Agrigento has been designated the Italian Capital of Culture for 2025.
Agrigento takes centre stage this year
With over 2,600 years of history, this year Agrigento, skilled at enriching its cultural traditions while embracing the future, is poised to become a laboratory of reflection and creativity, This prestigious Capital of Culture status comes at a crucial time for Italy’s cultural scene which is recovering from the difficulties of the pandemic, and places Agrigento at the centre of a national and international debate about the current challenges and future opportunities. 
The 2025 cultural programme
The Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will be one of the main stages of the 2025 celebrations. This iconic site, which has enchanted visitors from all over the world for centuries, will bridge the gap between past and future, hosting concerts, exhibitions and new contemporary art installations. The programme also aims to create a tourist-cultural circuit spanning the entire Agrigento area that will also highlight places that have inspired great authors such as Luigi Pirandello, Andrea Camilleri and Leonardo Sciascia. The aim being to propose an immersive experience that combines artistic and natural beauty with the region's rich literary heritage.
The bonds between the individual, society, and the environment
The theme chosen for 2025, “The Self, the Other and Nature. Relationships and Cultural Transformations,” is an invitation to delve into the bonds between the individual, society, and the environment. An approach that is aligned with present-day issues concerning sustainability, community unity, and cultural heritage enhancement. The year’s cultural programme is inspired by the four elements: water, air, earth and fire which are the symbols of dialogue between cultures, lightness of thought, appreciation of local traditions and contemporary creative energy.
A strategy for the future from the Distretto Turistico Valle dei Templi
Fabrizio La GaipaA crucial role in promoting the territory is being played by the Distretto Turistico Valle dei Templi, led by Fabrizio La Gaipa. In outlining the strategies that are shaping Agrigento as Italy’s 2025 Capital of Culture, La Gaipa stresses the importance of building lasting and profitable relationships at national and international level. “2025 is much more than a year of celebrations, it is an opportunity to strengthen relations and consolidate Agrigento's image on the world's most prestigious stages,” he said.
The cultural twinning with South Korea
One of the most important initiatives is the “Italy-Korea Twinning for Cultural Heritage” which was launched in 2023 under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, enabling an unprecedented cultural exchange with South Korea. This project saw a South Korean delegation visit Sicily to learn Italian techniques for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage. Participation in the ILTM in Singapore opened new channels of dialogue with the main Asian luxury tour operators, and the municipality of Beverly Hills expressed interest in promoting cultural exchanges with Agrigento. “These relationships not only bolster the cultural fabric of our region but also lay the foundations for long-term cultural and tourism development,” La Gaipa added.
A 40% increase in tourist arrivals over 2019
No less important is the Valley of the Temples’ commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible tourism. With a 40% increase in tourist arrivals compared to pre-pandemic figures in 2019, the Valley is at the top of European growth. This achievement, according to La Gaipa, is the result of “a profound rethinking of tourism offers, in line with the canons of the UN Agenda 2030.” Obtaining UNWTO-QUEST certification in December 2023 represents a further step forward, positioning Agrigento among the world's excellences in sustainable tourism.
