Roman Villa of Casale

Approximately 3 km from Piazza Armerina, the Villa Romana del Casale—known in Sicilian as the Villa Rumana dû Casali—is one of Sicily’s most important surviving Roman residences. Built in the early fourth century AD, this extensive palace offers an unusually detailed view of elite life in late Roman Sicily.

Its exceptional floors are covered by around 3,500 square metres of remarkably well-preserved mosaics. Among the most celebrated is the Great Hunt, whose vivid scenes show the capture and transport of exotic animals. Another famous work, often known as the Bikini Girls, depicts women taking part in athletic activities.

The mosaics form part of a much larger architectural complex. Courtyards, reception rooms, private apartments and service areas convey the scale and sophistication of the aristocratic estate, while an elaborate thermal complex reveals the importance of bathing within Roman domestic life.

Excavations have uncovered one of the richest, largest and most varied collections of Roman mosaics to survive, and the villa was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Together, its architecture and decoration provide an unusually complete picture of wealth, leisure and daily life in fourth-century Sicily.