Sicily contains the largest concentration of ancient Greek temples in the world outside Greece itself. This fact surprises many visitors who think of Sicily primarily in terms of its Arab-Norman baroque heritage but the island was among the most intensely colonised zones of the ancient Greek world, settled from the 8th century BC by city-states that grew to rival Athens and Corinth in wealth, population and cultural ambition. At its 5th-century BC peak, Greek Sicily was home to some of the largest cities in the Mediterranean; the temples they built reflect an ambition and a quality of architectural achievement that the Greek homeland itself could not consistently match.
The Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, Segesta, Selinunte, the Neapolis at Syracuse and the other Sicilian Greek sites collectively constitute a programme of ancient architecture that no other single country in the world can equal outside Greece. This guide covers all of them organised by importance and location, with honest guidance on what to see at each site, how long to allow and the best sequence for a dedicated ancient Greece programme in Sicily.
In this guide
- Greek Sicily a brief history
- Valley of the Temples, Agrigento the essential visit
- Segesta the most dramatic setting
- Selinunte the largest Greek archaeological park in the world
- Syracuse the Greek theatre and the Neapolis
- Ortigia and the temple-cathedral
- Morgantina the Hellenistic interior town
- Himera and the Battle of 480 BC
- Tindari cliff-edge Greek theatre
- Organising the sites into an itinerary
- Practical tips
- FAQ
Greek temples in Sicily quick reference by importance
- Essential (not to miss): Valley of the Temples Agrigento, Segesta, Neapolis Syracuse
- Major (worth a full day): Selinunte, Ortigia temple-cathedral
- Significant (combine with other visits): Tindari, Morgantina, Himera
- Best preserved single temple: Temple of Concordia, Agrigento
- Most dramatic setting: Segesta (lone unfinished temple in a valley)
- Best Greek theatre: Syracuse Neapolis (larger, older and more intact than Taormina)
- Best season: April to June and September to October (avoid midday in summer)
Greek Sicily a Brief History
The Greek colonisation of Sicily began in 734 BC with the founding of Naxos on the Ionian coast (near modern Taormina), followed quickly by Syracuse (734 BC), Gela (688 BC), Agrigento (580 BC) and the other major city-states that would come to dominate the island’s history for the next five centuries. The colonists came primarily from Corinth, Rhodes, Crete and the Greek mainland, attracted by the fertility of the Sicilian soil, the strategic position of the island at the centre of the Mediterranean trade routes and the relative weakness of the indigenous Sicel and Sicani populations.
The 5th century BC was the peak of Greek Sicilian civilisation. Agrigento (ancient Akragas) under Theron and then Empedocles was one of the most magnificent cities in the Mediterranean estimated population of 200,000 at its peak, the temples on the ridge above the city visible from the sea as a declaration of wealth and divine favour. Syracuse under Gelon and Hiero I defeated the Carthaginian invasion at the Battle of Himera in 480 BC (the same year as Thermopylae and Salamis in Greece), a victory celebrated with the construction of temples across the island that was the Greek Sicilian equivalent of the Parthenon programme. The Athenian expedition against Syracuse in 415 to 413 BC the most catastrophic military defeat in Athenian history ended Athenian imperial ambitions and established Syracuse as the dominant power in the Greek world west of the Adriatic.
The Greek cities declined from the 3rd century BC onward as Rome consolidated its control over the island, culminating in the Roman province of Sicily in 241 BC. What survives the temples at Agrigento, the unfinished temple at Segesta, the massive Selinunte complex represents the physical evidence of a civilisation that was, at its peak, among the most ambitious and accomplished in the ancient world.
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento the Essential Visit
The Valley of the Temples at Agrigento is the most important ancient Greek site in Sicily and, with the possible exception of the Athenian Acropolis, the most impressive concentration of ancient Greek temple architecture surviving in the world. The archaeological park contains seven temples on a limestone ridge above the modern city of Agrigento the best-preserved being the Temple of Concordia (circa 440 BC), which survives almost complete because it was converted to a Christian church in the 6th century AD and thereby protected from the stone quarrying that destroyed the other temples of Akragas. The Temple of Juno, the Temple of Heracles (the oldest in the park, dating to circa 520 BC) and the Temple of Castor and Pollux (partially reconstructed, one of the most photographed Greek ruins in Sicily) complete the essential circuit.
Allow a minimum of 3 hours for the archaeological park; 4 to 5 hours is more comfortable for the full circuit including the Museo Archeologico Regionale di Agrigento (the archaeological museum adjacent to the park, which houses the finest collection of Greek vases, terracotta and the reconstructed Telamon giant from the Temple of Olympian Zeus). The park is large and exposed to the sun visit in the early morning (arrive at opening time, 8.30am) or in the late afternoon (after 4pm) in summer. The evening illumination programme (the temples lit at night, available on selected evenings) is one of the most atmospheric ancient site experiences available in Sicily. Read our complete Valley of the Temples guide and Agrigento guide.
👉 VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES GUIDED TOUR THE FINEST ANCIENT SITE IN SICILY
A guided tour of the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento with an expert archaeologist the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Heracles and the archaeological museum, with the full historical context of ancient Akragas. Available in English, skip-the-queue entry included.
👉SEE THE BEST VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES GUIDED TOUR HERE
Segesta the Most Dramatic Setting
The unfinished Doric temple of Segesta, standing alone in a green valley 60 kilometres southeast of Palermo, is the most dramatically positioned ancient monument in Sicily and one of the most evocative archaeological experiences in the entire Mediterranean. The temple was begun circa 420 BC by the Elymian people not Greeks themselves but a pre-Greek indigenous Sicilian population who had adopted the Greek architectural vocabulary as a statement of cultural ambition and political aspiration in the context of their rivalry with the nearby Selinunte. The temple was never finished the flutes were never carved into the columns, the cella interior was never constructed, the cult statue was never installed and the reason is disputed (the Athenian expedition of 415 BC may have disrupted the construction; the Carthaginian destruction of Selinunte in 409 BC may have removed the political motivation).
The unfinished state of the Segesta temple is not a deficiency it is what makes it the most specific ancient monument in Sicily. The smooth columns (never fluted) and the absence of any cella building inside the colonnade allow the visitor to understand the construction sequence and the structural logic of Doric temple architecture in a way that a completed temple cannot. The temple stands entirely alone in the valley, with no modern development visible from within the precinct the view from the colonnade across the valley to the mountains is unchanged from what the Elymian builders saw. On the hill above the temple, a Greek theatre of the 3rd century BC (later modified for Roman use) provides a panoramic view of the bay of Castellammare and the valley below that ranks among the finest ancient site panoramas in Sicily. Read our complete Segesta guide.
Selinunte the Largest Greek Archaeological Park in the World
Selinunte, on the southwestern coast of Sicily 30 kilometres south of Marsala, is the largest Greek archaeological park in the world by area a vast site of temples, urban remains and fortifications spread across two hills above the sea, the remnant of a city of 100,000 inhabitants that was destroyed by the Carthaginians in 409 BC in one of the most violent episodes in the history of the ancient Mediterranean and never rebuilt. The violence of the destruction is still legible in the archaeology: the massive column drums of the fallen temples lie where they fell in 409 BC, some still connected by their clamping system, as if the earthquake that Carthaginian sappers induced to bring down the temples happened last year.
Temple E (now partially re-erected, circa 480 to 460 BC) is the best-preserved and most immediately impressive single structure in the park. The eastern hill temples (E, F and G, with G being one of the largest temples ever attempted in the ancient world) and the acropolis hill temples (A, B, C, D and O) together cover the full architectural programme of the ancient city. Allow a minimum of 3 hours for the full site; 4 hours is more comfortable. The park is large and exposed; the early morning and late afternoon visits are advisable in summer. Read our complete Selinunte guide.
Syracuse the Greek Theatre and the Neapolis
The Neapolis Archaeological Park in Syracuse contains the finest Greek theatre in Sicily larger, older and in many respects more intact than the more famous Taormina theatre, with a cavea of 67 rows carved from the living rock that seated approximately 15,000 spectators. Built in the 5th century BC and subsequently modified under Hiero II in the 3rd century BC, the Syracuse theatre was used for the premieres of plays by Aeschylus (who reportedly directed his own works here) and was considered by the ancient world among the finest theatrical spaces in the Greek-speaking Mediterranean.
The Neapolis park also contains the Roman amphitheatre (2nd century AD, partially below the current ground level), the Latomia del Paradiso (the limestone quarry converted to a prison for the 7,000 Athenian prisoners captured after the disastrous 413 BC expedition the Ear of Dionysius, the cave within the quarry with extraordinary acoustic amplification that concentrates a whisper at the entrance into a full voice at the far end, is the most visited single feature in the park) and the Altar of Hiero II (the largest sacrificial altar known from the ancient world, 200 metres long, now visible only as a rock-cut foundation). The Greek theatre hosts the INDA classical drama festival every two years attending a performance of Aeschylus or Sophocles in the original ancient theatre is one of the most specific cultural experiences available in Sicily. Read our complete Syracuse guide.
👉 SYRACUSE NEAPOLIS GUIDED TOUR GREEK THEATRE, EAR OF DIONYSIUS AND ROMAN AMPHITHEATRE
A guided tour of the Neapolis Archaeological Park in Syracuse the finest Greek theatre in Sicily, the limestone quarry-prison of the Athenian expedition, the Ear of Dionysius and the archaeological context of the most powerful Greek city in the western Mediterranean.
👉SEE THE BEST SYRACUSE NEAPOLIS GUIDED TOUR HERE
Ortigia and the Temple-Cathedral
The most unusual ancient monument in Sicily is the Duomo of Syracuse a baroque cathedral facade concealing a 5th-century BC Doric temple to Athena, whose columns are still visible in the external and internal walls of the nave. The temple, built circa 480 BC to celebrate the victory at Himera, was converted to a Christian church in the 7th century AD by Bishop Zosimus, who filled the spaces between the Doric columns with walls to create the cathedral nave. The result is a building where the original Greek structure is simultaneously visible and functional the Doric columns are the structural support of the baroque church and the 2,500-year continuous use of the same sacred site (Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and baroque) is physically readable from the floor of the nave. Read our complete Ortigia guide.
Morgantina the Hellenistic Interior Town
Morgantina, near Aidone in the Enna province (approximately 40 kilometres from Piazza Armerina), is the best-preserved Hellenistic interior town site in Sicily the remains of a Greek-Sicel city of the 4th to 2nd centuries BC with an intact agora, theatre, houses with mosaic floors and the most complete example of a Hellenistic urban grid available in Sicily. The site is less visited than Agrigento or Segesta but provides the most specific encounter with the domestic and civic life of a Greek Sicilian town outside the monumental temple programme. The Aidone Archaeological Museum adjacent to the site houses several of the most celebrated antiquities recently returned to Sicily from international collections, including the Goddess of Morgantina (a large cult statue) and the Morgantina silver treasure. Read our complete Piazza Armerina guide for the base context.
Himera and the Battle of 480 BC
The ancient city of Himera on the northern coast, near modern Termini Imerese (40 kilometres east of Palermo), was the site of the Battle of Himera in 480 BC when the Greek Sicilian forces under Gelon of Syracuse and Theron of Agrigento defeated the Carthaginian invasion force, a victory that the Greeks of Sicily celebrated alongside the contemporaneous victories at Thermopylae and Salamis as the decisive defence of Greek civilisation against eastern and African invasion. The temple built at Himera to celebrate the victory the Tempio della Vittoria, constructed with the ransom money from Carthaginian prisoners is partially preserved at the archaeological site of Piano di Imera below the modern autostrada. The site museum and the visible temple platform are accessible as a stop on the Palermo-Cefalù coastal route.
Tindari Cliff-Edge Greek Theatre
Tindari (ancient Tyndaris), on a limestone promontory above the Tyrrhenian coast east of Milazzo, is the most dramatically positioned Greek site in northeastern Sicily. The Greek theatre of the 4th century BC later modified for Roman spectacles and now partially reconstructed looks directly out over the Tyrrhenian Sea and the distinctive Laguna di Oliveri with its sand formations visible below the cliff. The ancient city walls, the Roman-era houses and the archaeological museum of Tindari provide the site context. The Sanctuary of the Black Madonna above the ancient site draws considerable religious pilgrimage traffic; the combination of the Greek archaeology and the active religious site gives Tindari a specific layered character that few other Sicilian sites provide. Accessible from Milazzo (30 minutes) or as a day trip from Taormina (1 hour).
Organising the Sites into an Itinerary
A dedicated Greek Sicily programme requires a minimum of 4 to 5 days based on two or more bases. The practical split: west/south (Segesta from Palermo or Trapani, Selinunte, Valley of the Temples at Agrigento 2 to 3 days) and east/southeast (Syracuse Neapolis, Ortigia, Morgantina 2 days). The two circuits can be connected by the A19 through the interior or by the coastal SS115.
For a single-week ancient Greece programme in Sicily: Day 1 Palermo (as base), Day 2 Segesta and Selinunte (day trip west), Day 3 drive to Agrigento via the SS189, Day 4 Valley of the Temples (full day), Day 5 drive east to Syracuse via the SS115 coastal road (stopping at Morgantina en route), Days 6 and 7 Syracuse (Neapolis, Ortigia, day trip option to the Pantalica necropolis for the Bronze Age complement to the Greek programme). Read our complete guides to the 10-day Sicily itinerary and 2-week Sicily itinerary for the full circuit context.
Practical Tips for the Greek Temples
Book the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento in advance online the timed entry system means walk-up availability during peak periods is unreliable. The Syracuse Neapolis park does not currently require advance booking but it is worth arriving at opening time to avoid the tour group concentration mid-morning. Segesta and Selinunte are walk-up accessible throughout the season.
All the major Greek sites are exposed to the sun and involve significant walking on uneven archaeological terrain. Comfortable closed shoes (not sandals), sunscreen, a hat and a water bottle are essential for summer visits. The morning and late afternoon are cooler and the light is better for photography; the midday visit in July or August at Agrigento or Selinunte is inadvisable.
The combined entry ticket for multiple archaeological parks in Sicily (the card for multiple state-managed sites) provides significant savings on the individual entry fees if visiting 3 or more sites. Check the MiC (Ministero della Cultura) website for current combined ticket availability.
A rental car is essential for the full Greek Sicily programme. Segesta is accessible by bus from Palermo but with limited return services; Selinunte has no direct public transport; Agrigento has train and bus connections from Palermo and Catania but the temple park itself requires a taxi from the station. Read our complete how to get around Sicily guide.
Frequently Asked Questions about Greek Temples in Sicily
Which is the best Greek temple in Sicily?
The Temple of Concordia at Agrigento is the best-preserved single Doric temple in Sicily and one of the best-preserved in the world. The Valley of the Temples as a whole is the most important Greek archaeological site in Sicily. For dramatic setting, the Segesta temple is unmatched. For the theatre experience, the Syracuse Neapolis provides the finest ancient theatre in Sicily.
Are the Greek temples in Sicily better than in Greece?
Different rather than better. The Sicilian temples are in many cases better preserved than their mainland Greek counterparts the Temple of Concordia at Agrigento and the Segesta temple are better preserved than most mainland Greek temples outside the Athenian Acropolis. The Valley of the Temples provides a concentration of multiple temples in a single landscape that has no exact equivalent in Greece. The Acropolis of Athens remains the supreme Greek architectural achievement; the Sicilian sites collectively provide the most complete programme of 5th to 6th-century BC Greek architecture surviving anywhere.
How many days do you need to see the Greek temples in Sicily?
For the main sites (Valley of the Temples, Segesta, Selinunte, Syracuse Neapolis), allow 4 to 5 days minimum. A full Greek Sicily programme covering all the significant sites requires 7 to 10 days. Individual site visits: Valley of the Temples (full day, 4 to 5 hours at minimum), Segesta (half day, 2.5 to 3 hours), Selinunte (half day to full day, 3 to 4 hours), Syracuse Neapolis (half day, 2.5 to 3 hours).
The Most Important Greek Architecture Outside Greece
Sicily’s Greek temples are not a secondary programme for visitors who cannot afford the Athens trip they are, for several specific sites and by several specific measures, the finest Greek architectural heritage outside the Greek mainland. The Temple of Concordia is better preserved than any temple in mainland Greece outside the Athenian Acropolis. The Valley of the Temples provides a greater concentration of major temples in a single landscape than any site in Greece. Segesta’s unfinished temple, standing alone in its valley without any modern intrusion, provides the most specific and most atmospheric encounter with Greek architecture available in the Mediterranean. These are not consolation prizes. They are the thing itself.
For the complete ancient Sicily picture, read our Valley of the Temples guide, our Segesta guide, our Selinunte guide and our Syracuse guide.
Did this guide help you plan your Greek Sicily programme? Save it to Pinterest or share it with someone who loves ancient history and hasn’t yet visited the finest Greek temples outside Greece.
