Enjoy Unexpected Syracuse
View over Syracuse harbor from the city walls
“I get the biggest enjoyment from the… unexpected places...” – Linus Torvalds
The modern Italian city of Syracuse on the isle of Sicily in the Ionian Sea was built around ancient Greek ruins, notably the Ear of Dionysius, a limestone cavern with unusual acoustics, and the largest, most complete Greek theater remaining from antiquity. Its historical center has been in a recovery phase since the 1990s, necessary because of rapid expansion after WWII. Yet, the heart of the ancient city lies unexpectedly not there, but rather on a smaller island offshore.
It is on Ortigia, (Greek: Ortyx, meaning quail) where Corinthians founded Syracuse 2700 years ago. Arkhias the aristocrat planned and laid out the settlement, which quickly prospered, growing into a powerful Greek city surpassing even Athens as a center for commerce, art, and learning, spawning several colonies. Greatness came with constant fighting, first against Carthage and other ancient Mediterranean powers, then conquest by a long line of invaders starting with Rome in 212 BC and ending with Italian unification in 1865.
The Old City, accessible via two short bridges, retains the layout of an ancient Greek city where open plazas are connected by slender streets. In the off-season, it is beautifully warm instead of very hot, and the narrow lanes are lively yet uncrowded. Most of the island is pedestrian, which adds to the laid-back atmosphere and makes enjoying this part of Syracuse easy. Ortygia is a place to wander, both around the entire perimeter along the seaside, and through the interior alleys to take in La Dolce Vita and nearly three millennia of history. When Cicero famously called Syracuse “the greatest and most beautiful of Greek cities” he must have meant Ortigia.
The promenade is lined with alluring two- and three-story Baroque homes overlooking the sea, and below the thick walls, swimming spots pop up periodically. At the tip of the cape, Maniace Fortress provides 180-degree views, a museum, and a cool bistro bar. Nearby, restaurants along the seawall serve the freshest seafood alongside Sicilian specialties. At a deep-set, papyrus-shaded fountain, legend says the Nymph Arethusa emerged from her home beneath the sea, and her adjoining shady garden stretches all along the waterfront to the harbor.
The bridges lead up a short, leafy boulevard to the Temple of Apollo ruins, the oldest in Sicily that stand and lie in a grassy field. Ortygia’s daily market starts alongside the ruins with a typical flea market. Around a corner, from authentic stalls hugging faded buildings, hawkers loudly sell spices of the world, fresh fish, delicious cakes, and colorful produce. After market breakdown, modest restaurants serve lunch amidst not-yet-removed boxes and produce remains. From the opposite side of the Temple, the main, elegant shopping street leads uphill to Archimedes Square, surrounded by stately palazzos, where locals and visitors gather at cafés around the ornate Fountain of Diana.
Ortigia’s heart, the splendid Piazza del Duomo, originally the Greek agora, merges past and present after a massive 1693 earthquake destroyed nearly all the ancient structures. The elongated piazza, with one straight and one elegantly curved side, is breathtaking, and virtually luminous. It was built entirely of white stone, and the decorative Baroque City Hall and palazzos juxtapose the stunning façade of the 7th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria that incorporates columns from the Temple of Athena.
Don’t Miss:
Walking the entire length of the walled city along the sea for enjoyable view and unexpected discoveries.
Lunch Tip:
Ristorante Arrícriati on the Lungomare Alfeo promenade for the views and the seafood.
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*All photographs are mine, taken with my Nikon D5600 or iPhone 12 Pro.*