Planning a Trip

Getting There

The main rail station, Stazione Centrale, Piazza Marconi (tel. 892021), is downhill from Piazzale Aldo Moro and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. The train trip from Palermo takes 1 1/2 hours and costs 7.60€ ($9.90) one-way; there are 11 trains daily. From Syracuse, you must first take one of four daily trains to Catania; the 6-hour trip costs 19€ ($25) one-way. Three trains a day make the trip from Ragusa to Agrigento, at a cost of 9.70€ ($13) one-way. This is an extremely awkward connection, as you have to change trains at Gela and then at Canicattì. Depending on the train, the trip can last from 5 to 9 hours.

Cuffaro (tel. 0922-403150) runs four buses per day from Palermo; the trip takes 2 hours and costs 9€ ($12) one-way. The company also has service from Syracuse, which takes 5 hours and costs 18€ ($23) one-way. By car from Syracuse, take SS115 through Gela. From Palermo, cut southeast along S121, which becomes S188 and S189 before it finally reaches Agrigento. Allow about 2 1/2 hours.

Visitor Information

The tourist office, Piazzale Aldo Moro 7 (tel. 0922-20454), is open Sunday to Friday 8am to 1pm and 3 to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm. Another tourist office is at Via Empedocle 73 (tel. 0922-20391), open Monday to Friday 8am to 2:30pm and Wednesday 3:30 to 7pm.

Special Events

The Settimana Pirandelliana is a festival of plays, operas, and ballets staged in Piazza Kaos during 1 week in July or August. The tourist office can supply details; tickets cost 7.50€ to 15€ ($9.75-$20).

Getting Around -- Agrigento is served by a network of orange TUA buses (tel. 0922-412024). A ticket selling for 1€ ($1.30) is valid for 1 1/2 hours. Bus no. 2 or 2/ runs to the beach at San Leone. Bus nos. 1 and 2 make frequent runs to the Valley of the Temples, and bus no. 11 goes to Casa di Pirandello. For taxi service in Agrigento, call tel. 0922-21899 or 0922-26670.

Fast Facts

In an emergency, call tel. 113, or the Carabinieri (army police corps) at tel. 0922-596322. The hospital for the greater area is Ospedale Civile, Via Rupe Atenea 1 (tel. 0922-492111). The most central drugstore is Farmacia Patti, Via Atenea 129 (tel. 0922-20591), open daily 9am to 1:30pm and 5 to 7:30pm. For Internet access, go to A.M. Servizi Telematici, Cortile Contarini 7 (tel. 0922-402345), open Monday to Saturday 9am to 1pm and 3:30 to 9pm. It charges 3€ ($3.90) per hour. The post office, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (tel. 0922-551605), is open Monday to Friday 8am to 6:30pm and Saturday 8am to 6:30pm. Currency can be exchanged here.