Western Sicily Holidays

Agrigento, Valley of the Temples

Scala dei Turchi

Bronze Sculpture of Fallen Icarus

Valley of the Temples

Valley Of the Temples

Travel back in time by visiting some of Italy's most historic landmarks

For history lovers, Western Sicily is the ideal place for a holiday. It's full of endless natural and man-made sights, which are definitely something to write home about. In some places you'll think you've stepped through a time warp, making it a great place for building up your historical knowledge.

What to see on a Western Sicily Holiday

Rent yourself a car and have the freedom to travel back in time to Ancient Greece. Visit the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and the Temple at Segesta, which you'll find on a ridge overlooking the sea. In the far West it's worth visiting the little town of Mazara del Vallo and the Marsala district. Marsala is famous for the fortified wine (Marsala) which which was popularised by the British trader John Woodhouse and exported far and wide. If you fancy a day of island hopping, visit Trapani where you can catch a ferry to the beautiful Egadi Islands. Trapani is well known for its salt flats and windmills, which are some of the oldest in Europe.

You also have to visit Sciaccia- the whole town is a museum and the ideal place to really immerse yourself in Sicilian culture. Try fresh Italian produce (especially the lemons!), gaze at ancient Italian art and take in the atmosphere of an ancient coastal town. We also love visiting the town of Ribera, which is known for it's sustainable approach to life and it's oranges! Why not ask them why the next time you visit?

Why book a holiday in Western Sicily with Inghams?

We've chosen a hotel we think you'll love, one that will give you a unique and sustainable experience of Sicily. Booking your holiday with us means booking with a support system behind you, so you know you'll be in safe hands.

from£1627pp
90 rooms

If you love sustainable sea-side holidays, then the Adler Spa Resort Sicilia is the place for you. It's natural, bright interiors and vast outdoor spaces will take you into a completely new world.

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Useful Information

Information about Western Sicily
Resort Code	ITSC
Time difference	GMT +1
Currency	EUR
Latitude	37.0850743
Longitude	10.8666603

Travel and Transportation

Car hire available: Yes

Evening resort bus service: No

Local bus services:

Parking available: Yes

Resort Ski bus available: No

Things To Do

Western Sicily is best seen by car. There are so many places to visit that you won't want want to miss any of them.

Things to see and do

Agrigento: Check out The Valley of the Temples- an Ancient Greek settlement (a UNESCO world heritage site)
Selinute: Explore the Selinute Archaeological Park- the biggest archaeological park in Europe
Outside Marsala: Visit the salt-planes and red-roofed windmills at the Stagnone Nature Reserve
Ribera: Taste the Washington Navel oranges in Ribera, 230 metres above the sea
Agrigento: Walk along the clear blue Sicilian coastline under the Scala dei Turchi- a bright white limestone cliff which looks like it's cascading into the sea
Relax on the stunning Sicilian beaches

Food & drink

The Sicilian's love their food and it's renowned as some of the best in Italy. From Sfincione (a thick pizza made with tomatoes, onions and anchovies) to Finnochio con Sarde (a pasta dish with fennel and herring). Sea-food is very popular in this part of Italy, as you can imagine as it's all fresh from the sea!

A lot of the traditional meat dishes are made using lamb or goat as they're easily available, but veal is also popular. A popular dish from the region is Vitello alla Marsala (veal with Marsala). Most meat dishes are served with cous-cous, which is an influence from Sicily's strong ties with the Arab and Byzantine communities (past and present). You'll also see a lot of pistachios and sultanas used in their food for the same reason.

When it comes to cheese, lots of Italian desserts and sweets are made with ricotta. Our favourite are cannoli, crunchy pastry shells filled with sweet, creamy ricotta (sometimes they add candied peel and chocolate chips). The ricotta here is different from what you've probably had before, because they make it with goats milk instead of cows milk.

Activities

If you're looking for more of an adventure, the Grotta del Genovese in Levanzo is between 6,000 and 10,000 years old. You'll have to walk down a very steep 700 metres worth of steps to get to the cave but you'll get some incredible views of the coast if you do. It has Neolithic and Upper Palaeolithic drawings on the walls; of bulls, horses, men and tuna! (remember to pre-book).

If you enjoy hiking, another great place to see is the Castello di Santa Caterina in Favignana. 287 metres high, on top of Monte Santa Caterina, it's a bit of a trek to get there (about an hour hike), but it's completely worth it if just to see the panoramic views of the Egadi Islands. In WW2 this 15th Century fort was used as a military observation station, so there's yet more history to be discovered!

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Good to know

Explore the The Valley of the Temples Archeological Park, open between 08:30am to 08:00pm daily
Swim at Scala dei Turchi, a beautiful beach with a backdrop of white limestone
Shop along the Via Atenea in Agrigento’s old town, the streets are lined with shops, trattorias and bars