Why this ride
From Agrigento it runs 329 km to Agrigento; allow about 6 h 24 of riding. It goes by way of Villa Romana del Casale, Caltagirone, back through Caltagirone and back through Villa Romana del Casale. It suits an unhurried touring pace.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Archaeological Area of Agrigento and Villa Romana del Casale
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 329 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 6 h 24
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Archaeological Area of Agrigento
The Valley of the Temples is not really a valley at all, but a long ridge running parallel to the Sicilian south coast, with the sea shining a few kilometres to the south and modern Agrigento climbing the hill behind. The Greeks called their city Akragas. It was founded around 580 BC by settlers from Gela and became one of the great cities of the Greek west, rich enough that the philosopher Empedocles, who lived here, is said to have remarked that the citizens built as if they would live forever and ate as if they would die tomorrow.
Read the complete Archaeological Area of Agrigento write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Archaeological Area of Agrigento is where the day begins. Next is Villa Romana del Casale.
2. Villa Romana del Casale
Somewhere in the fourth century AD, a very rich Roman, perhaps a senator or an imperial official, built a country villa in the hills of central Sicily and covered its floors with mosaics. The Villa Romana del Casale, just outside Piazza Armerina, has some of the finest and most extensive Roman floor mosaics anywhere, around 3,500 square metres, inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1997. Buried by a landslide in the Middle Ages, the villa was rediscovered and excavated mainly in the twentieth century, and the mosaics were preserved remarkably well.
Read the complete Villa Romana del Casale write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Villa Romana del Casale comes up 49 km in. Next is Caltagirone.
3. Caltagirone
Caltagirone is a city built on ceramics. Perched on a ridge in the hills of south-east Sicily, it has been making pottery since ancient times, and the tradition is everywhere: majolica tiles on balconies, bridges and church domes, pottery shops lining the streets and a museum devoted to the craft. Its most famous sight is the Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte, a staircase of well over a hundred steps climbing from the lower town to a church at the top, each riser decorated with hand-painted tiles in different patterns and colours. In late July, for the feast of Saint James, the staircase is lit with thousands of oil lamps arranged in designs, a magical sight.
Read the complete Caltagirone write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
97 km in you reach Caltagirone.
4. Villa Romana del Casale
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Villa Romana del Casale write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Villa Romana del Casale, about halfway. Next is back through Caltagirone.
5. back through Caltagirone
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Caltagirone write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Caltagirone sits at 195 km, about halfway. Next is back through Villa Romana del Casale.
6. back through Villa Romana del Casale
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Villa Romana del Casale write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Villa Romana del Casale comes up 243 km in. Next is Archaeological Area of Agrigento.
7. Archaeological Area of Agrigento
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Archaeological Area of Agrigento write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Archaeological Area of Agrigento closes the day.
Leg by leg
Archaeological Area of Agrigento to Villa Romana del Casale
Archaeological Area of Agrigento → Villa Romana del Casale is 89 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
Villa Romana del Casale to Caltagirone
Villa Romana del Casale → Caltagirone is 28 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Caltagirone to Villa Romana del Casale
Caltagirone → Villa Romana del Casale is 29 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Villa Romana del Casale to back through Caltagirone
Villa Romana del Casale → back through Caltagirone is 29 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Caltagirone to back through Villa Romana del Casale
back through Caltagirone → back through Villa Romana del Casale is 28 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Villa Romana del Casale to Archaeological Area of Agrigento
back through Villa Romana del Casale → Archaeological Area of Agrigento is 89 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.