National park · Italy

Valley of the TemplesValle dei Templi

Give it a half day, not an hour: enter at Porta V or the Temple of Hera gate when tickets open (08:30, check), walk the 2.5 km ridge east to west, and add the museum only if you have a second morning.Give it a half day, not an hour: enter at Porta V or the Temple of Hera gate when tickets open (8:30 AM, check), walk the 2.5 km ridge east to west, and add the museum only if you have a second morning.Give it a half day, not an hour: enter at Porta V or the Temple of Hera gate when tickets open (08:30, check), walk the 1.6 mi ridge east to west, and add the museum only if you have a second morning.Give it a half day, not an hour: enter at Porta V or the Temple of Hera gate when tickets open (8:30 AM, check), walk the 1.6 mi ridge east to west, and add the museum only if you have a second morning.

Not field-verifiedUNESCO World Heritage 1997Some areas permit-onlyChecked Sep 2026

Map to the park

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Directions

From where I am

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Area

13 km²5 sq mi

approximate

Established

1997

Best months

Mar–May, Oct

UNESCO

World Heritage

Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Italy and Malta ↗The region's headline sights run on timed tickets that sell out: book the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Uffizi, the Last Supper and Malta's Hypogeum before you fix train and hotel dates.
Italy and Malta ↗Budget for per-night city taxes in Italy (up to about €10 a person in Rome), Malta's per-night environmental contribution, and Venice's day-visitor fee on peak days; none are included in most online room prices.
Italy ↗Italy is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
Italy ↗Historic centres are ZTL limited-traffic zones: cameras fine any unauthorised car that enters, often months later through the hire company. Park outside and walk in.
Italy ↗Regional train tickets bought on paper must be validated in the machine on the platform before boarding; digital tickets carry a time and need no stamping.
Italy ↗Venice charges day-visitors an access fee on selected peak days; check the city's official site if you are not sleeping there.

At a glance

Country: Italy
Area: 13 km²5 sq mi; The archaeological park is described as about 1,300 hectares (13 km²) including the temples, walls, necropolises and the museum area; boundary figures vary by source (check).
Established: 1997
Best months: Mar–May, Oct
Permits: For some areas
Base: Agrigento

The Valley of the Temples is not a valley: the temples stand in a line along a ridge just south of modern Agrigento, the ancient Greek city of Akragas, founded around 580 BC and one of the richest cities of Magna Graecia. The park protects that ridge — the Temple of Hera at the east end, Concordia in the middle, the unfinished Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Kolymbethra garden at the west — plus the city walls, necropolises and sanctuaries, and the Pietro Griffo museum in the former San Nicola monastery. Inscribed by UNESCO in 1997, it is a walk rather than a trail network: one paved route of about 2.5 km links the two gates, and the practical questions are which gate to start at, how early to arrive in summer, and whether to add the museum on a second morning.

Decide

Why go, which months, and what lives here when

At a glance

Status

UNESCO World Heritage · 1997Archaeological Area of Agrigento, inscribed for its testimony to Greek civilisation in the Mediterranean.

Size and age

13 km²5 sq mi · national park since 1997

The archaeological park is described as about 1,300 hectares (13 km²) including the temples, walls, necropolises and the museum area; boundary figures vary by source (check).

This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Agrigento.

Why go

The Temple of Concordia is one of the most complete Greek temples anywhere, with 34 Doric columns still standing.
The whole ridge is walkable in one line: Temple of Hera at the east end, Concordia in the middle, the Zeus ruins and the Kolymbethra garden at the west.
The Pietro Griffo museum holds the 7.6 m telamon from the Temple of Olympian Zeus and 5,600-plus finds, so a rainy or midday block has a plan B.
You can pair it with Agrigento's old town and the Scala dei Turchi coast without a car if you use the local buses.

When to go

12-month verdict

JanGo
FebGo
MarBest
AprBest
MayBest
JunCaution
JulCaution
AugAvoid
SepGo
OctBest
NovGo
DecGo

JanMild, quiet, occasional rain; short daylight
FebAlmond blossom starts; cool and green
MarMild, clear, almond trees in flower
AprWarm and dry; wildflowers on the ridge
MayWarm; go early, little shade
JunHot by 11:00; start at openingHot by 11:00 AM; start at opening
Jul35 °C-plus afternoons; heat risk95 °F-plus afternoons; heat risk
AugHottest and busiest; midday walking is punishing
SepStill hot early, evenings fine
OctDry, warm, comfortable all day
NovMild; some rain, few visitors
DecCool and quiet; check holiday hours

Wildlife and nature calendar

Seasons shift by weeks each year

Wildlife and nature calendar for Valley of the Temples
What	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Almond blossom on the slopes below the templesFeb–Mar · The ridge and the Kolymbethra terraces are at their best in early spring.	no	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Spring wildflowers and butterflies along the path edgesMar–May	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Summer heat and dry ground; little shade on the ridgeJun–Aug · Plan walking for the first or last hours of the day.	no	no	no	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no
Autumn light and quiet pathsOct–Nov · Comfortable temperatures for the full ridge walk.	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	yes	yes	no

Arrive & move

Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are

How to get there

From Agrigento city centre

Local bus (lines 1, 2 or 3) from the central station and Piazza Rosselli to the park entrances, or a 3 km walk downhill.Local bus (lines 1, 2 or 3) from the central station and Piazza Rosselli to the park entrances, or a 1.9 mi walk downhill.

15–25 min

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From Agrigento station

Bus toward the archaeological site, then walk to the nearest gate; taxis also wait at the station.

15–20 min

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From Palermo

Train or bus to Agrigento, then local bus or taxi to the park.

2–2.5 h

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From Catania

Bus or train via Palermo or Caltanissetta to Agrigento, then local transport.

3–4 h

Open the page →

From Sicily trip plan

Where the temples fit in a Sicily route with Palermo, Syracuse and Etna.

Open the page →

Zones and sectors

Zones of Valley of the Temples
Zone	What is there	Access
Eastern zone (Temple of Hera gate)	Temple of Juno on the ridge, the Temple of Concordia and the main ticket office, café and parking.	Open with a park ticket; this is the usual start.
Central zone	Temple of Heracles, the Temple of Olympian Zeus ruins with the fallen telamon, and the Sanctuary of the Chthonic Deities.	Open with a park ticket; the paved route runs through it.
Western zone (Porta V gate)	Temple of the Dioscuri, the Kolymbethra Garden, the Temple of Hephaestus and the souvenir shop by the ticket office.	Open with a park ticket; garden needs its own ticket.
Museum area	Pietro Griffo Regional Archaeological Museum in the former San Nicola monastery, plus the Temple of Demeter and San Biagio church outside the ancient walls.	Museum ticket or combined ticket; church area open separately (check).

Sketch map

Approximate — not for navigation

Approximate positions along the temple ridge from the Hera gate in the east to Porta V in the west, for orientation only.

1Temple of Hera entrance · Gate≈37.290, 13.599Eastern gate with ticket office, parking and shuttle stop.Map ↗
2Temple of Juno (Hera Lacinia) · Viewpoint≈37.289, 13.601Map ↗
3Temple of Concordia · Viewpoint≈37.290, 13.593Map ↗
4Temple of Heracles · Viewpoint≈37.290, 13.589Map ↗
5Temple of Olympian Zeus · Viewpoint≈37.291, 13.584Map ↗
6Pietro Griffo museum · Headquarters≈37.297, 13.589Map ↗
7Kolymbethra Garden · Trail≈37.291, 13.581Map ↗
8Porta V entrance · Gate≈37.289, 13.582Western gate with ticket office, parking, shuttle and souvenir shop.Map ↗
9Agrigento city centre · Town≈37.311, 13.576Approximate; old town on and below Via Atenea.Map ↗

See & do

Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking

Top experiences

TrailsEasy2.5–3.5 hRidge walk: Hera gate to Porta VAbout 2.5 km of paved path linking the eastern and western zones, mostly flat with some uneven gravel; the single best way to see the temples in order.

ViewpointsEasy30–45 minTemple of Concordia at opening or closingThe 34-column colonnade is the site's image; light is softest in the first and last hour and the coach groups are thinnest then.

CultureEasy30 minTemple of Olympian Zeus and the telamonThe 56 × 113 m base of the largest Doric temple ever attempted, never finished; a 7.6 m figure from it lies nearby and the museum holds another.

CultureEasy1.5–2 hPietro Griffo museum5,600-plus objects from prehistory to Roman Sicily, with the telamon and scale models of the temples; good midday or rain option.

CultureEasy45–60 minKolymbethra GardenAbout 5 ha of citrus, almond and olive terraces fed by ancient aqueduct channels, run by FAI; a cool shaded break between the western temples.Booking: Hypogea tours by reservation

CultureEasy30 minTemple of Demeter and San BiagioSanctuary remains beside a Norman-era church built on the ancient foundations, outside the eastern walls; quieter than the ridge.

Practical

Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong

Entry fees and permits

EUR ranges · check

Fees for Valley of the Temples
Item	Range	Per	Note
Archaeological park entry (Valley of the Temples)	EUR 10–12	person	2026 estimate; standard adult ticket, higher on some event days (check).
Combined park + Pietro Griffo museum ticket	EUR 16–22.2	person	2026 estimate; the museum-only ticket is about €10 (check).
Kolymbethra Garden (FAI), inside the park	EUR 4–6	person	2026 estimate; separate from park entry, FAI members free (check).
Electric shuttle between entrances	EUR 3–5	person	2026 estimate; hop-on hop-off, useful in heat (check).
Parking near Porta V or the Hera gate	EUR 0–5	car	2026 estimate; some lots free, some paid by the hour (check).

Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.

Standard park ticket permit or guide

Buy at the ticket office at either main gate or online in advance; no separate permit for the ridge walk.

Kolymbethra Garden entry permit or guide

Separate ticket at the garden gate or through FAI; underground hypogea tours by reservation only.

Guided tours and e-bike tours no permit

Booked in advance or on site; not needed to walk the main route.

Park rules

Drones, guides, camping and more

Stay on the paths: Do not climb on temple blocks or cross rope lines; ruined sections are not all fenced and the stone is fragile.
Drones: Not allowed over the archaeological park without permission from the park authority (check).check
Tickets: Keep your ticket; the museum and the garden are separate admissions and the shuttle may ask for it.
Shade and water: No shade on most of the ridge; carry water and refill at the fountains rather than buying bottles.
Picnics and litter: Eat at the café or the garden area, not on the monuments; carry out all rubbish.

Where to stay

Near the park

Agrigento old town

B&Bs, small hotels and guesthouses on and below Via Atenea, 3 km from the gates; best for evenings and buses.B&Bs, small hotels and guesthouses on and below Via Atenea, 1.9 mi from the gates; best for evenings and buses.

Near the park

Via Passeggiata Archeologica and Porta Aurea area

Hotels and trattorias closest to the park entrances, convenient if you want to walk in at opening.

Near the park

Countryside agriturismi

Farm stays in olive groves and vineyards minutes from the park; you need a car or a taxi.

Safety

Heat and no shade on the ridge high

In June–September start at opening or come after 17:00, carry at least 1.5 L of water per person, wear a hat, and use the shuttle for one leg.

Uneven gravel and ancient steps medium

Wear shoes with grip; watch the unfenced ruin edges, especially with children.

Pickpockets in crowds at the main gates low

Keep bags zipped in the ticket queues and on the shuttle; leave valuables at your hotel.

Late return from the park medium

Buses thin out in the evening; check the last service or book a taxi before you start the western end.

Accessibility

The main paved route between the eastern and western zones is generally flat and accessible, with ramps and adapted restrooms.

Visiting lightly

Refill water bottles at the park fountains instead of buying plastic; summer demand is high.
Take the local bus or shuttle rather than driving between the two gates.
Pay the separate Kolymbethra ticket: the garden is maintained by FAI and the fee keeps the citrus terraces and aqueduct channels working.
Do not buy loose fragments or 'ancient' stone souvenirs; the shop by Porta V sells licensed local products.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to enter Valley of the Temples?

Budget about €10–12 per adult for the archaeological park and €16–22.20 for a combined park and museum ticket (2026 estimate). The Kolymbethra Garden inside the park is a separate €4–6, and the electric shuttle a few euros more. Prices change and some event days cost more, so check the official park site before you go.

What are the best hikes in Valley of the Temples?

There is one main walk rather than a trail network: the roughly 2.5 km paved route along the ridge between the Temple of Hera gate in the east and Porta V in the west, passing Juno, Concordia, Heracles and the Zeus ruins. It is flat and easy, takes 2.5–3.5 hours with stops, and is the best way to see the temples in order. Side paths to the Temple of Demeter and San Biagio, outside the ancient walls, add 30 minutes each way.

When is the best time to visit Valley of the Temples?

March to May and October are the best months: mild, usually dry, and comfortable for the full ridge walk. June to September is hot and the ridge has almost no shade, so start at opening or come after 17:00. August is the busiest and hottest; January and February are quiet and green, with almond blossom from late February.

How long do you need at Valley of the Temples?

Allow 2.5–3.5 hours for the ridge walk with stops, plus 1.5–2 hours if you add the Pietro Griffo museum and 45–60 minutes for the Kolymbethra Garden. A half day covers the temples; a full day covers temples, museum and garden without rushing.

Do you need a guide at Valley of the Temples?

No. The main route is signed and the temples are labelled, so a guide is optional. Guided walking and e-bike tours can be booked in advance or on site if you want the history explained, and the Kolymbethra hypogea tours are by reservation only.

Which entrance should you use?

Start at the Temple of Hera gate in the east if you want to walk downhill through the temples in order and finish at Porta V, where buses and the souvenir shop are. Porta V suits an early start near the Dioscuri and the garden. Both gates have ticket offices, parking and shuttle service.

Is Valley of the Temples accessible?

The main paved route between the two zones is generally flat and accessible, with ramps and adapted restrooms, and the electric shuttle helps with the distance. Some ancient structures and side paths have steps and uneven ground, so stick to the central route if mobility is limited.

Deep dive

Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go