Before going to Sicily, Syracusa reminded me of my latin lessons and of old greek adventures… now that I have been to Syracusa, it reminds me of my favorite town in Sicily!
Ortigya island is really what makes Syracusa so special. The island is a world heritage site – driving is restricted to locals and helps to make the island its own little world. We loved it!
Let’s visit Syracusa…
The Market
For us, this was the best market in Sicily and a perfect place to experience the atmosphere of a sicilian marketplace. We returned home with a lot of nice local products from here. The market takes place every morning close to the Apollo Temple.
Piazza del Duomo
The “Duomo” is a mix of styles: the current structure was built over and around a greek temple and you can still see some of the Greek elements while the front of the church is strongly baroque. This unique building is really charming and the “piazza” is car free. Enjoy!
Maniace Castle
Discover the ruins of “Castelle Maniace”, which protected Syracusa in old times and from where you can enjoy commanding views of the city. On the way there you will enjoy a nice stroll in the calm Ortigya streets.
Water
The sea is very important to the history and life of Ortygia but it is a fresh water fountain (Arethusa fountain) that attracts visitors to the town. This fountain, where wild papyrus grows, is at the center of various legends and is an inspiration to many artists.
Atmoshpere
In the late afternoon, when it gets cooler, the main square gets busy with people, grownups gossiping, kids playing… we soaked it in from a terrace while we sipped our drinks. A great memory!
Voyagista’s tips
- We stayed out of town in the protected area of Plemmirio. This area offers the sea as a swimming escape from the heat of the day and cooling sea breezes in the evening. At the Terrazza sur Plemmirio we stayed in the Tania room with a nice view over the sea. The owners are a retired couple that love to chat… but in Italian only! Try the pizza place not far from the B&B for a meal.
- On the main square, try Gelati Bianca’s ice cream, which was the best we had during our stay (and we tried a lot!)
- Fancy some fish and some seafood? Want to have a “Lady and the Tramp” moment? Go to the Apollonion: this is a local favourite with a 35 euro all inclusive set menu (wine, mineral water, coffee…). The servings are big and tasty … best to book, it’s very popular.
- You can get to Syracusa easily from Catania airport
- The castle is only open until 1.30pm most days, more information here
Is Syracusa your favourite place in Sicily?
VOYAGISTA 
It’s impossible to take a bad picture in Sicily! Beautiful shot’s. My favourite place to take photo’s are markets.