I'm getting some mixed info on Agrigento. I seem to be reading that the temples are great, but crowded with tourists, and that the town is awful. We will be staying the night before in Selunite and then after Agarigento heading to Siracusa. So is it "worth it" to stay in Agrigento? They sound lovely at night, unfortunately I can't afford the hotel on the grounds so if we do stay it will be at some budget place (but we'll have a car). Can you drive up near them when they are lit up?

If we decide not to spend the night then we need somewhere else since I think going all the way to Siracuse that day would be too much. I had thought about Enna or Caltigione but I'm not finding much in the way of hotels in either of those towns.

Opinions please.

Isabel, Look at this place where we will stay in early May doing the reverse route www.gigliotto.com You can see Villa Casale and then drive thru Caltagirone and Palazzolo Arecide as you drive to Siracusa. Where are you staying in Selinunte? We will be at Hotel Aleceste on May 6 and 7.

Agrigento is a town with some interesting architecutre, nice for walking around, not the most attractive; but not awful either, IMHO.

However, the lit-up views of Valley of Temples is quite impressive. You could see different temples from the road around the site. Last year, I stayed at Hotel Tre Torri (www.htretorri.com) at Villaggio Mosso, an O.K. 3 star hotel few miles from the town and Valley. I took night bus back and forth to Agrigento just for the night views of temples.

Bob - In Selinute we are also booked at the Aleceste. Please post a report when you get back. Where else are you going on this trip?

The Gigliotto looks good except for two things - one, I don't see any price ranges, is it expensive? But my main concern is that it doesn't look like it has airconditioning. We usually stay in B&B and farm stay type places but they frequently don't have AC and we will be there in JULY. That was the one thing we decided when we decided to go to Sicily in mid summer was that we would make sure we had AC at night. With that we figured we could stand the day time heat. I bet it will be wonderful in May.

Judy - thanks for that info. I have that hotel on my list. It got a good "number" on trip advisor but no comments (so how did they come up with rating?). It was actually some of the comments on trip advisor (for other hotels) that made me start to question if we wanted to overnight there. People kept saying the town was a dump and even though the temples are wonderful they wished they had overnighted in another town. But now I'm reconsidering. I would love to see them lit up. Did you take the bus past them because you didn't have a car, or do you get closer that way? Any more info you have on the area I would appreciate. Thanks

Isabel, It is not expensive--we are paying 120E which inludes dinner for 2.
I doubt if they have AC. If you drove there I suggest the route thru Gela.
We are making a clockwise loop--Taormina, Siracusa, Piazza Armerina, Selinnunte, and last 4 nites in Palermo---15 nites in all.

I went to Sicily March last year for spring flowers and walking. I didn't rent a car, took bus and train around instead, the public transports in Sicily was very inexpensive.

Hi Isabel,

I strongly recommend that you see AGRIGENTO if you get a chance. The temples, the history and the museum there are spell-binding, in my opinion.

However, the one thing I would DEFINITELY suggest is that you get a really knowledgable TOUR GUIDE to take you around the temples -- it really makes a difference when you understand what you are looking at!

In the search box: you can type "Betty's Consolidated Sicily Trip Report". I wrote one section on AGRIGENTO.

By the way, I found a great Bed-and-Breakfast near the temples for a reasonable cost. It was VILLA AMICO, and you can google them or look them up on tripadvisor.com

Agrigento with our tour guide was a major highlight of our entire Sicily trip. To see the temples lit up at night is truly magical.

ENJOY!

Betty - thank you. I have just emailed the Villa Amico. And your trip report was very interesting. Where did you stay in Erice and Palermo. Those are the last two places I need to book.

Isabel,

Erice: HOTEL MODERNO -- very reasonable rates; well-located; nice concierge; clean and somewhat modernized; breakfast wasn't great, but that did not bother us; we ASKED FOR A ROOM WITH A VIEW and literally had the islands "at our feet"! (amazing view of TRAPANI and its windmills were visible from our deck -- bring binoculars)

Palermo -- GIORGIO's HOUSE -- I would not recommend this place if you need luxury; it is a simple place very close to some major sights; I enjoyed it because the host Giorgio showed us places NOT IN ANY TOURIST GUIDE; however the street it is located on is a bit run-down-looking; it did not scare my husband and I: it basically comes down to the kind of experience you are looking for; SUPER-CHEAP and popular with international students and bargain-hunters, so BOOK AHEAD!

Ciao!

betty - Georgios house sounds wonderful. I looked on their web site and several others. I think I'll email him, but do you know if there is air conditioning? That's one thing I really think we need - Palermo in July, definitly will want to be cool at least at night? Otherwise it looks great but I can't find any reference to AC on any of the sites so I'm doubtful.

We are booked into Villa Amico in Agricento, so thanks for that tip.

betty - one more question - this time about Erice. The Moderno looks good, Did you book directly with them? Their own site lists a price of €116 but on octupustravel.com they have it for much less (144 USD). Also, the Belvedere San Nicola - do you know if that's related to the Moderno. They sort of share a website but there's very little info about the San Nicola. And anymore info you have on Erice would be appreciated.

Actually, although I've found your "consolidated" trip report, I can't seem to find whatever it was consolidated from. Since clearly we are going to the same places you went (and apparently staying in many of the same hotels) I'd like to read it. Do you have a link to it?

We stayed in La Pineta in Erice and really liked it. Safe secure parking, views from private balcony. It was like little bungalos rather than a hotel. We really enjoyed it there. You might want to consider it.

You will love Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples. Its one of the best tourist sights in Sicily. I love it there day or night.

Isabel,

Actually the reason it's called a "consolidated" trip report is because originally I had written 8 separate reports for each Sicilian city/town I visited -- but Fodorites complained about that, and one of them actually pasted all the parts together for me because I did not know how. (I'm technically challenged!)

Hotel Moderno: I do not know if it is affiliated with "Belvedere San Nicola." I booked directly on Moderno's website and actually, 116 euros might be equal to 144 dollars, because the current exchange rate is bad. So I don't know how much you are actually saving on octopus.com

Giorgio's House: They may not have A/C and you are correct in looking for A/C because July will be BLINDINGLY HOT! I also heard good things about HOTEL POSTA in Palermo, but ALWAYS check with them first about A/C. We went in May so A/C was not an issue.

I've stayed in or near Agrigento twice, once in September & once in June. The first time I stayed in the town at the Jolly hotel which was nothing special, & I agree the town is nothing special either. The second time I stayed at the Hotel Baglio della Luna which is converted from an old fortified farmhouse, a couple of km from town & the temples, & it was lovely - nice rooms, lovely views great food. Neither time have I found the temples crowded, apart from the area right on the road where the cafe etc is. Most people are in coaches & don't seem to bother to walk out along the ridge to the temples etc or into the area on the other side of the road at all (forget what it's called). Also don't miss the 'Hellenistic Roman quarter' on the edge of town - we had it to ourselves !

Isabel,

I made a mistake about the name of the Erice hotel. Actually, it's HOTEL ERMIONE, not Hotel Moderno, where we stayed and had the nice view.

Sorry for the mix-up!

Thanks. I'll check out both the Ermione and the LaPineta. And I made a mistake too, that's a typo above when I said that the octupus travel site had it for 144, it's actually 114 USD (so about €88 versus the €116 for the Moderno on its site). I'm glad you clarified that it wasn't the Moderno you stayed at since it got some poor reviews on trip advisor.