The Tempio della Concordia, Agrigento with the sea beyond. Photographed in the evening sun from our hotel grounds. We flew to Palermo and stayed 2 nights in Selinunte (north west coast). We moved down the coast to Agrigento for 3 nights. After crossing the island via Enna we stayed 3 nights in Siracusa (south east). Our last base was Palermo for 3 nights.
The flag of Sicily. ‘The Treasures of Sicily’ May 2016. Selinunte was our first destination. Ancient Selinunte was situated between 2 rivers and beside the sea. The Ancient Greek temples were begun in 530 BC. The city was attacked by the Carthaginians and also suffered a devastating earthquake. There are many beautiful wild flowers in the area. The temples of the Acropolis in Selinunte standing on a ridge above the sea. Selinunte. The remains of the wall with escape hatches for troops, homes and stone containers. Now they’re surrounded with flowers and wildlife. After a good lunch we had a lovely walk back along the coast and through a rural landscape of vineyards and olive groves. This was followed by a swim in the super hotel pool. Sciacca. A spa town founded by the Romans with ancient narrow streets. It is a centre for ceramics and these steps have ceramic tiles on each level.
The North Gate (above) at the top of the ancient town from within and showing the strong wall from the outside (right). Eraclea Minoa. Left, looking from the ancient site to the beach. Paddling on the lovely beach (right) with the chalk cliffs of Eraclea Minoa in the distance.
Looking inland from Eraclea Minoa to the olive groves and the distant mountains. Agrigento, Valley of the Temples. The Temple of Juno, built of sandstone in 450BC. It was constructed for the Greeks by Carthaginian slaves. In the bottom right (centre) is one of the ‘U’shaped depressions showing how they were hoisted in position. More below left.
Agrigento was our next base. Agrigento, Valley of the Temples. Temple of Concord. This wonderful temple was built in 430BC. It has 34 surrounding columns. This beautiful temple was converted to a Christian church in the sixth century AD helping to preserve it. Another view of the Temple of Concord.
A very ancient olive tree in the Valley of the Temples. Agrigento, The Temple of Hercules. An 7.5m. high telamon from the Temple of Zeus. Telamons held up part of the roof of this enormous temple.
Part of the temple of Castor and Pollux. A re-erected 7.5m telamon in the museum
An Ancient One side of a Roman child’s sarcophagus. Ancient Greek pots Greek statue of Below the Roman Agora and a Roman found locally. Demeter found temple (left), outside the museum. locally. Modern day Agrigento Santo Spirito church with eighteenth century stuccoes The main street of Agrigento adorning the with many balconies. interior. On the left, almond cakes made by the Almonds ripening on nuns in the trees in the local area. adjoining convent From Agrigento we drove east into the interior of Sicily. We stopped at Enna which is 1000m above sea level. This is an ancient town which had considerable strategic importance as it is on a ridge high above the surrounding land. We travelled several days later on the road below on our way to Palermo.
The Duomo at Enna We were fortunate as the clouds suddenly cleared while we were in Enna giving us a view of the summit of Mount Etna, 3323m. Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina. The wonderful mosaics in this Roman Villa were covered by a mud slide for 700 years. This has helped to preserve them. The villa was constructed in the early fourth century AD , possibly for Maximianus Herculeus the co-emperor with Diocletian. It was possibly a hunting lodge. More amazing Roman mosaics from the villa including the gymnasts and the hypocausts below the floor. The cave called Our next destination was ‘The ear of Siracusa. On the mainland we Dionysus’ as visited the Christian catacombs sentries above near the modern church above. could overhear We also visited the Ancient every word Greek theatre started in the fifth spoken by century BC. and the Roman prisoners in Arena on the next slide. the cave. The Roman Amphitheatre of Siracusa on the mainland. The Temple of Apollo, built in the sixth century BC and the grand exterior of the Duomo
Siracusa was the home of Archimedes. 287BC – 212BC.
The Duomo was built around an ancient Greek temple. The ancient pillars were retained as part of the building. Ortigia;s baroque streets with ornate balconies.
The Jewish ritual The castle at the tip of Ortigia baths, 11 metres which defended the city for below ground. many years. There is also a They were lost lighthouse (left). after 1492 when the Jews were expelled from Sicily . A wonderful array of fresh fish and shell fish including tuna and swordfish
Fantastic fresh produce in Siracusa market Palermo, our final destination. A city with fine buildings
The cathedral left, below left La Martorano, a beautiful church built in 1143 with gold mosaics and baroque paintings.
One of the four corners. Palermo also has many narrow mediaval streets with homes above and a multitude of small squares among the streets.
Some balconies have covers This bombed site to keep off the summer sun. with its ancient fountain is still awaiting Streets in Palermo. development. The beauty of the Palazzo Reale
The horror of the Cappuccin Catacombs now turned into a tourist attraction!
These images are from the internet. Magnificent gold mosaics.
Old and new testament. Right, Jesus washing the Monreale Cathedral built between 1172 and 1183 disciples’ feet. Train to Cefalu for the day. Here we had a lovely swim. Below, investigating the medieval washing area.
The town wall built in the sixth century BC. We visited a puppet theatre which is a traditional form of entertainment in Sicily. The show was based around chivalry and battles with Orlando as the hero. More ‘Treasures of Sicily’. Anne Heads (top left) was an excellent leader.
We saw so much of this fascinating island .