We drove through some of the most beautiful countryside we've seen in Sicily on our way to Akrai, founded by Corinthian colonists in 663 BC. Akrai is on a hilltop and was a prosperous city. It fell into Roman rule in the Byzantine period. It was completely destroyed in 827 AD by the Arabs and was covered by soil over time. Akrai was rediscovered in the early 1500's, with archaelogical excavations in the 1800's. We enjoyed seeing the small theater, the extensive carved cave system used to bury their dead, and a damaged but still visible bas relief.
We drove down the hill to Palazollo Acreide, a city built by the Normans after the Arab conquest in 827 AD. The Norman castle ruins are still visible, and much of the city was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693. We had lunch and walked about enjoying the city to ourselves, as it is not on the tourist track.
