Villa Romana del Casale, Sicily 2025

I’ve always been drawn to old mosaics. When I see thousands of tiny pieces cut and set by hand, I am fascinated by the scenes frozen in tile and am in awe of the artisans who crafted them long before the days of electricity and power tools. 

Villa Romana del Casale, one of only a few Roman sites in Sicily, is a sprawling villa covered in 3,500 square meters (Over 37,000 square feet!) of mosaic floors. It is one of the largest collections in the world and was one of the highlights of our trip to Sicily.

Villa Romana del Casale dates to the early fourth century A.D. The villa’s remote location coupled with a landslide in 1100, and subsequent floods keep the remains well preserved and protected from looting. Although some effort to protect the site took place in the 18th and 19th centuries, the first professional excavations began in 1929. 

To see the mosaics at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you peer down upon them from on a series of covered walkways. Here intricate scenes filled with life and drama are told in pieces of tile no bigger than my pinky nail. The colors are muted, which is not surprising given their age, but the intricate work explodes with energy. 

One of the most impressive sections, the Great Hunt, extends for 200 feet. Archeologists theorize that the villa owner may have been an exporter of wild animals from Northern Africa as the scene depicts cheetahs, elephants, and camels and crews of men can be seen stalking these wild creatures and hauling them onto boats.

Another captivating scene is found in the Room of the Gymnasts. Here, ten women can be lifting weights, throwing a discus, and playing games, and the winner sports a crown of roses. This section is nicknamed the Bikini Girls as they are wearing slinky two-piece outfits.

We started exploring the remains of the villa at the monumental entrance, which gave way to a courtyard where the villa owner could receive guests. The most formal room in the villa was the basilica but, in this case it was a grand public space, not a church. This is the only part of the villa without mosaics. The area was accessed through another grand entrance and featured columns of pink granite, elaborate floors and walls made of marble, and a replica arched wooden ceiling. 

Rounding out the villa are state rooms, antechambers, apartments, massage rooms, and hot and cold soaking pools. Given the number of spaces for greetings guests, visiting, and lounging, it was easy to imagine opulent gatherings at this ancient abode. I pictured scenes filled important worldly visitors being welcomed with pomp and circumstance by the even more important villa owner. 

Villa Romana del Casale leaves a lot to the imagination and although the colors have faded with time, the space bursts with life and energy and is a worthy stop on a trip to Sicily. 

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Links to all my Sicily stories  -https://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2025/08/sicily-in-may.html

Amalfi Coast - https://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2017/06/amalfi-bomerano-hiking.html