Piazza Armerina (original) (raw)
Piazza Armerina is a historic town in the heart of Sicily, best known for the nearby Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its extensive Roman mosaics. The town itself offers a blend of Baroque architecture, medieval streets, and lively festivals, making it a great inland stop for travellers exploring Sicily beyond the coast.
View of Piazza Armerina's historic rooftops.
Piazza Armerina sits at over 700 meters above sea level in the Province of Enna, surrounded by forested hills and fertile countryside. The town's roots go back to medieval times, but it rose to prominence in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is often overshadowed by its most famous nearby attraction—the Villa Romana del Casale—but the town itself offers atmospheric churches, aristocratic palaces, and a vibrant historic centre worth exploring in its own right.
Frequent buses run from Enna, Caltagirone, Catania, Palermo and Pergusa stop in Piazza Senatore Mareschali.
Map of Piazza Armerina
It is easy enough to walk around the old and new towns. See below for details of transport to the Villa Romana.
- The old town contains several interesting buildings.
- 37.36472814.3323641 Villa Romana del Casale, Palazzo Trigona - Piazza Cattedrale 20, Piazza Armerina (5 km southwest), ☏ +39 0935-687667. Apr-Oct: 09:00-19:00; Nov-Mar 09:00-17:00; Jul Aug: F-Su hours extended to 23:30; last entry 1 hour before closing. One of the highlights of Sicily, with the remains of a large number of rooms covered by a huge canopy to protect the numerous elaborate mosaics which are much more impressive than those at Pompeii. In fact you can tell what the room was by the mosaic. For instance, there is a mosaic with a rather rotund man getting a massage, then being washed down to enter the baths. After the baths the room shows the man drying off with a big fluffy towel. With that you know the first room was to get relaxed before entering the baths and so on. Also very interesting is the mosaic of the "Girls in Bikinis" depicting women working out in a gym.
There are about 5 buses a day from Piazza Senatore Marescalchi, or you could walk, or take a taxi from the nearby Piazza Generale Cascino. €10, reductions available.
(updated Oct 2019)
Roman bikini. Mosaic from the Villa Romana
Little Hunt mosaic from the Villa Romana
The town is nestled on hills and was built in two parts - first by the Saracens in the 10th century and then developed to the southeast in the 15th and then again the 17th centuries. There are many wonderful buildings to see including the 18th century Duomo, which dominates the town standing majestically on top of a hill, the elegant town hall and grand old palazzi such as the Palazzo Trigona. For those who enjoy wandering through small streets and finding hidden places, try the 13th-century area round the Via Monte near the Duomo.[dead link]
Ristorante da Gianna
[dead link] B&B La Volpe e l'Uva, Via Santa Veneranda, 35 (historical centre), ☏ +39 0935 680752, +39 328 4455062, +39 329 1661188, info@volpeuva.it. Double room with breakfast €50-60.
B & B Baobab Piazza Armerina, Via Sant'Antonio 16 (traversa via roma), ☏ +39 333 8285730, info@bb-baobab.it. €25.
37.3877814.3576981 B&B Giucalem, C.da Bel Verde, ☏ +39 0935 687062, info@giucalem.com.
37.37981914.3582412 B&B La Casa sulla Collina d'Oro, Via P. Mattarella s.n.c., ☏ +39 0935 89680, +39 0935 684148, info@lacasasullacollinadoro.it.
37.37981914.3582413 Casa Rossa Country House, Via P. Mattarella sn, ☏ +39 0935 89680, info@lacasarossasullacollinadoro.it. Check-in: 12:30, check-out: 12:00. A meticulous restoration of ancient buildings. Can accommodate a few guests in rooms equipped with efficient services, while in a rustic setting. €50.
Suite d'Autore Art Design Gallery Hotel, Via Monte,1, ☏ +39 0935 688553, fax: +39 0935 686242, info@suitedautore.it.
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