sicily.
Plan Your Visit
- Valley of the Temples ticket with audio guide, skip-the-line entry
- Sunset guided tour with entry ticket, small group
- Compare car hire in Sicily with Localrent
- eSIM for Italy for the audio guide on your phone
A Short History of Akragas
Agrigento was founded by Greek settlers as Akragas and grew into one of the richest cities of the Greek world in Sicily. Most of its great temples date from the 5th century BC, the city’s golden age. The Temple of Olympian Zeus was begun in 480 BC to celebrate a victory over Carthage, and was designed on a colossal scale, with giant stone figures known as telamons or atlases set into its walls.
The good times did not last. In 406 BC the Carthaginians attacked, and the Temple of Hera, known locally as the Temple of Juno, was burnt. Over the following centuries earthquakes, neglect and quarrying took their toll; in the 18th century, stone from the fallen Temple of Olympian Zeus was carried off to build the port of nearby Porto Empedocle. The Temple of Concordia owes its survival to a change of use: in the 6th century AD it was turned into a Christian church, and today it is one of the best-preserved Greek temples in existence.
Tickets and Tours Compared
| Option | What is included | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Entry ticket with audio guide | Skip-the-line entry, a digital audio guide in eight languages and the current temporary exhibition; free cancellation up to 24 hours before | Independent visitors who want context |
| Entry ticket with Kolymbethra Garden | Park entry plus the Kolymbethra Garden, valid on one date | A longer, greener visit |
| Standard entry ticket | Park entry booked in advance | A simple visit at your own pace |
| Sunset guided tour | Two-hour tour from 16:45 with an English-speaking guide, entry included, maximum 16 people; free cancellation up to 48 hours before | First-time visitors and the best light |
Booking online in advance is recommended, as access is managed. Prices change by season; check the current rate on the booking page.
Opening Hours and the Best Time to Visit
The park is open every day from 8:30 to 20:00, with last admission at 19:00. In summer it stays open into the night: from 20 June to 20 September 2026, it closes at 23:00 on weekdays and at midnight on holidays and the evenings before them. On the first Sunday of July, August and September, entry is free during the day.
The best times are early morning, before the heat builds, and the last two hours before sunset, when the temples turn gold. In July and August, avoid the middle of the day entirely: there is very little shade along the main path. A summer evening visit, with the temples lit up after dark, is one of the most memorable things to do in Sicily.
Spring is the most pleasant season of all. From February the almond trees around the temples blossom, and in April and May the grass is still green and the temperatures are comfortable for the full route.
Entrances and Routes
There are two ticket offices: one by the Temple of Juno and one at Porta V. The park suggests two routes from the Temple of Juno entrance:
- The long route follows the whole Via Sacra past the Temple of Concordia to the western temples and exits at Porta V. Allow three hours or more.
- The short route goes from the Temple of Juno to the Temple of Concordia and back, the best option if you are short of time or visiting in the heat.
Bicycles and scooters are not allowed inside the park. Two electric wheelchairs are available free of charge but must be reserved the day before your visit.
What You Will See
Temple of Juno (Hera)
At the eastern end of the ridge, the Temple of Juno is the natural starting point. It dates from the 5th century BC and still shows traces of the fire of 406 BC. From its platform you look out over the whole valley towards the sea.
Temple of Concordia
The highlight of the park and one of the most complete Greek temples in the world. Its survival is down to its conversion into a church in the 6th century AD. Walk around it slowly: the proportions are best appreciated from a distance, and in the late afternoon the columns glow.
Temple of Heracles
The oldest temple in the valley. An earthquake brought it down, and today eight columns stand again, giving a sense of how large it once was.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Once one of the largest temples of the Greek world, now a field of enormous fallen blocks. Look for the remains of the telamons, the giant stone figures that once stood between the columns; one has been reconstructed in the archaeological museum.
Temple of Castor and Pollux
The four columns at the north-west corner have become a symbol of Agrigento, but they are a 19th-century reconstruction assembled partly from pieces of other buildings. Enjoy the view, but know what you are looking at.
Kolymbethra Garden
A green valley of citrus and olive trees between the temples, cared for by the Italian heritage trust FAI. It opens at 10:00, with closing times between 16:00 in winter and 20:00 from July to September, and entry requires a Valley of the Temples ticket. On a hot day it is the most welcome shade in the park.
The Pietro Griffo Regional Archaeological Museum, a short walk from the park, holds many of the finds from the site, including the reconstructed telamon, and is worth an extra hour.
Guided Tour or On Your Own?
Without context, the temples are beautiful but hard to read. The audio guide ticket is enough for most visitors, and you can download the guide to your phone before you arrive. If it is your first time, the small-group sunset tour is the better choice: it adds a guide who brings the history to life, it includes your entry ticket, and it is timed for the most beautiful light of the day.
Practical Tips
- Bring water and a hat: there is very little shade along the main path.
- Wear proper shoes: the paths are partly unpaved and the full route is several kilometres long.
- Download the audio guide in advance: mobile reception can be patchy, so do it at your hotel or use an eSIM with enough data.
- Leave bags behind: travelling between hotels on the day of your visit? Radical Storage lets you leave luggage in town.
- Combine with the museum: the archaeological museum puts the ruins into context and is best seen before or after the park on the same day.
Getting There
Agrigento is on Sicily’s south coast, about two hours by car from Palermo and further from Catania. A car gives you the most freedom, especially if you combine the temples with the coast or a road trip; compare car hire on Localrent. Without a car, Kiwitaxi offers private transfers, or you can join one of the day trips across Sicily that include Agrigento.
Where to Stay
Staying near Agrigento lets you visit at the best times, early morning or a summer evening, without a long drive. Along the south-west coast, Verdura Resort near Sciacca, featured in our guide to the best luxury hotels in Sicily, is about an hour from the temples, and Selinunte, further west, has its own Greek temples for a second day of archaeology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you need at the Valley of the Temples?
Allow two hours for the short route between the Temple of Juno and the Temple of Concordia, and three to four hours for the full route, plus an hour for the Kolymbethra Garden and another for the archaeological museum.
Which entrance is better?
Start at the Temple of Juno entrance and walk west to Porta V. This follows the long route suggested by the park and takes in every major temple in order.
Can you visit at night?
Yes, in summer. Between 20 June and 20 September 2026 the park stays open until 23:00 on weekdays and until midnight on holidays and the evenings before them.
Is a guided tour worth it?
For a first visit, yes. The temples are much easier to understand with a guide, and the sunset tour combines the explanation with the best light. If you prefer your own pace, the audio guide ticket is a good alternative.
Is there shade?
Very little along the main path. Visit early or late in summer, carry water and use the Kolymbethra Garden as a cool break.
Where to Stay: compare hotels and current prices in Agrigento on Trip.com.
Combine with the Rest of Sicily
The Valley of the Temples fits well into a south-coast itinerary with Marina di Ragusa and the Baroque towns of Noto, Modica and Ragusa further east. For swimming along the way, see our guide to Sicily’s best bays and coves, and for the rest of the island, our Sicily travel guide.
Related guides: read our articles on golf in Sicily, the best tours and day trips in Palermo and Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius.
For western Sicily and its wines, see our guide to Marsala, Mozia and the salt road.
