Vacapedia Vacation Rentals Blog

You’ve probably never heard of Porto Empedocle. It’s a port town on Sicily’s southern coast near Agrigento. Boats to the tiny island of Pantelleria embark from here. The 8 hour overnight trip takes you to the southernmost property of Sicily, closer to Africa than Sicily.

I’ve recently been to Porto Empedocle. There’s lots to see around there, including the Greek temples and excavations outside of modern Agrigento, the “Turkish Steps”, a chalky outcrop on the sea that is eroded in steps, and the Villa Romana, an evocative ruin of a large Roman villa right on the sea.

There are also beaches, of course.

I stayed just three days in the area, but it wasn’t enough. You might wish to look into a week’s stay. Il Pero, the balcony of which is shown on the left, might fit the bill.

I like port cities. You get great seafood. You meet people embarking for exotic locales, and they’re not all gussied up for the tourists. Real life is reflected in the hustle and bustle of port cities.

Sicily isn’t an expensive place, at least considering that it’s in Europe. Huge meals for two have been running around 30 Euro for us, including tax, tip and wine. Sicily is pretty much a bargain destination, especially in the off season.