Syracuse 3 days walking tour

Hello guys, today another Italian hidden gem. If you have already visited all the must see cities or if you want a different holiday, Syracuse is the right place.  There are a lot of things to do and see in Syracuse and I will do my best to let you know this wonderful city in just 3 days. Let's start!

If you are not in Sicily yet, you can reach Syracuse by plane or by ferry. If you use the ferry the nearest port is Catania which has ferry arriving from Naples. You can also reach it from Genoa or Livorno but you will stop at Palermo port. Or by train if you are already in Sicily. Syracuse extends in the isle of Ortigia which was the spot where the city originated and in the mainland. It was one of the biggest cities of the past and it has a very rich archaeological and artistic heritage and since 2005 it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

DAY 1 - Archaeological Park

I will start the first day by visiting the Archaeological Park that you can reach by bus. The buses leave in via Rubino near the train station and you can take any bus heading to Corso Galeone and stop at "ospedale Umberto I" bus stop.

The first place we'll visit will be the Roman Amphitheater, which was used for gladiators and animals fights. It is one of the biggest in Italy but today it is only visible the part carved into rock because the carved stone part was demolished by the Spaniards to built fortresses. You can only walk on the top ring and nearby you can see sarcophagi brought here from the Necropolis.

Not far from the theater there is the altar of Hieron II of which, again, only remain the rock foundations. In
this altar it was celebrated the defeat of a tyrant with the sacrifice of 450 bulls and that explains the huge dimensions of the altar. 

Not far from the altar there is the Greek Theatre, built in the 5th century BC but then rebuilt in the 3rd century BC by Hieron I. It has rarely been used in modern times to preserve it but in 2014 the councillorship of cultural heritage allows to host summer concerts and events in it. What we can see of the theater is, like the amphitheater, only the lowest part because the Spaniards demolished it to build fortresses. Near the theater there is the Ninfeo grotto with statues of the 9 muses, 3 of which survived and are now exposed in the Paolo Orsi archaeological museum.

North to the theater there is the Ear of Dionysius, a cave carved out of a hill named after the shape of the entrance, resembling a human ear. It was used as a water storage for the whole city. The name was given by the painter Caravaggio referring to the tyrant Dionysius. He said that he used the cave as a prison for political prisoners and due to the perfect acoustics he could hear all the their plans against him. However this is a legend and probably invented by the famous painter. Finally, near the Ear of Dionysius there is the Grotta dei cordari (grotto of the rope makers) called like this because it was used for a long time by rope makers. It is very suggestive especially for the vegetation and light effects.

DAY 2  

Today we'll start from the Catacombe di San Giovanni (St. John's catacombs), which forms part of the net of Syracuse catacombs and are the only one open to the public. The Syracuse catacombs are the biggest and widest after Rome's catacombs. These ones are famous because in the San Marziano crypt it was buried the apostle Paul. We now take via S. Sebastiano and turn left in via Teocrito to see the regional archaeological museum Paolo Orsi. There are exposed archaeological finds from the prehistory to the Roman and Greek era found in Syracuse and in all Sicily. The first floor is divided in 3 areas, the second floor only has one area and a special area, Area 1, is dedicated to the history of the museum itself. The ticket to visit it costs 8 euros and you can find more information in the official website of Sicily region.

Just opposite to the museum there is the Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime (Sanctuary of the Madonna of the Tears) called like this to commemorate the miracle of a Madonna plaster cast the eyes of which started to produce tears in 1953. The sanctuary is composed by a crypt and an upper temple and the walls are decorated with mosaics.

Proceed now in viale Teocrito then turn right in via Montegrappa and reach the St. Lucia Church (Chiesa di Santa Lucia al Sepolcro). You will spend a lot of time in the museum and in the catacombs, so I will finish today's itinerary here. It was built in 1100 but modified through the years especially after the 1693 earthquake that caused serious damage. Near the church there also is a sepulcher originally built to be the tomb of St. Lucia.

DAY 3 - Ortigia Isle

I highly recommend to spend the last day in the isle of Ortigia which is where the city of Syracuse originated.Fountain of Artemis in piazza Archimede. It is at the center of the square and it has the statue of Artemis protecting a nymph. Proceed now in via Landolina and reach the Duomo. It originally was a temple dedicated to Athena and then converted in church whit the coming of the Christianity. The façade is built in a Baroque style but inside it still has the style of the original temple. It contains statues, relics and remains of Syracusan saints, martyrs and noble people.
You can start by visiting the

Proceed in via Picherali to the end of the isle to see the Castello Maniace, a castle built between 1232 and 1240. You can visit it with a 4 euros ticket; for more information visit the site of the region Sicily.

I suggest to spend the rest of the day just walking in the little streets of Ortigia and enjoy its unique atmosphere!

I hope you enjoyed the itinerary and don't forget to comment down below if you have any question or suggestion.