Syracuse - the pearl of Sicily

Syracuse 

Syracuse, with its beautiful old town of Ortigia, had already impressed us on our first vacation in Sicily, which is why it was once again at the top of our bucket list. Since we've been living in our SpaceCamper, we've spent more time in nature than in cities. But we couldn't resist Syracuse. 

Siracusa, as the Sicilians call it, is located on the east coast of Sicily and is particularly famous for its ancient ruins. The old town is located on the Ortigia peninsula. When the peninsula became too small, the new town of Syracuse developed on the mainland.

The new town of Syracuse 

In Syracuse, in the archaeological park of Neapolis, you can visit the Roman amphitheater, the Teatro Greco and the Orecchio di Dionisio. The latter is a limestone cave whose shape is reminiscent of a human ear.

From the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, also known as the Parco monumentale della Neapolis, you can already see the imposing spire of the Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime. This modern pilgrimage church is home to a statue of the Madonna, which is said to have been weeping tears and working miracles since 1953.

To the north are the Catacombs of San Giovanni, which can be visited for €8. They are the largest catacombs in Italy after Rome. The entrance is to the right of the church of San Giovanni.

Cycle path in Syracuse

If you have your bikes with you in Syracuse or enjoy jogging, there is a wonderful wide cycle path from Ortigia over the bridge to the mainland on the right-hand side from Piazza Cappuccini, which runs along the coast to the north. Anyone familiar with Sicilian roads will not be surprised that the path could be better maintained.

Fountain

We quickly fill our water tanks in a parking lot with a view of MSC cruise ships.

8 Via Rodi, 96100 Siracusa

N 37° 3′ 52″ E 15° 17′ 17″ (lat lng)

The old town of Ortigia

This time we are more drawn to the beautiful old town, which is located on the Ortigia peninsula. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. And rightly so.

We take the van over a bridge into Ortigia. From the bridge you have a beautiful view of the harbor. The harbor connects Ortigia with the new town.

Parking in Syracuse

After the bridge to Ortigia, we keep left to park. There are several large parking lots and parking garages that are easy to reach by camper.

Pay attention to the colors of the parking spaces and the signs 'Parking for residents only', you should rather not park there. If the markings on the ground are blue, parking is subject to a charge. You can pay very easily with the Easy Park app. We downloaded the app on site. It works well and the data network is very fast, as is the case almost everywhere in Sicily. As in many European countries, the parking ticket is booked on the license plate. So there is no paper ticket that you put in the vehicle. I think this only exists in Germany. We paid €1.50 per hour. If you download the app beforehand, you can also use it to search for parking spaces and see details such as parking fees. Payment is made via Paypal, direct debit or credit card. Of course, you can also take your chances and simply park without a ticket, as the Sicilians do.

Strolling without a plan

We simply drift through the narrow streets of the old town of Ortigia and enjoy the Sicilian flair. Ortigia is not particularly big, so you can't get lost. You inevitably end up by the sea again and again. Even though we plan a lot, I have to admit that we often find the most beautiful things by chance, such as a beautiful art gallery here. But more on that later.

Market in Ortigia

Now we stroll through the small market in Ortigia. Did I mention that we can't walk past any market? We both love to eat, so we love the colorful stalls with all the different smells, from spices to fish. This is also the place to go for a little snack such as char-grilled artichokes. Open every morning until 1 pm, except Sundays. On Sundays there is the large Mercato ogni giorno Dominca in Piazza Santa Luccia, directly south of the Nicola De Simone stadium

Piazza del Duomo

Past the Temple of Apollo with its gigantic stone blocks and columns, and the Fountain of Diana, you reach the Piazza del Duomo. This forms the center of Ortigia. As the name suggests, the cathedral of Syracuse is located here. Around this square are several imposing, white, baroque palaces: the Palazzo Beneventano, the town hall and the Archbishop's Palace ("Arcivescovile Palazzo") as well as the church "Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia". Even if this small church has a hard time in the shadow of the cathedral, it is absolutely worth a visit.

A visit to Syracuse Cathedral is a must. Entry is free and the cathedral is beautiful, the simple imposing columns remind us of the book 'The Pillars of the Earth'. You should take your time here and let the interior of the cathedral take effect on you.

The narrow streets of Ortigia

The picturesque narrow streets are deserted today. We particularly remember the Via del Crocefisso with its many plants.

At Corte degli Avolio 7 there is a lovely little square with restaurants and cafés where you can linger under the palm trees.  

Gallery Andrea Chisesi

We discover Andrea Chisesi's gallery by chance. We are impressed by its wide range of different styles. The pop art on old street signs reminds us of Jörg Döring, whom we know from galleries in Cologne.

Via Capodieci, 43, 96100 Siracusa SR, Italy

Ortigia's south

Further south is the Galleria regionale di Palazzo Bellomo di Siracusa. This former monastery has a beautiful courtyard, today houses a picture gallery with a focus on the 15th-17th centuries.

On the west coast of Ortigia, we look out to sea at the Arethusa Fountain. Not only is there a great panorama here, but also a fantastic sunset.

The Castello Maniace, part of the former city wall, is located on the southern tip of Ortigia and can be visited for € 6. There is also a great view from here.

Hotel Gutkowski

If we didn't always have our own bed with us, we would stay at the Gutkowski on the Lungomare. This small design hotel fascinated us on our first visit to Syracuse and still does today. [unpaid advertising]

www.guthotel.it