Siracusa Favorites

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Favorite thing: The time to leave Syracuse came all too soon. Other places called, Agrigento and the famed Valley of the Temples was our next destination and one we didn't want to miss, but leaving our little apartment and the streets and piazzas of Ortygia brought a twinge of regret that we hadn't time to stay longer. We'd been carless for a few days, able simply to walk everywhere we wanted to go on the island without thinking about where to park or how we were going to negotiate a way through the impossibly narrow streets. There were still places we wanted to visit - we never did find our way across the island to the old ghetto and we'd only seen the Castello Maniace from the sea.

A walk across the Ponte Nuovo to collect the car, a nervewracking drive back to the square at the end of Via Salomone to load up the suitcases and then continuing on the one-way loop around the island back to the bridge and across to the mainland. A last glimpse of things that defined the island - a Spanish gateway in the city walls, a bright sunlit balcony, a quiet courtyard seen through an archway, boats and bathers bobbing in the water, a pink palazzo once owned by a poet ....

Syracuse was our first taste of Sicily. We'd been told it was lovely, we expected to like it - and we did.

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Favorite thing: I think this is may simply be an excuse to post some more photos - Ortygia is just SO photogenic. As you walk through the city your eye is constantly taken by delightful details. Much of the city is scruffy and shabby - though that is rapidly changing as restoration projects overtake the place. You have to hope they don't get too carried away with all that cleaning and smartening up - much of the city's charm comes from the patina that only comes with 500 years. It's all too easy to sandblast and scrub softly worn old stone into something that looks as though it was pressed out of a mould down at the local garden ornament workshop just yesterday and no matter how skilfully limewashed paints are applied, the new stuff never looks like the paint that sun and salt air have worn into the washed-out and patchy pinks and terracottas that look so right against the clear blue sky.

All of this faded charm is what you expect to find in a place like Syracuse. What may come as more surprising, is the grandeur and opulence that is a legacy of the 18th century rebuilding of the city after the devastating earthquake of 1693. Wonderful flourishes of Baroque exuberance are everywhere. I found myself constantly stopping to take in yet another lovely window or doorway, elaborate portals, stucco decorations on coffered ceilings, church facades like a tiered wedding cake, silver altars and barley sugar-twist pillars - and who was the 18th century aristocrat that rode around in the golden coach now parked in the Palazzo di Senato on the Piazza Duomo?

Favorite thing: The single most important activity? Please don't make me choose in Siracusa! OK, it would have to be charming Ortygia which is a delight to just stroll around. Meet someone for instance here at the Fontana Aretusa with its papyrus in the middle (picture). This is actually a freshwater spring, mentioned already by Pindar and Virgil and amazingly close to the sea. Arethusa turned into a spring (see the fountain under "musts") but still never managed to escape Alpheus and was contaminated instead.

When your feet are tired, find a quayside bar for a pick-me-up limoncello before your evening meal :-) I must say I enjoyed the archaeology park a lot too though and our daytrip combination of the two was perfect and without stress, even if the ideal would be to stay the night for the atmosphere - I'll certainly do that next time.

Fondest memory: The thieving magpie - see the restaurant tip.

Favorite thing: Just love this sky/sea line of Ortygia, this island has a lot of small harbours along its sea front, some of them are like hide away corners, some are turned into public beaches, but all in all they are different and worth to explore....

Favorite thing: Sitting on the Mt Etna, wind blowing, Sun is shining, landscape is like in the moon...
MtEtna is a must place to visit for sure. To the top is a bus connection last 500 meters, but it costs awful amount of Liras. I recommend to walk up there, it should take a hour or so, but the views on the way are astonishing!

Fondest memory: Up there is a souvenir shop and cafeteria. Prices has a Etna-extra, but still reasonable.
(behind me on the pic is a main-crater puffing some smoke)

Favorite thing: Go down to Ortygia, the old area on am island, and see the cathedral and other sights - no photos I am afraid so I have put in one of the Roman amphitheatre in the Parco Archeologico

Fondest memory: A great memory is when the two women who helped me retrieve my case (mentioned in intro) were kind enough to make sure I got to my hotel. How could a trip go wrong with a start like that? Anyway it didn't.

Favorite thing: Spend some time in the Parco Archeologico

Fondest memory: First sight of the Greek theatre - photo of the so-called Paradise Quarries a stonesthrow from the theatre which is seen on the intro. Must have seemed more like the Quarries of Hell to the slaves who worked there.
TO BE COMPLETED

Fondest memory: I think the reason I enjoyed my visit to Siracusa so much was because I didn't expect to find so many things to see. It was one of those last minute trips which didn't give me time to read up on the city or plan my trip. Every sight was a complete surprise.