Syracuse

Syracuse encapsulates Sicily’s timeless beauty. Ancient Greek and Roman ruins rise out of lush citrus orchards, cafe tables spill onto dazzling baroque piazzas, and medieval lanes lead down to the sparkling blue sea.
Today a lovely small city, Syracuse was, during the Magna Graecia age in the 1st millennium B.C., the most powerful state of Sicily and the Mediterranean area, more powerful than Athens and Corinth. It remained Sicily’s capital under Roman rule and was briefly the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
In 1693, the earthquake of the Val di Noto area, was the catalyst for energetic urban renewal, as planners took advantage of the damaged city to undertake a massive program of Baroque reconstruction.
Some of the best beaches in Sicily are to be found south of Syracuse at the Vendicari Nature Reserve.
Syracuse is also well known for being the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes.
Syracuse’s sights are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites and consist of the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica in the countryside near Syracuse, the Neapolis Archaeological Park in Syracuse’s mainland and the historic center on Ortygia’s island which is the heart of Syracuse.
The Necropolis of Pantalica is an important Iron Age and Bronze Age necropolis and contains over 5000 tombs cut into the rock near open stone quarries, most of them dating from the 13th to 7th centuries B.C.
The archaeological site “Parco Archeologico della Neapolis” is home to a staggering number of well preserved Greek and Roman remains. The main attraction is undoubtedly the Greek Theater, still used for an annual Greek theater festival running in May and June.
Other important sights include the fountain of Arethusa, the remains of the Temple of Apollo, Piazza Archimede and Piazza del Duomo squares, and the cathedral built on the site of an ancient Temple of Athena. The baroque palaces and the church of Saint Lucia, the “Castello Maniace” bastion and the Byzantine Miqwe (Jewish baths) are all worth visiting. Not to be missed are the Latomie del Paradiso limestone quarries, the “Ear of Dionysius”, the Roman amphitheatre and the Archaeological Museum. There is also a colorful daily morning street market.
On crossing the bridge, the best way to see the island of Ortygia, is just to wander around the center which is packed with over 2500 years of history. Architectural styles vary widely, encompassing Greek and Roman remains, medieval Norman buildings and a great deal of Baroque. Restaurants and bars abound and it is especially nice to sit out on the western side of the city in the late afternoon, warmed by the sun and with a view over the lagoon.
Annual festivals worth mentioning include the “Cycle of Classical Plays” in the Greek theater in summertime and the feast of Saint Lucia in December.