Hotel Villa Athena

Housed in a formerly private palazzo inside the UNESCO-protected Valley of the Temples, boasting a superb view of the famous Concordia Temple, the Villa Athena is the best place to stay in Agrigento.

• Lunch or dinner on the terrace facing the temple valley
• The convenient location for Greek history enthusiasts who want to spend some serious time in Agrigento

This family run boutique hotel (part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World) has just 28 rooms, all with different layouts and 20 with wonderful views of Agrigento's famous Valley of the Temples. In fact, the hotel is located inside the UNESCO-protected park, and at night, when the lush gardens are shrouded in darkness, the lit-up Concordia Temple appears close enough to touch. For lovers of ancient Greek culture, the experience of staying here is unbeatable.

Rooms were renovated in 2009, so all feel bright and cheerful, if not particularly memorable in décor. Bathrooms are large and some even have showers with temple views. The most impressive is the Villa Suite, which comes with a massive terrace, overlooking the garden, pool and temple valley.

The property feels spacious and the pool, framed by large trees, is a nice place to beat the afternoon heat. From the terrace of the restaurant, one of southern Sicily's most coveted lunch and dinner spots during the high season, you can watch the sightseeing action over in the temple valley, and count your good fortune that thanks to your close proximity to this major Sicilian sight, you are able to be first on line to visit in the morning.

Travelers who want to stay as close to these Greek treasures as possible and those who want to break up the drive from Palermo to the southeast (or vice versa) with a night. From Agrigento, the temples of Selinunte and Segesta are also an easy drive.