Megara Hyblaea Museum

Address: Megara Hyblaea archaeological area, Augusta / near Syracuse, Province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy

Megara Hyblaea is an ancient Greek colony on the eastern coast of Sicily near the modern town of Augusta. It was established in the early 1st millennium BCE and is notable for its well-preserved remains of a planned Greek settlement.

The site shows traces of an orthogonal street plan, defensive walls and public areas. Excavations have revealed house foundations, paving and necropoleis outside the urban core, giving a clear sense of the colony’s layout and scale.

The colony was founded by settlers from Megara in Greece in the early 8th century BCE and remained active through the Archaic and Classical periods. It suffered destruction and decline during conflicts among Sicilian Greek cities in the 5th century BCE and was later abandoned.

The ruins lie on a coastal plain in southeastern Sicily, close to the modern town of Augusta in the province of Syracuse. The site is reached from local roads serving Augusta and the surrounding coastline.

• Visitor note: Much of the site is open-air and partly visible from paths; bring sun protection and water in summer.
• Dating: Archaeological remains date mainly to the Archaic and Classical Greek periods, with the city founded in the 8th century BCE.

What to See#

• Urban remains: Excavated urban area showing remains of defensive walls, house foundations and street layout; the settlement preserves parts of a planned orthogonal (Hippodamian) street grid characteristic of Greek colonial planning.
• Necropolis: Necropoleis located outside the main settlement with funerary remains and tombs excavated in several campaigns.
• Agora / public areas: Agora and public-area remains interpreted as market and civic spaces, with foundations and paving visible at the site.

Megara Hyblaea lies near Augusta and Syracuse on Sicily’s east coast. From Syracuse or Catania, drive south along the A18 and follow local signs for Augusta/Megara Hyblaea; local buses serve Augusta and short taxis can reach the archaeological area.

• Wear good walking shoes-archaeological parks here are often exposed and paths can be uneven.
• Bring sun protection and water; the site sits in an open Mediterranean landscape with little shade.
• Check opening hours seasonally-Sicilian archaeological sites often reduce hours in winter.