What to see in Solunto, an ancient city located on the slopes of Mount Catalfano, on the northern coast of Sicily near Palermo, an itinerary including the archaeological area with the remains of the Casa di Leda and the Theater.
Tourist information
The origins of Solunto date back to the Phoenician era, who founded it during the first Punic penetration in Sicily. During the First Punic War, when it was allied with Carthage, it voluntarily surrendered to the Romans.
Before the Romans rebuilt it almost entirely, Solunto was a center of little importance.
Very interesting, from an archaeological point of view, are the remains of the ancient city destroyed by the Saracens, where magnificent examples of architectural structures built in the Hellenistic and Roman periods still make a fine display.
The monumental ruins are made up of the Gymnasium with atrium, peristyle and some fluted Doric columns, which have partially preserved the entablature.
What see
Other precious remains are those of the great Casa di Leda, with the representation of the interior, the myth of Leda and the swan, and of the various houses with mosaic floors and painted walls.
Along the slopes of the hill are the remains of the theater, where a portion of the stage and the floor of the stalls are still intact.
Numerous archaeological finds are preserved in the Palermo Museum and in the local antiquarium.
Thanks to the elevated position, from Solunto it is possible to admire a breathtaking panorama, which ranges from the mountainous massif of the Madonie to the coast dotted with the white houses of the seaside villages of Solunto, Porticello, Santa Flavia and Sant’Elia.
