Hotel 1823

Temple of Apollo

by Lcannar

This is what I think everyone loves about Sicily. Their ancient ruins are mixed right in there with their everyday life. You don't need to plan the Temple of Apollo as a special destination. You will pass it as you go from Ortygia to the mainland or back. It is right next to the sidewalk on the main road to the bridge. It's grassy and shady like a small city park except that it is surrounded by a wrought iron fence. I love how symbolic it is of the way that the people there just live amid centuries of ruins. As long as you have your guide book with you when you are out walking, you can stop and read about it as you pass it.

Croatia to Malta - Siracusa

by atofuri

"The Ruins"

Three and a half days out from Dubrovnik, we arrived in Ortigia, the island adjacent to Siracusa. First impression was that the harbor was full of trash. We were fortunate enough to arrive on Saturday morning, and got a cahnce to see the street market in full swing. Vendors sell everything you might need, especially seafood and produce. In the afternoon, we explored the town, but not much to see in the way of achitecture, at least from the outside. Most of the historical landmarks were coveed by scaffolding & netting, though not much sign of active restoration, just scaffolding. Interiors of some of the churchs were exquisite.

"Onto The Ruins and Archeological Muesum"

Main reason to stop here was to visit the ruins. Not very impressive. The Greek ampitheater is stilled used, and has been "restored" with plywood. Looks a bit "half finished. The Roman colesium is reputed to be the third largest, but you have to use your imagination to really get a sense of it's size, as much has not been excavated, and the outer ring wall is still covered by brush, although you can find it. In the quarry, The Ear of Dionysius is impressive. A short walk down the street from the archeological park is the muesum. It is full of artifacts recovered mostly from the graves of the early Christians. Don't miss the trip through the Catacombs just around the corner.