During your stay in Relais Briuccia, situated in Montallegro, in Agrigento district, in Sicilia, you can visit from the Norman churches to the Valley of the Temples.
CALTABELLOTTA
The village of Caltabellotta is located on a hill that has played a strategic role for centuries. We can still see the ruins of the Norman castle which was built in the eleventh century and was the protagonist of the peace of Caltabellotta in 1302 which put an end to the Sicilian Vespers. Today we can admire the view from the castle and see the island of Pantelleria.
The Cathedral dates back to the Norman period, as can be seen from its simple and straightforward external structure. The interior preserves beautiful frescoes and putty decorations, it is made of three naves separated by two rows of columns and has 5 chapels.
Caltabellotta
BURGIO
In the village of Burgio there’s the Moorish Castle that still dominates the village, situated on a hill has a walled rectangular structure, ruined at the top, but thanks to recent restorations can also be visited internally in its spacious rooms.
In Burgio we can also visit MUCEB, the ceramic museum that offers an overview of the history of ceramics produced in this region, from the most ancient to modern methods. We will see the tools, machines, furnaces, and of course many beautiful handcrafted pieces made in different eras.
The Mother Church of Burgio, dedicated to the patron saint Anthony, has a beautiful interior with three naves separated by columns with Corinthian capitals, the predominant color is white embellished with decorations in golden putty. The church contains the chapel of the Madonna of Consolation, with a precious Byzantine icon of the Madonna and Child and the chapel of the Madonna of the Graces, with the marble altar decorated in bas-relief.
Castle of Chiaromonte Siculiana photo mapio
SICULIANA
In the village of Siculiana we can visit the Castle of Chiaromonte dating back to the 300 and the Mother Church of the Holy Crucifix built in Baroque style. Near the village there’s the Natural Reserve of Torre Salsa which extends over a beautiful coast alternating beaches and cliffs.
SCIACCA
The town of Sciacca was born from the development of a small fishing village located by the sea, also known as the Town of ceramics for its rich production of traditional ceramics. Here we can admire the Castle of the Luna Counts. Built in the late fourteenth century, it stands on a hill in a strategic position to control the coast. the walls, the square tower and a cylindrical tower are still visible.
Temple of Concordia Valley of Temples
AGRIGENTO
Agrigento is rich in history, and near the town we can visit the beautiful Valley of Temples, one of the most admired archaeological sites in the world and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage property. In this area there are more than 10 temples of Greek origin, many necropolis of both Roman and Greek times. An entire Hellenistic Roman neighborhood allows us to walk among the ruins of what once was a thriving town. Linked to the site, the Archaeological Museum of Agrigento shows various everyday objects such as vases and utensils, statues, coins and many documents on the immense research done in recent years.
