Planning a trip to Piazza Armerina

Tourist Information
Via Cavour
tel. +39-0935-982-246
www.comune.piazzaarmerina.en.it

Villa Romana del Casale
Contrada Casale, Piazza Armerina
tel. +39-0935-680-036
www.villaromanadelcasale.it
For hours, see text

www.booking.com
www.airbnb.com
www.bedandbreakfast.com
www.hostelworld.com

Once in Piazza Armerina, the B bus makes the 15-minute run out to the Villa Imperiale at Casale hourly from 9 to 11am and 4 to 6pm (return trips hourly 9:30 to 11:30am and 4:30 to 6:30pm).

The walk from the town to the site (downhill going; uphill coming back) is a healthy one, and takes over an hour—precious little of it in the shade—so if you miss the bus, a taxi can be a worthwhile splurge. Walking or driving, head to the west edge of town to get on the SP 15; then follow "mosaici" signs to the left turn-off (at the Hotel Mosaici) 1 mi/1.5 km from the site. Park on the right shoulder where you see giant tour buses waiting if you want to avoid the parking fee at the site's lot.

They've raised transparent walls and roofs atop the ancient foundations, both to protect the mosaics and to give visitors an accurate model of the original villa's layout and structure—assuming the primary ancient Roman building material was plexiglas. However, this has the unfortunate side-effect in the summer heat of turning the site into a giant, sauna-like greenhouse.

That, along with the hordes of bussed-in tour groups that clog the villa's paths and catwalks from mid-morning on, should inspire you to arrive in town the night before so you can have the mosaics to yourself in the cool hours of the early morning.