26-27 February 2010 The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento - Torre Salsa - Sicily-Ita

[charlyno]

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26-27 February 2010 The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento - Torre Salsa
natural reserve - Parco Archeologico di Eraclea Minoa

Moto used: BMW R 1200 GS

Stages: Palermo-Agrigento-Siculiana-Torre Salsa Nature Reserve Eraclea-Minoa-Palermo-Sciacca

Nations visit: Italy

Visited regions: Sicily

Km covered: 320

Duration: two days

26/02/2010 Tepid afternoon, almost springlike. [FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Unfortunately for business reasons we can not leave earlier, so around 16:00 we set in motion in the direction of Agrigento, along the expressway. [/font]Our destination is the Valley of the Temples, and in particular the Hotel della Valle with the adjoining spa Silk http://hoteldellavalle.ag.it/. Today will be a day dedicated exclusively to relax. With my wife we bought the "wellness package" that beyond the living room, includes dinner, breakfast and a wellness program included. Came just for the sunset when the sky turns orange and everything about the valley of the temples is lit in an extraordinary light. Just time to change and we go immediately to the spa, where we spend two wonderful hours of total relaxation, including massage, sauna, turkish bath, experience showers, teas and personal massage, with staff very kind and very professional, in fact a real bliss! In the evening a wonderful dinner in the restaurant all to ourselves. Strongly recommended

27/02/2010 08.30 We accept a beautiful sunny day, just think '+18 ° and we are only in the morning. After a good breakfast, my wife still wants to take advantage of the spa, so I take advantage of the time available to take the bike and give me a brief tour of the valley of the temples and especially the majestic Temple of Concordia and the nearby Temple of Hercules are only 3.5 kilometers from the Hotel http://www.lavalledeitempli.eu/i_tem...agrigento.html be confronted with these old buildings, brings into indescribable emotion. The beauty of these places, the history behind Enchanted leave anyone lucky enough to visit them. The almond tree in bloom makes it even more beautiful landscape. Returning to the hotel and loaded the luggage on the bike, we start in the direction of Siculiana to visit one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the area, the Reserve of Torre Salsa WWF http://www.wwftorresalsa.it/. The SP75 from Siculiana quickly come to the first entrance to the reserve at the visitor center "Omomorto" certainly a bit 'strange as the name http://www.wwftorresalsa.it/img/cartina_g.jpg The road to the reserve is whole road. Parked the bike we decide to give us a quick walk around, but the path that leads down to the shore is too long to get to his feet and do not have much time. So we go to the third entry "Hermit" from where a long dirt road that leads up to the beach. After about 2 km, the rains of recent days have virtually turned the trail into a big morass of mud, so after several attempts to pass the most critical points, decide wisely to turn back. Do not resign ourselves to visit the beach, just a passerby asked for information, we are informed that you can reach the beach through the Agriturismo Torre Salsa http://www.agriturismo-torresalsa.com/ private property, where paying a small entrance fee (5 euro bike plus two people) you can visit the reserve with its own means through a convenient asphalted road that leads to the sea. As we near the lunch hour on the occasion to book a table at the farmhouse. As we reached near the sea, we realize how all our attempts to reach the beach we have been fully repaid. A long beach of fine sand, preceded by an underworld filled with lush Mediterranean vegetation and leaves us speechless. Blue sea and clear blue skies are the boundary to this extraordinary place. Parked the bike, we go immediately on the beach. We are just at the time to visit this place. Soon after came a couple who come across on the beach, take the opportunity to make us take a picture together. I'm not from these parts and the first words that we turn, even before they ask him to take a picture, are: What a wonderful place! Apparently they too enchanted by all this wonder. We walk quietly along the beach and reached the cliffs of white limestone, which degrade slowly over the sea. Behind us the ruins of the Torre Aragonese sixteenth century. With regret we leave the beach, but definitely will return with our daughter. The cook of the farm, makes us find delicious seafood ravioli with a delicious sauce of shrimp and cod with a sublime sauce of orange! A frenzy for the palate. All followed by strawberry shortcake Buccellato and the inevitable coffee. We leave in the direction of Sciacca, to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Heraclea Minoa http://www.comune.cattolicaeraclea.a...blic/minoa.asp. Founded by the Cretans in the second millennium BC represents one of the finest examples of the past, both for the geographical position of both its history. Beautiful theater that overlooks the entire city and beautiful landscape that can be observed from various points of the site. Entrance is also a small museum. It 'time to go, so allocated to Sciacca to take the SS624 towards Palermo. The sun now low, sheds light on the surreal landscape, giving us once again of the magnificent views of this incredible Sicily. The next