Ortigia, Sicily, Italy

5traveltheglobe 5:00 PM Jun 19, 2020

Pulsating ancient heart of South eastern Sicily
We took the train from Taormina to Syracuse and then a cab (10eur) from the train station to our bnb in Ortigia. Spent 3 nights here and absolutely loved it. Ortigia is an charming little ancient town with lovely piazzas and a popular morning food market. There’s so much to discover in the alleyways and you’ll find hidden gems of cafes, trattorias and arty farty shops greeting you at every corner. In the evening, take a walk along the waterfront promenade during sunset (start from the arethusa fountain) and soak in the sensual delight of glorious orange hues, the azure blue sea and not forgetting the gorgeous looking Sicilians.

4Pierluigi 5:00 PM Sep 27, 2020

Fascinating past......ugly present
A world of caution before suggesting sites in Ortigia. The island is abandoned and Godforsaken as Siracusa and Sicily are. The local sport, following a national tradition, is squeezing and cheating tourists. Prices of anything are incredibly inflated (sometimes more expensive than Milan or Rome); awful, cookie-cutter menus; a 5€ ($6.5 US dollars) cover charge in restaurants or a 3.5 € small bottle of water in hotels ( that you can buy for .20€ in a supermarket) are not rare. My advice: stay strictly the necessary, book in a hotel where breakfast is included, lunch lightly and dine in the same restaurant outside Ortigia, if you can find a decent one.Also, avoid any kind of tours orwasting time in obtaining information from locals. That is the ugly present. Now the bright past. Do visit: — Temple of Apollo, a landmark in Greek architecture that set a standard for generations to come; — Chiesa di San Pietro Apostolo, located near the Temple of Apollo in Via San Pietro 18, tells you the story of the island; — Duomo square with: the Cathedral and its Greek columns; the Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia where Caravaggio‘s last painting is on display and the entrance to Ipogeo Piazza Duomo, nearby the Cathedral, a tunnel system leading to your next stop; — Fontana di Arethusa, one of three spots in Europe where papyrus grows, on your way to.. —Castello Maniace, the medieval fortress, in the very tip of Ortigia; —If you have the opportunity, Museo del Papiro Corrado Basile (Via Nizza, 14), a small very well organised and kept institution describing an important episode in Ortigia history.