Classicists explore temples, tales and traditions in Sicily

Published by St Mary's Calne on Monday 6th of October 2025

Over the exeat weekend, 24 students ventured across Europe, enjoying significantly warmer weather. It was a brilliantly planned few days, organised by the Classics department and guided by Angela, whose knowledge of languages and historical facts seemed almost superhuman.

Among our destinations were Segesta, where some of the Trojans who did not quite make it to Rome stopped to found a new city; Selinunte, with its well-preserved ruins; the wonderful city of Syracuse, rich in complex history; and the magnificent Temple of Hera and the beautiful Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, featuring the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Concordia, and the Temple of Herakles. While some structures had crumbled, many still stood as tall as they would have 2,000 years ago and were spectacular to behold.

The food lived up to the Sicilian standard, and as a relief to everyone, our final lunch on the island was an incredible pizza. Despite a few language-barrier mishaps and learning how to pronounce ‘grazie’ correctly, I can (almost) say I am ready for Italian GCSE - though Mrs Alberelli might disagree.