History and scenery

Another busy day in Sicily with Jimmy & Gin. We started out early for the drive to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. It took a couple of hours to get there, as it’s on the central southern side of the island (they live central east side). It was a gorgeous drive and we got to see a lot of different landscape along the way.

Agrigento is an amazing group of Greek ruins. Unlike the ones in Greece, these were built of sandstone so they haven’t held up as well, but are more red in color. There were ruins, some amazing statues and a few spots where they helped show how the temples were built, so I walked away learning something new. It was especially beautiful and fragrant with the almond trees in bloom.

The almond trees were blooming while we were there so we had to get a few shots with those as well. They smelled really good.

While there I took a picture of the nearby city with the same name. It’s interesting because the Sicilians love living packed like sardines in these hilltop cities instead of in all the available rural area outside. Many Americans like a little space to stretch their legs, but the Sicilians love being close to their families, friends and everyday services. It’s just a cultural difference that I find interesting. So the city of Agrigento is huge and packed with people. 

After leaving Agrigento, we stopped at a spot we could look over the Mediterranean and then had a picnic lunch in the car. Jim and Gin has packed meats and cheeses for us to munch on. We tried about 5 different salami, a few other meats and 4 different cheeses. It was delicious!

Next up was another drive to see what Jimmy referred to as a “hunting lodge with mosaics”, officially called Villa Romano del Casale. We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but it was AMAZING! The story goes that in about 300 AD, some rich guy built this home for his family and to entertain friends. In about 1161 there was a landslide and everything was buried until 1950. Eventually it was excavated and now there is a great spot to learn more about how they lived and what this amazing villa looked like. The best part - the entire building was covered with mosaic floors and wall frescos, some of which still remain. One of the most interesting facets was that the owner provided exotic animals for hunting and sport, so the mosaics include animals like lions, tigers, bears, panthers and more. There was an ornate bath area, a huge open courtyard surrounded by a mosaic of animals, then a long raised hallway that showed every animal the owner could procure in the order they are found on a map. The guest and family quarters were gorgeous and we even got to see the ancient bathrooms. It was so amazing! In a few spots you were actually able to walk on the mosaic floor pieces, but I have a hard time walking on something 1700 years old. I settled mostly for pictures. I highly recommend this one for a visit, as it’s become one of my favorite sights of the trip so far.

After leaving we headed to look for a little refreshing gelato but it was reposa (most businesses close from about 1-4pm for a big family meal and rest/relax period) and there was no gelato to be had so we moved on.

Remember that pinecone I’m wishing I purchased? Thankfully our trip home took us right by Caltagirone so we stopped for a few minutes. I found my pinecone and another small item, while Jimmy & Virginia got a gorgeous bowl on a pedestal. I love it, but sadly don’t have a way to get a bowl like that home. Bummer!

All the goodies bought, we hit up a nearby gelato shop but it was from the tourist area so not as good as what we had the first day. Regardless, I enjoyed my two scoops of nocciola (hazelnut) and stracciatella. Brian has his first ever granita in lemon and it was really delicious.

We made our way back home and grabbed some pizza for dinner. Last up was a board game with both the boys, then some time spent chatting with Jim & Gin before bed. Tomorrow is our last day here so we are looking forward to another day spent with family.