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Villa Romana del Casale

Villa Romana del Casale: Our most recommended tours and activities

Villa Romana del Casale Guided tour & skip the line

1. Villa Romana del Casale Guided tour & skip the line

On this guided tour, bear witness to the wealth and luxury of the daily lives of 4th-century patricians in the late Roman age. Dive into the culture and history of the late Roman Empire while you admire ancient mosaics. During your visit, see the baths, guest quarters, and private rooms. Begin your tour when you meet your guide outside the entrance to the villa and enjoy the convenience of fast entry with your skip-the-line ticket. Your first visit is to the thermal baths. Feel the enveloping warmth of the caldarium and cool off in the frigidarium, fed by the Gela River. Continue your tour while you appreciate the beauty and vividness of the intricate mosaics. Throughout the villa's rooms, gain insights into the cultural activities of ancient Rome. In the baths, imagine the shouts of the spectators at a quadriga race of four-horse chariots. Next, wander towards the guest apartment. Here, enjoy scenes of daily life, including fishing activities, hunting, and banquets. Feel the hunters’ anticipation in the “Little Hunt” mosaic. In the dining room, imaginethe enchanting sounds of Orpheus playing his lyre as animals gather around him. Venture further to explore the grand public halls where the villa received "clientes." Marvel at the mosaic known as the "Great Hunt," which shows a monumental map of the Roman Empire. Watch as a lioness attacks a hunter, as an elephant boards a ship, and a ship sails through the waves. Finally, enter the private rooms belonging to the "domina" and "dominus" of the villa. See how the wealthy owners slept, ate, and conducted daily business in this palatial complex. Learn more from your guide about who may have owned the villa before concluding your tour.

From Palermo: Villa Romana and Valley of the Temples Trip

2. From Palermo: Villa Romana and Valley of the Temples Trip

Follow in the footsteps of the Greeks and Romans on a day trip where your transport is taken care of for you. Discover some of the finest Roman mosaics in the world at the Villa Romana del Casale. Learn all about the Valley of the Temples archaeological site with a licensed local guide. Meet your driver in central Palermo and be taken straight to Piazza Armerina, where you will explore the Villa Romana del Casale independently. Marvel at the luxurious 4th-century villa, home to an influential Roman family. Take your time to examine its exquisite mosaic flooring. Continue to Agrigento for a guided tour of the magnificent Valley of Temples, built by the Greeks in the 5th century BC. See the ruins of temples, necropolises, houses, streets, and everything else you'd expect to find in an ancient city. Finally, return to the meeting point in Palermo.

Catania: Valley of the Temples & Piazza Armerina with Brunch

3. Catania: Valley of the Temples & Piazza Armerina with Brunch

Drive to the southern coast of Sicily in a comfortable and air-conditioned vehicle to explore and learn about the history, culture, and art found in Sicily in the Valley of the Temples and Villa Romana del Casale.  Begin with a visit to the majestic archaeological area of the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pindar, the Greek poet, and writer described it as “one of the most beautiful cities of those inhabited by mortals”. Famous for its seven well-preserved temples, the Valley of the Temples is dedicated to various divinities including Juno, Hercules, Hephaestus, and Athena. The visit to the Valley of the Temples is a wonderfully memorable experience that allows you to delve into the Greek culture and history that has been woven into Sicily.  After strolling through the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, you will stop to enjoy a delicious brunch, made of Sicilian street food, water, and wine before traveling to Piazza Armerina. Found in the heart of Sicily, Piazza Armerina is home to the splendid Villa Romana del Casale a majestic imperial villa originally the property of a powerful Roman family. At the villa, you will find the best conserved in-situ Roman mosaics in the world.

From Catania: Agrigento and Piazza Armerina Audioguide Tour

4. From Catania: Agrigento and Piazza Armerina Audioguide Tour

Enjoy two of the most iconic spots in Sicily on a full-day tour. Accompanied by an audio guide, explore the Valley of the Temples housing the ruins of sacred Greek temples. Visit the Villa Romana del Casale to see extensive examples of vivid Roman mosaics. Start from the center of Catania, where your driver will welcome you in a comfortable air-conditioned van. Head to your first stop, the Valley of the Temples Archaeological Park in Agrigento. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its well-preserved Doric temples dedicated to Greek divinities. Wander back into ancient times as you walk through Greek ruins during your 3 hours at this site. Next, head to Piazza Armerina, yet another UNESCO-listed site. Visit the Villa Romana del Casale, an imperial villa with the world's best-preserved Roman mosaics. Marvel at its mosaic floors, walls, columns, and coins. Over the course of 1.5 hours, explore this historic masterpiece.

From Catania: Caltagirone & Piazza Armerina Tour with brunch

5. From Catania: Caltagirone & Piazza Armerina Tour with brunch

Start your tour with a visit to Caltagirone UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for its production of pottery, dating back to Arab dominations, with characteristic colors.  Visit the historical center, the famous Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, and the culture of pottery in the city. See the excellent colored glazes that adorn the streets, staircases, balconies, squares, fountains, churches, and palaces. In Caltagirone we will offer you a brunch made of typical Sicilian products, Etna's red wine, and water (included in the price). In the afternoon, head to Piazza Armerina to see the huge UNESCO-listed Villa Romana del Casale, originally belonging to a powerful Roman family. Find the best conserved in-site Roman mosaics in the world, including the mosaic flooring, wall mosaics, columns, statues, capitals, and coins. Return to the starting point around 6:30 PM to complete your tour.

Piazza Armerina Full-Day Tour

6. Piazza Armerina Full-Day Tour

Piazza Armerina is a small town two hours by road from Palermo. The town is famous chiefly for its Roman mosaics in the Villa Romana del Casale, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) to the southwest. It has a range of significant architecture dating from medieval times through to the 18th century. The discovery and excavation of the well-preserved, highly refined mosaics has helped attract tourists. The Villa Romana del Casale is a Roman villa urbana built in the first quarter of the 4th century and located about 3 km outside the town of Piazza Armerina, Sicily, southern Italy. It contains the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world, and has been designated as one of 49 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy. This tour is operated only with a Driver/Escort. The visit to the Roman Villa of Casale will be independent. The Driver/Escort is not a Licensed Tourist Guide. The Driver/Escort is not a Licensed Tourist Guide. Licensed Tourist Guides are the only professionals, with a regional license, permitted to conduct visits and tours in all sites and museums within a city. The Driver/Escort cannot escort people inside the monuments, because this is not allowed by Italian law. However, they have the competences to promote the most important highlights providing basic historical and cultural information. This tour is operated with a Licensed Tourist Guide on the spot to visit the Roman Villa.

Sicily: 7-Day Sicilian Culture and Art Tour

7. Sicily: 7-Day Sicilian Culture and Art Tour

Day 1 After getting picked up at Catania Airport, enjoy a welcome aperitif in the company of your local guide in Catania. Afterward, enjoy a walking tour of the city during which you will see iconic landmarks such as the Duomo Square, The cathedral fi Saint Agatha, Roman Amphitheatre, and Bellini Park. Day 2 Start your day with a light trek on Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna. After your trek, re-energize with a traditional Italian lunch at a family-run restaurant. You will also be able to sample some local wines from the Etna region. After lunch, enjoy some free time to explore the town of Taormina at your own pace before heading up to Castelmola, where you can sample the region's famous almond wine served with delicious biscuits. Finish the day by watching the breathtaking sunset in the village of Savoca, one of Italy's prettiest villages and the setting for the Godfather movie. Day 3 Today, enjoy a guided tour of the city of Syracuse, including a visit to the island of Ortigia. Here, admire landmarks such as the Cathedral of Saint Lucy, Caravaggio, Archimedes Square, and the Fountain of Aretusa. Afterward, move onto Neapolis Archaeological Park where you can admire the Latomie del Paradiso, Greek Theatre, Roman Amphitheatre, and  The Ear of Dionysius. Stop for lunch in the town of Noto, a baroque-style town with elegant churches and sprawling palaces. In the afternoon, enjoy a chocolate-making masterclass in the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily before heading to the picture-perfect town of Ragusa Ibla, where you will spend the night. Day 4 Start your day at the Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina, where one of the largest and richest collections of Roman mosaics in the world awaits you. Afterward, head to the Valley of Temples, where you will discover one of the greatest examples of Greater Greece's art and architecture. Enjoy some free time to explore this sprawling temple complex, with 7 ancient Greek temples. Day 5 In the morning, head to the coastal town of Marsala to sample the town's namesake wine. Learn how to differentiate this unique fortified wine by its amber color and unique scent. In the afternoon, head to the Trapani Salt Museum. Here, learn more about salt production methods in the area and admire a unique landscape dotted with over 100 mills, some of which are still in function. Finish the day with a stroll around the medieval town of Erice, a historic and charming town located in the Sicilian hills. Day 6 Today, you will be visiting the towns of Palermo and Monreale, both of which are famous for their Byzantine-style mosaics. In Palermo, visit the 12th-century cathedral and immerse yourself in the city's vibrant history and culture. In Monreale, admire the fine mosaics in the town's great Norman cathedral. Afterward, take in panoramic views of the surrounding valley, filled with orange, olive and almond trees. Day 7 Spend your last day in Sicily at the seaside town of Cefalu. Spend a few hours getting lost in a maze of tiny streets and ice-cream shops before heading Castelbuono, a picturesque village hidden in the Madonie Mountains. Get dropped off back at the airport at the end of your trip.

Valley of the Temples & Piazza Armerina Tour From Taormina

8. Valley of the Temples & Piazza Armerina Tour From Taormina

Start at around 8.00 am with pickup at the hotel or in its close vicinity in the Taormina area. Drive on board of our 9 seats vehicles towards Agrigento and stop at the Valley of the Temples, declared Unesco World Heritage in 1997. There, it will be possible to admire the ruins of the Greek Temples built between 510 BC and 430 BC ( for example the Temples of Zeus, Juno, Hephaestus, Concordia, Hercules, and Castor & Pollux), supplied with informative brochures and a map for the self-guided tour of the archaeological site (approximately 1,5 hours). Afterward, enjoy a tasty Sicilian brunch with local typical food and wine. Once at Piazza Armerina, explore the majestic Villa Romana del Casale (Unesco World Heritage since 1997) probably one of the largest and elaborated Roman palaces in the world. Built by the ancient Romans in the 4th century, the Villa still preserves 3000 sq. meters of perfectly conserved mosaics and opus sectile pavements. At the end of the day, our driver will drop you off at the starrting point.

Other Sightseeing Options in Villa Romana del Casale

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What people are saying about Villa Romana del Casale

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 95 reviews

Nicola is a thorough expert in Agrigento & shares the history of Sicily as we travel... and Prof. Giovanna Lombardo a true scholar of Ancient Sicily provides a Wonderful Insight to the Archaeological Site in the Valley of The Temples... we ate at a really homey trattoria dishes that Nicola recommended. Yummy! Then Piazza Armerina ROMAN VILLA was Absolutely Fascinating where you're on your own, free to absorb at.your pace all those amazing Mosaics! Unfortunately my personal interest and fascination required a slower pace and one hour barely sufficed (for Me)!!

An excellent way to see more of Sicily when on a tight time schedule. There were six people in our mini van thus it was manageable and our guide Marco was able to speak to all of us individually. He is multi-lingual and very knowledgeable. There was plenty of time to see the monuments and there were timely food and comfort stops.

A full day seeing the sights of the country outside Palermo where we stayed. The valley of the temples was a great experience with lots of useful information given on the bus before the stops about the area and history.

It was an excellent trip, to lern about ansient Greek plus Roman art

The tour was great, an excellent way to get to see more of Sicily