Villa Romana del Casale

Villa Romana del Casale

Villa Romana del Casale is a magnificent late Roman country estate near Piazza Armerina in central Sicily, Italy, celebrated as the site of the most extensive and best-preserved collection of Roman mosaics in the world.

History

Built around 300–325 AD, the villa is believed to have belonged to a high-ranking Roman official, possibly Emperor Maximian. Covering approximately 3,500 square metres of mosaic floors across more than 40 rooms, it functioned as a luxurious hunting lodge and administrative centre. The estate was buried under a mudslide in the 12th century, which paradoxically preserved its extraordinary floors intact. Systematic excavations began in the 1950s, and UNESCO inscribed the villa as a World Heritage Site in 1997.

What to See

The highlight is the Great Hunt corridor, a 60-metre mosaic depicting the capture of exotic animals across Africa and the Near East. The Room of the Ten Girls (the "Bikini Girls") shows young women exercising in garments resembling modern bikinis. Other standout spaces include the Triclinium with Hercules labours and the Private Apartments with mythological scenes. A modern glass and steel shelter protects the entire site, allowing visitors to walk above the mosaics on raised platforms.

Getting There

Villa Romana del Casale is located in the Enna province of central Sicily, 5 km southwest of Piazza Armerina. From Catania airport, drive approximately 90 minutes via the SS117bis. Regular buses connect Piazza Armerina to Palermo, Catania, and Enna.

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