A bright and tranquil start to the day in the hotel overlooking San Stefano Quisquina - our hotel was at 1200m so there was quite a wind.
Once back on the tarmac we found the towns busy but the roads in-between empty apart from roadies cleaning up the debris from the flooding. Less chaos on the roads today but we still found lots of mud.
It was a very scenic descent via Cianciana over impressive bridges and valleys, up over rocky ridges, down and up hair pin bends and past a ridge of wind turbines.
It was sad to leave the peace to descend into the sprawl of a very populated and 1960s/70s square cement uniform houses of Agrigento. It only looks good from afar with a temple in the foreground.
We started with a walking tour of the medieval centre of town but despite promising cobbles and old churches, the place was over run with people and the Cathedral was wrapped up in scaffolding/covers.
This is a glimpse of the nave. Stunning if you can see through cardboard.
Next we headed for the Colleverde Park hotel to park. Neither of us could remember why we booked this hotel, but it may have something to do with proximity to a Michelin rated restaurant (since booked in for dinner). We also discovered that it has a shady, verdant garden.
We headed downhill for a 10km walking tour of the Valle Dei Templi. This was a challenge for Jo (furthest walked since the accident) but we survived the up and down at a snails pace (more challenging for Sarah)
Another set of stunning 6 to 3 BC temples on view and many rubble remains of Roman and Greek buildings. We were very impressed with the pieced together remains of Roman statues from the Temple of Juno.
It seems like the authorities have started excavating again as there were many areas cordoned off for digging, chipping and sweeping. There are also lots of sarcophagi embedded in the walls.
It seems like the authorities have started excavating again as there were many areas cordoned off for digging, chipping and sweeping. There are also lots of sarcophagi embedded in the walls.
After 3 hours of wandering amidst the dust, we were templed out and Sarah’s attention started to wander
into examining the olive and fig trees (possibly for something to eat) and photographing the goats.
These are an endangered species and called Girgentana.
Interesting twisty horns
We are now scrubbed up and ready for dinner!
into examining the olive and fig trees (possibly for something to eat) and photographing the goats.
These are an endangered species and called Girgentana.
Interesting twisty horns
We are now scrubbed up and ready for dinner!
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