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READ EVERYTHING ABOUT AGRIGENTO AND ITS PROVINCE
AGRIGENTO
Agrigento is a tourist town famous for its archeological, historical, cultural, natural and colorful heritage, just think of the most attractive side of the town: Templar Valley.
Not to miss is the cultural event of Almond in bloom that takes place every year in February in the mythical Templar Valley, since ten years it has been brought to the International festival of Folklore together.
A very interesting tour is Pirandello birthplace.
At last a must is a tour to the Archeological Museum of Agrigento, that, with its extraordinary treasures, is the most visited of the entire Sicily.
TEMPLAR VALLEY
The Templar Valley still represents the most sublime evidence of the Greek civilization in Sicily. Among the countries rich with almonds, the look stands on the wonderful ruins of the Templar that has preserved intact their architectural majesty.
The Templar Valley is located in the most south side on the remains of the old town and it includes numerous temples built in fifth century. They were built with local chalky tuffs in Doric style east-facing, to respect the assumption that the statue of the deity, put inside the entrance cell, could be lighted by the rising sun.
The valley has been instituted as archeological area that extend on a large area in which there are, almost lined up, the temples named with the Greek names of the deities.
LAMPEDUSA
The island of Lampedusa, located at about 300 km from the Sicilian coast and 100 km from the African one, is one of the Pelagie islands. It is a real Eden that, for the flavor and surroundings, it remember the typical territory of Africa.
Numerous tourists visit this wonderful place for its beautiful bays, for the wild and unpolluted nature, and for the clear beach, rich of animal species. A special feature of the island is that all the beaches are populated both night and day, when the silence is interrupted by the cheer of the several parties planned there.
The island is famous for the production of soft natural sponges, that are the skeleton of small animals left for some time in the shadow, dipped in the sea water and cleaned off by the residual impurity. The production and sale of the sponges is, together with the tourism and fishing, one of the most important economic source of the island.
LINOSA
Beautiful, black of molten rock, it defines its three mounts against the blue sky. It is an island of different origin, Linosa, the inactive volcanoes gave it a more unsettling aspect.
The unique built-up area, characterized by nice buildings with pastel colors, delineated along the edges, doors and windows, it is gathered around a small port.
From here you can tour by walking, to the conquest of the 2peaks or by boat. It is a peaceful island, the inhabitants, once were sheep farmers, today they live with the tourism. The high point is Vulcano Mount (186 mt), as it says the inactive volcano.
SCIACCA
The tour of the town can start from Scandagliato square, a wonderful terrace with enchanting sea view, embellished with San Domenico church and with the Gesuiti College today center of the city hall.
The Duomo, with inner with latin cross and decorated with fresco paintings and multicolor marble, built in 1108 and successively in 1656, it preserves of the original Norman installation three apses, while the dark yellow of the baroque faade is jazzed up by the marble statues of Gagini, located in niches. A must to see is Santa Margherita church which the first construction is up to the Fifteenth century and it only has the Gotic style portal, it is decorated by statues and low relief ascribed to Francesco Laurana and to Pietro from Bonitade. Also the Steripinto Palace, unique building in Siculo-Catalan style of 1501. Very prestigious is the Enchanted Castel, characterized by a gallery with a hundred faces carved in the rock and on the trees. Not to be missed a relax day at the wonderful Sciacca spa.
ERACLEA MINOA
Located at the entrance of Capo Bianco, the remains of the Greek town of Eraclea Minoa fill the beautiful place on the edge of a lone small hill on the sea. At its feet the coast spreads out in the long and white beach of Capo Bianco, with a beautiful pine forest. Before reaching the excavations, on the right, the white rock dunes (the marna, a blend of clay and limestone cleaned off the erosions) shaped by the wind they refer to the wall that closes Capo on the east side.
