Syracuse

Syracuse was, for a couple of centuries, the largest and richest city in the Greek world — Cicero called it the most beautiful of them all — and Archimedes was killed here when Rome finally took it in 212 BC. Two things survive from that: the Neapolis archaeological park, with the largest Greek theatre in Sicily cut straight out of the rock, and Ortigia, the small island that was the original city and is now the old town, rebuilt in baroque after 1693. The cathedral on Ortigia is a fifth-century BC Doric temple with walls filled in between its columns — you can still see them.

For Ortigia, which is one of the most enjoyable places to stay in Sicily — an island of honey-coloured baroque you can walk end to end in twenty minutes, ringed by sea. And for the Greek theatre, which still stages classical drama every May and June.

Things to do

• The Duomo of Ortigia — A Greek temple to Athena, converted into a church in the seventh century. The Doric columns are still standing inside the walls.
• Parco Archeologico della Neapolis — The Greek theatre cut from the rock, the Roman amphitheatre, the vast altar of Hieron and the Ear of Dionysius quarry cave.
• Greek drama at the theatre — Aeschylus and Euripides staged in the original theatre each May and June, by the INDA foundation. Book early.
• Museo Paolo Orsi — One of the great archaeological museums of the Mediterranean — Sicily's Greek and prehistoric material, properly presented.
• The Ortigia market — Every morning except Sunday on Via Trento: urchins, tuna, capers, cheese, and a couple of counters that will make you a sandwich.
• Fonte Aretusa — A freshwater spring on the seafront, full of papyrus — one of only two places papyrus grows wild in Europe.
• Caravaggio's Burial of St Lucy — Painted here in 1608 while he was on the run, and hanging in the Santa Lucia alla Badia church on the Duomo square.

3 days in Syracuse

1. Day 1 Ortigia

   Market first thing, breakfast at a counter in it. Duomo and the Temple of Athena columns. Late morning at the Caravaggio and the Fonte Aretusa. Lunch of raw fish. Afternoon walking the island's sea walls to Castello Maniace. Aperitivo on the Lungomare, dinner in the Giudecca.

2. Day 2 The Greek city

   Neapolis park at opening — theatre, Ear of Dionysius, amphitheatre. Museo Paolo Orsi after it. Late lunch. Afternoon swim at Plemmirio or Fontane Bianche. Back for a last evening in Ortigia.

3. Day 3 The Val di Noto

   Noto's Corso Vittorio Emanuele in the morning light, then Modica for chocolate and Ragusa Ibla for the evening. A car day.

Practical

Best time to go

April–June and September–October. The Greek drama season runs mid-May to early July in the ancient theatre. July and August are very hot and Ortigia fills. Winter is mild, quiet, and the light on the limestone is at its best.

Getting there

Catania Fontanarossa (CTA) is the airport, an hour away by direct bus. Trains from Catania take about 1h20; the bus is faster. Ortigia is joined to the mainland by two short bridges and is closed to non-resident traffic — park on the mainland side or at the Talete garage.

Getting around

Ortigia is walkable and mostly pedestrian. The Neapolis park is 2 km north-west of the bridges — a 25-minute walk, a short bus or a taxi. A car is only useful for Noto, Ragusa and the coast south.

Eat & drink

Sea urchins and raw prawns from the Ortigia market, which runs every morning except Sunday. Then pasta with sardines and wild fennel, tuna in its season, and the local sweets — cassata, cannoli, and the almond granita. Nero d'Avola comes from just south of here at Avola and Pachino, and the cherry tomatoes are the ones with the name.

Know before you go

The Neapolis park has almost no shade — go at opening or late. Ortigia's restaurants immediately on the Duomo square charge for the view; two streets back is better and cheaper. The Ear of Dionysius cave is included in the park ticket but the Latomia dei Cappuccini quarry is separate. Sunday closes the market.