At the western edge of town, 4km west of the museum, you will find the remains of Gela's ancient Greek fortifications . Built by the tyrant of Syracuse, Timoleon, in 333 BC, they are in a remarkable state of preservation, most likely the result of being covered by sand dunes for thousands of years until they were discovered in 1948.
The 8m-high walls were built to prevent sand being blown into the city by the blustery sea wind. Today many of the walls are in ruins and the authorities have planted trees to act as a buffer against the encroaching sand. It makes for a pretty site, planted with mimosa and eucalyptus trees, perfect for a picnic. Some 500m from the walls, next to the hospital, are the ruins of Sicily's only surviving Greek baths , which date to the 4th century BC.
