Sicily

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Valley of the Temples and Villa Romana del Casale Day Trip from Taormina

Name: Valley of the Temples and Villa Romana del Casale Day Trip from Taormina
Brand: SAT Group
SKU: 6099AGRIGENTO
Price: 65.72 USD
Rating: 4.0 (123 reviews)

Sicily, Italy

12 hours
Pickup offered
Offered in: English

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Overview

Explore two of Italy's greatest archeological sites on this exciting guided tour of the Valley of the Temples and Villa Romana del Casale. Leave Taormina with a local guide and be prepared to get very acquainted with Ancient Greek statuary and architecture, as well as, as centuries-old monuments from the Roman Empire. See the amazing collection of mosaics and even an ancient hunting lodge.

Day trip to the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Temples and Villa Romana del Casale
Leave Taormina and discover Sicily’s finest ancient Greek and Roman ruins with a guide
See monuments like the Temple of Juno inside Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples
Spend an afternoon at Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina
Admire one of the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics including the famous 'bikini girls' wall

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Local guide in Agrigento
Tour escort/host

Food and drinks
Entrance fee to the sites (approx 20 euros) - (free for EU citizens under 18 years with a valid ID)

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Via Luigi Pirandello, 38, 98039 Taormina ME, Italy
The main Bus Terminal is located in Via Pirandello, getting out from the Porta Messina Gate, on the right after 500 meters.

Pickup point

Terminal Interbus Taormina
Via Luigi Pirandello, 98039 Taormina ME, Italy

Start time

06:45 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Main departure for all our tours is Bus Terminal in Via Pirandello - Taormina. Pick up is also available along the coast in Giardini Naxos, Letojanni and Taormina by the sea only on request.

What To Expect

After meeting your guide in the center of Taormina, head off to Agrigento, located on Sicily's sunny south coast. Pull right up to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Valley of the Temples, an incredible archeological spot on a hill that dates back to 430 BC. Pay the admission fees and then begin strolling around with your guide, navigating the labyrinth of relics and ruins.

Drink in the numerous sites, including the temple of Castor and Pollux and the Temple of Concord, an exemplary Classical monument. Then stop and marvel at the Temple of June, Temple of Jove, and the most ancient ruin on the site, the Temple of Hercules.

Take a break for lunch inside the Valley of the Temples (at own expense) and then hop back on the coach for the drive to Piazza Amerina to see the incredible Villa Romana del Casale, an old hunting lodge that is home to the planet's biggest collection of Roman mosaics. Take some time to study the mosaics, some of which depict every day scenes from centuries past.

Go inside the hunting lodge (at own expense) and wander around the rooms. Linger in the thermal baths for a while trying to imagine what daily life was like here over 2,000 years ago. Walk through the dining hall and courtyard. Gawk at the awesome mosaics, especially the 'bikini girls,' which your guide will offer an intriguing explanation about. Learn about the history of the lodge and how it was hidden thanks to a 12th-century landslide that buried it.

Stroll around the lodge, taking in the preserved art and architecture and then hop back on the coach for the journey back to Taormina.

Valle dei Templi

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Villa Romana del Casale

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Multilingual guide
Not wheelchair accessible
During winter minimum of 12 people .There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund

Near public transportation
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Sandra_R

The early start to the day was well worth it to experience this tour. The valley of the temples is great to see. The tour guide Renata was great, friendly and she shared lots of details about the temples and surrounding areas. Seeing the mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale was amazing. You were able to view all the rooms easily, it was really quiet with people spread out. Even had time to enjoy some granita before the return trip. Comfortable coach for travelling, even when stuck in traffic. Definitely recommend this trip.

Reviews

4.0

123 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 123 reviews

Punctual tour with good guide.

Lien_T, Apr 2024

Good tour, good guide. A little confusion about redemption of tout voucher. The instructions said we have to redeem the voucher at the bus station prior to departure. But when we got there, the ticket office told us to go to SAT agency. Then at SAT agency, we were told there was no need to redeem anything because their records showed that we have paid, so the voucher was “the tour ticket”

A great informative day out

Catherine_A, Apr 2024

Our Tour Guide Renata waa very knowledgeable and kept us informed ( in 3 languages) on the way to both of The archaeological sites . Valley of the Temples waa amazing but at the end there was almost no opportunity to buy a small souvenir as We were rushed into the bus and taken to a small pre-booked restaurant (So no choice and with only 1 toilet for such a large group. Add into your trip 20€ for Lunch & 24€ in entrance fees per person. The bus & driver were also very good. Overall it was a good, but long day. (13hours)

It's worth the long day

Sharon_B, Oct 2023

I'd read the reviews before booking this trip. Yes it's a long day, yes the guide speaks more than one language, yes lunch was at a restaurant that might not have been my first choice BUT so what?! It's a fabulous trip - the drive across the island is a treat. The temple remains are incredible to look at (I hope you don't have a miserable traveller, like I did, who moaned about being bored all day). Lunch was actually very good - food was fairly cheap, hot and more than sufficient. The Villa Romana blew my mind. Ignore all the negative reviews and book this trip - you won't regret it!

Marcello is a great guide...

shobasequeira, Sep 2023

Marcello is a great guide and completely refreshed our memories of the movie. The villagers are beautiful.

Amazing locations

Sandra_R, Sep 2023

Temples and Villa Romana- mosaics not to be missed!

Michael_G, Oct 2019

A very long day- and tiring as we did a lot of walking. Give yourselves a day off after doing this! It was a long drive from Taormina to the south of Sicily. Our guide gave us some information about the country. We had beautiful weather, so the temples were stunning. Our local guide was good, although there were long delays as she had to do each talk twice, once in German, then in English. We had some free time after the guided tour. Then we drove to the Villa Romana del Casale, which was a delight. Not to be missed if you like Roman archaeology. The mosaics are so well preserved and tell so much about the owner of the villa. Stunning. A very long journey home- returned to hotel about 8. traffic round Catania is very slow. Nevertheless, an excellent day out, and stunning scenery.

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Hello, it is true Sicily is huge and transfers between the destinations are sometimes long, but worthed. Our guide service is multilingual in order to satisfy several nationalities. We thank you for your feedback and send you our warmest regards. Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

Terrific temple tour

Lawrence_T, Oct 2019

Temple guide was excellent. However, time was wasted when she had to keep switching languages. Could have lengthened the tour to see more of the area if she did not have to do that. Would have preferred a tour conducted in one language. . Also saw other tour groups with individual Head sets -making it easier to hear when in a big group. This would have been helpful.

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Hello, all our tours are guided in three languages so that everybody can understand, we are sorry if that was not so appreciated, but as per our tradition we like to be multilingual. HeadsetS can Be rented at an extra cost. Warm regards from Sicily, Guest Relation Manager SAT Group

Long day but worth it

Bronwen K, Oct 2019

The Roman villa is outstanding, the mosaic floors exquisite. We also loved the countryside we saw during the bus ride and felt very safe with our bus driver. Thankyou!

Response from Host, Dec 2019

Hello Customer, thank you for sharing your positive experience during our tour to Agrigento and Piazza Armerina. Warm regards Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

Excellent

Ann_S, Jul 2019

I feel too much time was spent at the valley of the temples with overly long descriptions by the guide. It was too hot and unshaded for such length. My rating is for the Piazza Armerina which was breathtaking but our visit was too short.

Response from Host, Aug 2019

Hello lunasa_8, thank you for your review. We do feel that your opinion is regarding a preference of destination, rather than our company's organization, in any case we appreciate you have shared the experience. We hope you will have the chance to explore Sicily with a milder climate. All the very best, Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

good guide

Relax68589731573, Jun 2019

guide is so nice and explain well valley of temple and romana del Casale. It is hot day but take a rest get to something drink , something to eat

Response from Host, Aug 2019

Hello Relax6, yes, the tour to Agrigento & Piazza Armerina is a long one but really worthed! Good tips about food & beverages, thank you! Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

Valley of Temples and Villa Romana del Casale

Carl_D, Jun 2019

We stopped by at the SAT office in Taormina to confirm the booking and received excellent help there. The trip was excellent and well worth the money; the bus was comfortable, the driver, and guides were all professional and courteous in every way.

Response from Host, Jun 2019

We wish to say thank ! Thank you ! Thank you !

Long drive from Taormina and crowded site

Roselee_B, Apr 2019

The valley of the temples is quite far from Taormina, and the site itself is extremely crowded, not making for a great experience. The entry into the site was also inefficient, with most people giving the guide the entry fee and others buying their own ticket. The latter took time, as did the security check to get in. The guides were informative but did not have the time for personal engagement. The Villa Romana is, however, incredible, and perhaps because we arrived later than scheduled it was less crowded than it could have been. Still, it was a walk through.

Yes, this is a long day, but so worth...

Frances C, Oct 2018

Yes, this is a long day, but so worth it! The Valley of the Temples is breathtaking. Our guide there was a wonderful historian and we learned so much. Lunch was great and then on to Villa Romana. Admittedly I am a mosaic artist, so this was very special for me! However, anyone would be awed by it's magnificence!

Great mosaics and temples

Linda_G, Oct 2018

We enjoyed visiting the incredibly well-preserved mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale. However, it would have been better to have a local guide to explain more about the site. We did have a guide at The Valley of the Temples, who was very knowledgeable. Both are very worthwhile places to see. Be prepared for a long bus ride from Taormina, through lovely countryside. The roads were good.The only negative was that our tour (though advertised as an English speaking tour) was also in Italian and German, so everything was explained in 3 languages.

Don't Miss This Tour!

David S, Oct 2018

This was a fantastic tour. It was long but the Valley of the Temples was very interesting and informative to see. After the Valley of the Temples, we stopped for a local lunch(at own expense) at a great restaurant. This provided the opportunity for every participant to order what they wanted and the food was fantastic! After lunch, we stopped at the Villa on the return. The floor mosaics were amazing. You must see them to believe it! I highly recommend this tour!

Impressive and interesting, but a very long journey

Stephen S, Jun 2018

I chose this tour because it was a convenient way to see two major sights in Sicily. Pick up and drop off was within a few steps from my seaside hotel. The guide and driver were friendly, the tour was informative, and the temples were awe inspiring. I'm glad I had a chance to visit. They are, however, quite a distance from Taormina -- which means that you spend a good deal of the tour simply driving to the temples, the villa, and back. I left my hotel at around 6:40am for a 6:50am pick up and got back around 8:15pm, yet the total time actually touring the temples and villa was probably about 4 hours. It's not the tour company's fault, of course. The drive simply takes time, but it's worth factoring into your decision depending on the length of your stay in Taormina.

Some temples and fabulous Roman villa

Victoria_S, Jun 2018

So a long, tedious journey with guide speaking English, German and Italian. By the time we'd registered the English was starting, we fell asleep and missed any info. Only reasonable way for us to get there though. Got to see 3 of the temples -which were magnificent (and we've seen a few) - with a local guide who did her best to sound enthusiastic having clearly done the same old spiel time after time and day after day. But we spent most of the time queuing for entrance tickets! With quite a few coach loads of people going through security then trying to get tickets and not losing group members in baking sun, things got a bit tetchy! Couldn't a group ticket have been sorted? Best photo was of how many people can shelter from scorching sun under an ancient olive tree ha ha. Visit for lunch was good, we had plenty of time. Then on to the Roman Villa. At this point it absolutely chucked it down. Longish walk to villa from coach in rain. Not actually long but we got very wet so felt long. Nearly didn't bother as we'd lost the will and just wanted coffee but glad we did. It was sensational. We've never seen so many magnificent mosaics, ( and we've seen a few) room after room!! Try to leave time for excellent coffee and hot chocolate in little cafe/booth near shops near coach park. Tedious journey back but glad we went.

Great way to see part of the country...

Illona_D, Apr 2018

Great way to see part of the country side as well as the valley. Good information provided throughout the trip. Well paced.

Long drive but well worth it. Valley...

muttley762, Oct 2017

Long drive but well worth it. Valley of Temples were amazing and guide very informative. The mosaics in Villa Romana were breathtaking and far superior to any others I have seen. Both venues are must-sees when in Sicily. The tour was well organised, punctual and the guides very helpful. The only downside was the lunch which was really poor quality and value. Although this was optional there seemed to be no other choice. It would have been helpful if we had been given a menu and prices in advance or been given other options for lunch.

This trip was a wonderful...

Richard S, Oct 2017

This trip was a wonderful experience. The sights at the Valley of the Temples were amazing. Very good historical perspective was provided. For people with any physical limitation, this would be an arduous undertaking. From Taormina, it was a fifteen hour day. The Villa was quite a surprise. The mosaics were unbelievable and the wisdom of the ancients shows through to this day. Rich S

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