SYRACUSE private tour: discover the charm of Ortigia!

The guided tour of Syracuse will lead you to discover the historic center located on the island of Ortigia. Let’s begin at one of the two bridges connecting Ortigia to the mainland—the Umbertino Bridge—with a visit to the Temple of Apollo, which dates back to 580 BC and represents the oldest Doric temple in all of Sicily. We continue into the heart of the island, exploring Piazza Archimede, dedicated to the great Syracusan mathematician. Here, you’ll find the beautiful Diana Fountain—a fountain featuring a statue of the goddess of hunting in the center, intent on protecting the nymph placed at her feet, surrounded by other statues of tritons, horses, and gargoyles. As we stroll through the alleys, we reach Piazza della Minerva, made of white limestone with beautiful buildings overlooking the square.

he most significant building is the Cathedral of Syracuse, dedicated to the Nativity of Mary Most Holy. It stands on the remains of the ancient Temple of Athena, and some columns that emerge from the walls of the church are still visible both externally and, more importantly, when visiting the Cathedral internally. The imposing Baroque and Rococo-style façade is surrounded by other beautiful buildings, including the Palazzo del Vermexio (Town Hall), Palazzo Beneventano, and the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, which houses Caravaggio’s splendid work, ‘The Burial of Saint Lucia.’ Continuing our guided tour towards the sea, we admire the Fonte Aretusa—an unusual mirror of fresh water inhabited by fish and ducks, with papyrus plants growing in its vicinity.

A few meters away, we find the Alfeo seafront, where we conclude the first part of the visit—the oldest stretch of seafront on the island. Here, you can admire the beauty of the sea surrounding Ortigia and the imposing Maniace Castle—a fortress dating back to the Swabian period, formerly used as a prison and military barracks. Moving to the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, our visit starts at the Church of San Nicolò ai Cordari, dating back to the eleventh century. In the lower part, we find the Roman Pool—large water tanks carved into the rock with pipes that supplied water to the Roman amphitheater for nautical games and water fights. The nearby Roman amphitheater, dating back to the Augustus era, was used for various shows, the most famous being gladiator fights. It features an elliptical structure carved into the rock, spread over three levels. Our guided tour continues with the Altar of Hieron—an immense altar dedicated to Zeus where bull sacrifices took place. Moving towards the Latomie del Paradiso—quarries used for stone extraction—we visit the most important one, the Ear of Dionysus.

The cave is 23 meters high and is very impressive due to the exceptional echo inside it. We conclude the visit to Neapolis by admiring the beautiful Greek theater carved into the stone—the most famous and important monument of the archaeological park—built by the Greeks and later renovated by the Romans

Included:

• Walking tour with licensed tour guide

Not included:

• Museum tickets (optional)
• Food and drinks
• Transfer service

What to bring:

• Comfortable shoes
• Water
• Sun hat on hot days

Meeting point:

• Umbertino bridge (statue of Archimedes)