One of the most important archaeological sites of the island is the Valley of the Temples. Only 4 hours from Taormina, the archaeological park, with its 1300 hectares, is the largest in the world and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples were part of the ancient polis of Akragas, "the most beautiful city of mortals" said the writer Pindar. It was founded by people from the island of Rhodes and the Cretans. It reached its zenith in the fifth century BC. The Valley of the Temples is characterized by the remains of ten Doric temples, three sanctuaries, a large concentration of the necropolis, and a museum. One of the things that makes it special is the red stone the temples are made of. At sunset this red stone appears to be on fire, providing maximum beauty to this place.
This is the birthplace of Luigi Pirandello, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. You can visit his house, which is now a museum. For those who like to enjoy a swim in the sea continue along the coast after Porto Empedocle where you will find The Turkish Steps, a stretch of coast where there is a beautiful white rock wall that has a wavy and irregular shape made of a sedimentary rock of limestone and clay. The name has Turkish origins stemming from the piracy raids of that time.
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