Long weekend journeying on foot along the Magna Via Francigena from Aragona to Agrigento.
Program:
DAY 1: We will begin our visit in Aragona, with it's unique expressions of art and culture, and renowned for it's sulphur mines. Our urban trekking will take us to visit the 17th century Feudal Palace of Prince Naselli with frescoes of ... more
Program:
DAY 1: We will begin our visit in Aragona, with it's unique expressions of art and culture, and renowned for it's sulphur mines. Our urban trekking will take us to visit the 17th century Feudal Palace of Prince Naselli with frescoes of the Flemish artist Borremans, the baroque Church of the Rosary with an 18th century wooden ceiling and with the Treasury of the Crypt which houses a precious silver case containing fragments of the Shroud, a Gagini statue and a precious late '700s Nativity scene. And then we'll do some traditional Taganu tasting!
DAY 2: After crossing the Macalube Nature Reserve with its “cold mud volcanoes”, a charter bus will take us to Joppolo Giancaxio where we will continue our trekking towards Agrigento (Distance: 13.2 km; Difference in height: 45 mt.; Duration: approx. 3 ½ hours). At Agrigento we'll visit the historic center and its lavish monuments, while we taste some of the typical street food and a sweet pistachio cous cous made by the nuns of the convent. We will visit Saint Peter's church, which has been turned into a cultural area and which has its ties to Luigi Pirandello, and we'll have dinner in the restaurant attached to the cultural area.
DAY 3: We'll visit the Valley of the Temples Archaeological Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Kolymbethra Garden, an archaeological and agricultural treasure managed by the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano, the National Trust of Italy). We'll have a tasting session of the traditional farmer dishes in Cianciana, and then take a trip to the Platani river valley. A bus will take us to Pizzo Minico, a site with historical and archaeological interest, where we will visit the outer area of the “Cold Cave” and other similar natural caves (Distance: 3,00 KM; Difference in height: 100 mt.; Duration: approx. 1 ½ hours); another possibility is to go horseback riding, or donkey riding, or mountain biking.
End of our journey.
lessIt is possible to reach Aragona from Agrigento by car, bus, taxi or train.
By train
From Palermo: There are 9 trains daily (4 on Sundays) from Palermo to Agrigento. 2 hours
From Catania: There are 5-8 trains daily from Catania to Agrigento, whether direct or with an interchange in Caltanissetta. 4-5 hours
From Syracuse: There are 4 trains daily from Syracuse to Agrigento, which all have at least one interchange, usually in Catania or Bicocca. 5-6 hours
From Ragusa: There are two trains daily from Ragusa to Agrigento, but the one leaving Ragusa at 12:19 PM has two interchanges (in Gela and in Canicattì); the one leaving at 2:18 PM has a single interchange in Canicattì. 5-6 hours
The central train station in Agrigento is in Piazza Marconi, not far from Piazzale Aldo Moro. Be sure not to get off at the Agrigento Bassa station in the outskirts!
By car
From Palermo: Agrigento is 127 km (79 miles) to the south of Palermo. From Palermo, take Highway A19 East all the way to the town of Vilabate, where you will take the exit for State Road SS121. Follow SS121 South, then continue on SS189 at Managaro. Stay on SS189 all the way to Agrigento. 2 hours
From Catania: Agrigento is 169 km (105 miles) to the west of Catania. Take Highway A19 from Catania towards Palermo, getting off at Caltanisetta. Continue on State Road SS640 past Caltanisetta all the way to Agrigento. 2 hours
From Syracuse: Agrigento is 256 km (154 miles) to the west of Syracuse.
You can either take the more panoramic route, State Road SS115 which follows the coast towards the west from Syracuse ad Agrigento (4 hours).
Or you can take the faster route getting on Highway A18 to the North from Syracuse towards Catania, and then get on A19 West towards Palermo. Take the exit for Caltanisetta, and follow State Road SS640 all the way to Agrigento. 3 hours
From Ragusa: Agrigento is 133 km (83 miles) to the west of Ragusa. From Ragusa follow State Road SS115 along the coast all the way to Agrigento. 2 hours
By bus
From Palermo: There are two bus companies that take the route between Palermo and Agrigento (plus another one that links Agrigento to the airport in Palermo):
Cuffaro with 9 daily buses (only 6 on Saturdays and 3 on Sundays) from Palermo to Agrigento and departing from Via Paolo Balsamo (on the east side of the Palermo train station).
Fratelli Camilleri Argento & Lattuca with 5 daily buses (only 2 on Sundays) from Palermo di Agrigento and departing from Via R. Gregorio 38 (on the east side of the Palermo train station).
SAL has 4 daily buses (only 3 on weekends) from the Palermo airport to Agrigento. 2 hours
From Catania: SAIS has 15 buses (only 9 on Sundays) from Catania to Agrigento. 2-3 hours
From Siracusa: take a bus to Catania, then switch to an SAIS bus to Agrigento. Total trip time between 3 ½ to 5 hours. The main bus station in Agrigento is in Piazzale Fratelli Rosselli, near Piazzale Aldo Moro and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.
