This excursion will take you to the interior of Sicily, to see the famous Villa Romana del Casale near Piazza Armerina, once a magnificent Roman villa of which the extensive mosaic floors, unique for their quality and extension, have survived practically intact. Morgantina, near Aidone, occupies a stunning position on a long ridge, surrounded by wooded countryside. It was the site of a large and important Sicel town, which later also housed Greeks from Gela and Katane (Catania), before being taken and destroyed by the Romans in 211 BC. Many important artefacts were excavated illegally by clandestine diggers and sold to wealthy collectors in the USA, ending up in important museums. Now successfully reclaimed, these Morgantina antiquities are on display in the interesting museum of Aidone, including the Dea, a large statue of a goddess striding forth, her garments rippling behind her, thought to be the work of a follower of Pheidias, and the recently arrived Head of Hades.
For further information, please contact us at closertosicily@hotmail.com
Luxury Sicily Holidays 