Described by no less a figure than Cicero as 'the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all', Syracuse (Siracusa) is rightfully protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 'Greek?' you say. 'Surely we're in Italy here?' Indeed, but 2700 years ago this was one of the major capitals of 'Greater Greece', the old city being centred on the offshore island of Ortygia. This easily defensible outpost in the Ionian is connected to mainland Siracusa via two bridges today. Greeks from Corinth were supplanted by Carthage, the Romans, the Vandals, Byzantium and the Normans ... all drawn by the city's superb strategic position. Sacked by the Saracens, more of the city was razed in the 1693 earthquake that devastated eastern Sicily. It was also bombed both by the Luftwaffe AND the Allies in World War II.
And yet much remains, with good coming out of that 1693 disaster. Much of the city was rebuilt in the Sicilian Baroque, and in Ortygia especially there is a treasure trove of ancient relics, including the Temple of Apollo, the Fountains of Arethusa, the Ancient Greek Theatre, the Roman amphitheatre, the Tomb of Archimedes and the Temple of Zeus. The Cathedral sits on the fifth century base of a pagan Temple of Athens, and has Corinthian columns and a Norman nave. See too Achradina, the commercial heart of ancient Syracuse, and site of the agora. The Museo Archeologico is a must, then had out to Neapolis, now sited within the Parco Archeologico, with the Teatro Greco, the Ara di Ierone altar and the Orecchio di Dionigi (Ear of Dionysius).
The city has a number of interesting medieval and Renissance palaces, including Palazzi Lanza Buccheri, Vermexio and Miglaccio. There is the monumental Castello Eurialo and the Castello Maniace, and many medieval churches, including the 13th century Santa Maria dei Miracoli.
To the left you'll find a selection of hotels, to get you in the mood
- see also our full listings of Syracuse hotels.
