Syracuse ... The Island of Ortigia
Piazza Duomo |
One of our favourite places to visit in Sicily is Syracuse and our dog Daisy loves it too.
The oldest and most beautiful part of Syracuse (Siracusa) is located on a small island
called Ortigia which is connected to the mainland by three bridges.
The city was formed around 734BC when Archia left Corinth in
Greece and arrived in Ortigia where he founded the Greek colony of Syracuse.
Today Ortigia is a vibrant contrast of colours and sounds,
the sea with its fishing boats mingling with mega yachts moored in the bay and the
ancient craft shops that are interspersed with sleek modern boutiques located
on the lower floors of old Baroque palaces. There are historic squares and
temples, churches and museums, also seaside restaurants with excellent seafood,
all which ensure that Syracuse provides a warm welcome.
Temple of Apollo |
Start your visit on Largo XXV Luglio where you will see the
remains of the Temple of Apollo. Built in 575BC it is thought to be one of the
first Doric temples built in Sicily with an exterior of stone columns. Nearby
is Ortigia’s market which is well worth a visit for the atmosphere of farmers
and fishermen yelling out the merits of their produce.
Walking up Via Matteotti, a glamourous shopping street, you
will reach Piazza Archimede with its fountain depicting the story of the nymph Aretusa who
is the symbol of Ortigia, more about her later.
Duomo |
Make your way to Piazza Duomo a stunning pedestrian square
with chic pavement cafes. Unmissable is the Duomo, one of the most spectacular
buildings in Sicily, it was once the Greek Temple of Athena dating from 5th
century BC, after earthquake damage it was restored with a dramatic baroque
facade in the 7th century AD. The Doric columns and part of the
temple are still clearly visible inside and out.
Also on Piazza Duomo visit the church of Santa Lucia where
you can admire Caravaggio’s famous painting ‘The Burial of Saint Lucy’. Saint
Lucy (Santa Lucia) is the patron
saint of Syracuse whose festival day is on 13th December which is when
her statue is carried through the town.
From Piazza Duomo head for the seafront and the Fonte
Aretusa, a freshwater spring which bubbles up on the shores of Ortigia.
Mythical Arethusa was a nymph who was turned into a spring by the goddess
Artemis in order for her to escape the unwanted attention of the god Alpheus.
Alpheus followed Aretusa and turned himself into a river from the sea so that
his water would mingle with hers. It is said that often Greek flowers are seen coming up from the bottom of
the spring and that if a wooden cup is thrown into the River Alpheus in Greece,
it would reappear in Arethusa's spring in Sicily. There is now papyrus planted
here with fish below the spring water and ducks waddling up above.
Fonte Aretusa |
A promenade runs
from Fonte Aretusa towards Castle Maniace, there are many restaurants along
here to choose from overlooking the sea. Castle Maniace was built by Frederick
II of Sweden on a narrow peninsula. The castle takes its name from the
Byzantine admiral George Maniakes who liberated Syracuse from the Arabs in the
11th century.
Also worth a visit is to explore the Jewish quarter which existed in the
skinny alleys of Ortigia, it is still crowded today with medieval houses with
laundry hanging from the balconies, you can visit the Jewish baths on Via
Giudecca located under the Arabic inspired boutique Hotel ‘Alla Giudecca’,www.allagiudecca.it. The
baths are the oldest Jewish ritual baths in Europe. On the same road there is
also a Sicilian puppet theatre with a workshop where the puppets are made, also close by a museum dedicated to the history of the Sicilian puppet www.pupari.com. On Via Nizza you can visit the papyrus
museum which is a hidden gem.
Jewish Quarter |
A personal favourite
stop for me is the Fish Art House on Via Cavour where you can find colorful metal or ceramic hand painted fish, the perfect treat to take home as a memory of Syracuse. www.fisharthouse.it
You can also take
a boat trip around the island or further afield to sea caves and close by are
the beautiful beaches of Arenella, Ognina and Fontane Bianche.
When taking a
tour or planning a trip to Syracuse a stop at the Archeological Park is a must.
Combine this with a morning visit or an afternoon after exploring Ortigia.
Next blog post;
Syracuse …. The Archeological Park
The Island of Ortigia |
Piazza Duomo ... another Daisy Sicilian adventure |
Church of Saint Lucy, Piazza Duomo |
an abundance of Lemons |
towards the Seafront and Fonte Aretusa |
towards Castle Maniace |
Fonte Aretusa |
Arancini for Lunch |
Island Life |
Cannoli Time for Daisy |
Ortigia |
The Fish Art House Thank you for following me at White Almond Sicily I am also a contributor to www.timesofsicily.com For NEW Blog updates and all things Sicilian Click and Like my Facebook page www.facebook.com/whitealmondprivatesicily/ You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google + and LinkedIn for Travel Tips and Recommendations email me at:WhiteAlmondSicily@Gmail.Com |
Love Sarah x