SICILY: VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES, Guest Post by Tom Scheaffer

Tom at the re-assembled remains of the Temples of "Castor and Pollux".

My brother Tom loves to travel and Italy is one of his (and my) favorite places. Here is another report from his most recent trip, in December 2015 and January 2016, when he went to Sicily.

Temple of Juno

A highlight of my trip to Sicily was going to the Valley of the Temples located on a high ridge on the outskirts of Agrigento. I drove with three friends from our resort in Sciacca south to Agrigento on a sunny and warm January day.

Temple of Concordia

This World UNESCO Site includes remains of seven temples, all in the Doric style. The best preserved, Temple of Concordia, was built in the 5th Century BC by the Greeks. Due to its good state of preservation it is ranked amongst the most notable edifices of Greek civilization existing today.

Remains of the Temple of Heracles; it is the most ancient in the Valley

We walked downhill two kilometers from the top of the site, taking many photos and admiring the remains of the temples and imagining what life was like centuries ago in this beautiful location high above the Mediterranean. The Valley of the Temples is the largest archaeological site in the world with 1,300 hectares (3212 acres).
In Sciacca we stayed at the Torre Del Barone Resort. It is a beautiful resort right on the sea and all rooms had a view. The weather was great and I even went swimming in the Mediterranean [with a wetsuit]. Sicily is beautiful with lots of orange trees and olive orchards.