Agrigento, situated on the southwest coast of Sicily, is being loved to the brink of ruin, warns the 2025 Fodor’s Travel ‘Go and No Lists’. The charming coastal city is grappling with the effects of over-tourism, which threatens its cultural heritage and strains its environment.
Already designated as a future Italian Capital of Culture for 2025, Agrigento is on the cusp of welcoming more visitors, exacerbating existing issues. Fodor’s cautionary advice speaks volumes: “The area is facing a severe water crisis that could be further aggravated by increased tourism and could irrevocably harm its most precious cultural treasures and punish its permanent residents.”
Due to regular shortages, residents of the historic hilltop town have traditionally relied on cisterns and tanker water deliveries. However, climate changes and an enduring drought push the situation to a critical juncture.
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Smaller hospitality businesses, like guesthouses and boutique hotels, struggle to maintain a water supply, especially during peak months like August. This restricts their ability to provide basic facilities such as showers and working toilets. Larger establishments may have the means to import water, but smaller ones often lack storage space and funds.
Local enterprise owners and residents face daunting challenges; some include closing their businesses, while many households depend on stored supplies for daily hygiene and cooking.
A mix of factors is being held responsible for the water crisis in Agrigento. The city’s outdated and leaky underground water system is failing to meet demand, with some residents blaming inadequate governance and management for the shortage.
Talks about upgrading the water network have been ongoing since 2011, but little headway has been made. To tackle the issue, the Italian government has set aside €20 million to buy water tankers and drill new wells in Sicily.
However, as of July, only 17 percent of the planned work had been finished. The drought also threatens the city’s historical and cultural landmarks, including the iconic Valley of the Temples, which showcases Agrigento’s rich history.
This site is one of the most remarkable examples of ancient Greek art and architecture in Magna Graecia and a major draw for Sicily. In 2023, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, welcomed 1,000,000 visitors.
Nevertheless, Giuseppe Abbate, a professor of urban planning at the University of Palermo, warns that the drought imperils the “splendid agricultural landscape” surrounding the site. The drought threatens Agrigento’s cherished historical and cultural sites, notably the Valley of the Temples, emblematic of the region’s rich history and establishment.
This site is one of the most exemplary displays of ancient Greek art and architecture from Magna Graecia and is a key tourist attraction in Sicily. In 2023 alone, the Valley of the Temples welcomed an incredible 1,000,000 visitors.
However, Giuseppe Abbate, a professor of urban planning at the University of Palermo, warns that the ongoing drought endangers the “splendid agricultural landscape” surrounding this iconic location. Progress has been slow despite ongoing discussions since 2011 about improving Sicily’s water infrastructure.
The Italian government has earmarked €20 million to mitigate the crisis by purchasing water tankers and drilling new wells. Still, as of July, only 17 percent of the planned activities have been finished.
In February, officials declared a “state of crisis and water emergency” for irrigation and drinking in Agrigento, which will remain in effect until the end of the year. This announcement is troubling news for those planning to visit the Sicilian gem.
Giuseppe expressed concern: “If the period of drought and water emergency were to continue, it is clear that it could represent a serious problem for an event such as Agrigento Capital of Culture 2025 which will attract significant flows of Italian and foreign visitors and tourists.”
Throughout Italy, cities face severe droughts, but Sicily is enduring some of the harshest conditions, rated as “extreme,” which is the most critical level on the scale used by the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), as reported by CNN. Before the summer of 2024, the island’s regional president, Renato Schifani, reported over one billion dollars in losses due to affected crops, depleting reservoirs, and livestock mortality.
This figure has been tallied without even considering the potential impact on the region’s tourism industry.
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