Selinunte Archaeological Park — Attraction in Castelvetrano

Weird administration. We purchased our ticket to enter the park and as we proceeded to through the turnstile we were accosted by a rotund woman who told me that we can’t enter the park with the tripod. If I would have been told before I purchased the ticket I guess I would have thought twice about entering or taking the tripod, but seeing that she waited until after I purchased the tickets, leaning against a railing opposite the ticket office, smacked of bloody mindedness. After a too and fro we proceeded with the tripod to the site, my thought was that everything was alright from now on. I was wrong after an extensive walk to the other part of the park I could hear somebody shouting. I thought it was the normal way in Italy to communicate with somebody, but then I realized it was directed at me. It was a Carabinieri, who was annoyed that I didn’t do homage to him, was trying physically to remove my tripod from my possession. I didn’t allow this to happen, so I was arrested. The Carabinieri didn’t speak English and I don’t speak Italian. I was then ordered to follow him to a two story building where I met a group of his superiors. It was explained to me that as I have a tripod and this classified me as an professional and I need a special permit to take photos. I asked if you can get a permit which says that I’m an amateur and looking at my photos I’m definitely no professional. After a stunt silence I was told in no uncertain terms, NO! I protested and then was told by the head honcho of the group of fearless Crime Prevention Officers, who have just collard a major tripod criminal, that I have to talk to somebody on the phone whose English was better. To cut a long story (it went on for 1 hour) I was given the freedom to take photos under the proviso that I don’t use the tripod. I was assigned the original Carabinieri to keep a watchful eye over me; I felt extremely save now. The end of the story is that the Carabinieri confided in me that at 2 PM his shift finishes and that he will not be able to accompany me any further, as he must be home in 15 minutes time, but that another Carabinieri will come to look after me. This never eventuated. We finally left the park through a large gate at the side of the car park, unattended, which means we could have driven around the park, without having to and would not have encountered the motley variety of miscreants. I guess I need to explain the reason for having the tripod is, that your hands are not as steady as they used to be...

Beautiful park where you can gawk at Greek temple and city ruins from the 7th century. The cheaper tickets will allow you to walk the whole park on your own, or you can pay extra to get access to golf carts/trains that will take you from site to site. Transportation is an especially good idea when visiting the site under the hot Sicilian summer sun, but the site would be a great place to walk around in when the weather is cooler in the spring or the fall.

The most impressive temple (Temple E) is easily accessible from the main entrance, but the Acropolis, which is the second most beautiful site facing the sea is quite an ambitious, hilly walk away if it’s really hot or if you’re visiting with kids.

If you regret not opting into the transportation (as we did!) you can scan a QR code shown on signs outside major sites (such as the museum) to purchase the extra service without having to walk all the way back to the entrance. You can then simply show your receipt to the drivers to hop into the carts.

There are no shops on the site but there are vending machines with snacks at the museum and a bar with coffee, drinks, and granita at the Acropolis. There are also souvenir shops and another bar outside the main entrance.

The museum is worth a visit as it is filled with treasures from the era (tools, vases, jewelry and such). We very much enjoyed the signs scattered around the site that explain exactly how these temples were built, showing drawings and machinery that were created to transport these huge chunks of stone.

Selinunte is a great place to appreciate the genius of centuries past! Gorgeous site to walk...

650BC: the Greek city of Selinunte. It stands in its own park, town on one ridge, temples on the other, with a river valley running between them, down to the shore. There is no sight or sound of modern time, there is only the stirring of grass, the flicker of lizards and the cling-clonk of sheep bells. We walk the streets and alleys of a ruined city, a world conceived and inhabited as a work of living art, harmonious with its landscape, its Gods and its situation, overlooking what Pirandello called 'the African sea'. The harbour is now a reed bed, and the temples fell to earthquakes, but it is easy to imagine what a pleasure it would have been to live and worship here, and what a nightmare it surely was when all was sacked and stolen, when the Carthaginians came. 'If the Selinuntines cannot defend their liberty, they deserve to become slaves,' said the victor, Hamilcar, sounding slightly guilty. He slaughtered and enslaved them, and gave their town to his people. Temple E, the magnificent temple to Hera, is one of my favourite places on the island. It has been resurrected, and stands open once more to the sky. Elena explains how it would have been used: aligned to the rising sun, with a treasury at the far end where offerings were kept, and Hera on an altar, presiding over all. Under the quiet skies, amid the lemon-grey stones, in the spaces between the great pillars, you can feel the presence of something peaceful and beautiful, and not quite earthly, but...