| Syracuse | ||
 | ||
| Salutation | City of Archimedes | |
|---|---|---|
| State | Italy | |
| Region | Sicily | |
| Territory | Syracusan | |
| Inhabitants | 123.840 (2009) | |
| Name inhabitants | Syracusans | |
| Prefix tel | 39 0931 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 96100 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
| Patron | Saint Lucia | |
Position
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| Tourism site | ||
| Institutional website | ||
Syracuse is a coastal city of the Sicily, capital of the province of the same name.
To know
It is often appealed the city of myth, due to the rich mythological heritage that permeates the territory; legacy of its prestigious Greek past. It is also known as the city of Archimedes and of Santa Lucia; two of his most illustrious fellow citizens. Its inhabitants are nicknamed aretusei; from the name of the ancient Syracusan nymph who, according to Greek myth, lived in the fresh waters of the city. Syracuse is one of the oldest and main Sicilian tourism destinations.
Thanks to its numerous historical and artistic testimonies, Syracuse was soon included in the circuits of nascent tourism: it was already part of the Grand Tour; the first form of tourism created to allow young people Europeans aristocrats of the seventeenth century to come into contact with the most significant places in history (see Grand Tour in Syracuse).
In modern and contemporary times, Syracuse continued to be part of the main tourist itineraries of travelers in Sicily, even if it was penalized by a "hit-and-run" tourism, characterized by a mass influx that chose it for short or very short periods of stay, despite the fact that it has a vast cultural and naturalistic heritage. In 2005 UNESCO included Syracuse among the world heritage of humanity for "the exceptional stratification of different eras that testifies to the development of the most significant cultures of the Mediterranean over the course of three millennia».
The city is included in the UNESCO list together with Pantalica: important Syracusan site from the Bronze Age, known for its beehive-shaped necropolis. Syracuse is the capital of a territory full of history and significant testimonies: an ideal logistical base for an itinerary on the neighbors Iblei mountains (famous above all for the production of Hyblean honey, celebrated since ancient times, and for the Sicilian Baroque that in this territory finds its maximum concentration) or along its coast that between beaches and natural reserves reaches up to Chief Sparrow; the extreme southern tip of Sicily and Europe.
In 2015 the Scottish search engine Skyscanner entered the island of Syracuse, Ortigia, between "the islands in the most beautiful cities in the world", While in 2016 the ranking of the German platform Wimdu awarded Syracuse as"the friendliest city in Italy". In 2017, the search engine Trivago entered the city among «the 30 destinations in the world to visit"; in the same year Syracuse was chosen by Coca-cola to be "one of the 140 goals to win with his brand».
After being selected in 2012 by the US project IBM Smarter Cities Challenge together with 32 other cities in the world, Syracuse has taken on the title of first smart city 2.0 in Italy.
Geographical notes
Syracuse is located on the south-eastern side of Sicily. Its geography is very varied, within it rise hills of moderate heights, while two rivers lap the southwest side of the city. It mostly borders on the sea, which surrounds it in its almost totality. The coast, mostly rocky and indented, shows several headlands, bays, small islands and peninsulas.
The city develops partly on the island of Ortigia and partly on the mainland; a mainland that is still located on the largest island in the Mediterranean: Sicily. Precisely because of this geographical peculiarity, Syracuse is often referred to as an island within the island. The particular location has made it famous for its sunsets, thanks to the zenith points from which they are observed, they have been described over the millennia as among the most beautiful in the world.
The fresh waters of the city
Three rivers flow into the sea in the territory of the city of Syracuse: two of them rise on the southern border of the urban area and are the Ciane and theAnapo; the third river, the Cassibile, instead, flows near the southern hamlet of Syracuse, which takes its name from this river: the hamlet of Cassibile.
The waters of the Ciane flow from the source Ciane, which according to Greek mythology is the place where the god of the underworld Pluto sank into Hades with the goddess Persephone, lady of spring, whose disappearance cost Syracuse the wrath of the mother goddess Demeter. Ciane once flowed into the Ionian Sea with its own estuary; in modern times, however, the Syracusans have diverted its course by joining it with the Anapo. The Ciane of Syracuse is also known because it represents the colony of papyri largest in Europe and one of the few places in the world, apart from the Nile, where it grows luxuriant and abundant: according to scholars it was donated to Syracuse by the pharaohs ofEgypt Ptolemaic in the third century. BC, but according to the DNA analysis carried out on the papyrus it has grown at the gates of the city for a long time before; perhaps the legacy of an Egyptian dynasty older than the Ptolemaic one. The Ciane, whose sources are not far away, forms today the River Ciane and Saline Nature Reserve of Syracuse (once in fact Syracuse also produced salt) and is navigable with small boats, which is why it is fully part of the tourist itinerary that Syracuse offers.
Within the urban area, on the Temenite hill della Neapolis, stands between the quarries of the city cave of the Nymphaeum; for about 3,000 years the water of the Anapo river has been gushing inside thanks to the oldest Greek aqueduct in Sicily; the Galermi, which takes the waters of the Anapo directly from the source, near Pantalica, and brings them to Syracuse. The most famous source of the city is the one that flows on the island of Ortigia: the Arethusa source, linked to the myth of the Syracusan nymph and her beloved Alfeo; both turned into water; it is actually one of the numerous underground springs of the Syracusan aquifer and is separated from the salty sea only by a cliff today covered in masonry.
Overview of the Aretusian waterways:
The mouth of the Anapo overlooking the island of Ortigia
A stretch of the Ciane river
The Ciane source
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The Arethusa source
The outlet of the Galermi
The mouth of the Cassibile river
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The quarries and the coast
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Syracuse is geologically part of the Iblei mountains; to testify this there is its particular shell-shaped and carbonate stone, known as the "white stone of Syracuse», With a characteristic golden-yellow color, used by the first Greek inhabitants to build the city: the deep ones latomie - stone quarries - visible throughout the urban fabric are the result of those ancient excavations.
The Syracusan coast is mainly made up of low rocky cliffs, but it is also equipped with numerous sandy bays. The conformation of the coast determines the vast natural inlet within which the Porto Grande develops. About 1200 meters away from the southern tip of the Aretusea island, stands the promontory of the Maddalena peninsula, whose most extreme point is represented by the cliff of Capo Murro di Porco, in front of which extends theMarine Protected Area Plemmirio. The peninsula was also called an island (today's name given to one of its districts) since once the narrow strip of land that today connects it to the mainland was underwater. North of the city is the promontory of Santa Panagia. The city overlooks the Central Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by the Ionian Sea basin.
When to go
| Climate | gen | Feb | mar | apr | mag | down | Jul | needle | set | Oct | nov | dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum (° C) | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 25 | 20 | 17 |
| Minimum (° C) | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 75 | 53 | 46 | 35 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 45 | 106 | 62 | 86 |
The climate of Syracuse allows a tourist visit practically in every month of the year. Sunny days are the masters for almost the whole year. In summer, the maximum temperatures are ideal for swimming in the sea. The presence of high humidity levels, resulting from the immediate proximity to the sea, combined with high heat peaks, make it reach and sometimes exceed 40 ° C. In winter, minimum temperatures very rarely reach freezing point. However, the presence of high humidity values makes you feel colder. Snowfalls are rare (recently we remember the snowfalls of 2014 and 2016) while the rains, if sporadic in the summer, can become alluvial in the autumn.
Background
Archaeological excavations in the area have established that the area where Syracuse then rose was inhabited, without interruption, starting from the Neolithic period: the role of the so-called "Stentinello civilization", which takes its name from the coastal site to the north, is very significant. of Syracuse and whose finds date back to 6000 BC
The polis of Syracuse was founded in 733 BC. from Greek colonists coming from Corinth, which absorbed within them the already present population of the gods Sicilians, thus giving rise to the Sicelioti. The first part colonized by the Greeks was the island of Ortigia. Syracuse became powerful in a short time and began to found its first colonies on the Iblei: Acre, Casmene, Eloro, Kamarina. Its inhabitants handed it over to the tyrant Chill, which he transferred in 485 BC his court from Gela in Syracuse, inaugurating the long-lived tyranny of the Syracusans.
Among the numerous men who held the government of the pentapolis, six, more than all the others, distinguished themselves in the panorama of the ancient world for their ingenuity, fame and power: in addition to the aforementioned Gelone, they had a long life under the absolutist governments of Hieron I., Dionysius I, of Agatocle is Hieron II to which must be added the moderate oligarchic government of the Corinthian general Timoleon. They dominated a large part of Sicily, pushing the Syracusan presence within Magna Graecia, and extended the influence of the polis on the broad Mediterranean scenario, colonizing or creating strategic commercial ports, or even subduing the cities they encountered on their way. to take them away from the enemy. Greek Syracuse was the main rival of the Phoenician capital Carthage, which, occupying the western part of the island with its war and commercial activities, gave birth to Greco-Punic wars. These two influential metropolises, in a succession of peace treaties and outbreaks of new battles, animated the entire history of Sicily in a bloody way.
The city is also known for having defeated at the end of the 5th century BC. the Attic capital Athens, whose soldiers ended their days inside the Arethusean quarries. Later he arrived Plato to the court of the Dionysians, with the ambitious plan to make Syracuse the "ideal city" of his ideal Republic; an attempt finally failed due to the strong tyrannical power that permeated the polis. However, the passage of Plato in this territory was enough to create in modern scholars the suggestion that the famous story about Atlantis had been inspired by the Athenian philosopher from Syracuse.
In 212 BC the Romans laid siege to Syracuse: the city was defended at that time by the mathematical genius Archimedes. After years of siege due to internal treason, the doors were opened to the Roman legions and the city capitulated in the hands of the consul Marco Claudio Marcello. During the heat of the conquest a Roman soldier killed Archimedes. All the riches of Syracuse, accumulated over centuries of domination and prosperity, were plundered and transported to Rome.
Despite having lost its autonomy, Syracusee it remained the main hegemonic center of Sicily for the entire Roman period; the Syracusan province was established and the city was designated the capital of Roman Sicily. Guide, arriving there to counter the bad government of the praetor Verre, he described the city in detail, describing it as "the most beautiful and the largest Greek city"; the Roman emperor, August, he entitled the special room of his house to the city: a study in which he retired alone and which he used to call "his Syracuse".
Syracuse received the apostolic message very early: already in the year 61 the apostle arrived and stayed in the city for three days Paul of Tarsus, as the acts of the biblical apostles affirm. And according to tradition, whose sources date back to the seventh century, March of Antioch he was the proto-bishop of the city, sent directly from the apostle Peter to form the first Christian community of the West precisely in Syracuse shortly after the death of Christ: in the year 39 or 40; a Latin engraving on the walls of the former temple of Athena remembers him: Ecclesiam Syracusanam primam Divi Petri filiam (Syracusan church, first daughter of St. Peter).
The advent of Christianity gave birth to imposing catacombs in the city: those of Syracuse appear to be the largest in the world, together with those of Rome. During the empire of Diocletian, on 13 December 304, the martyrdom of Lucia from Syracuse; one of the most loved saints in Christianity.
With the barbarian invasions theWestern Roman Empire, and in the fifth century the city became part of theEastern Roman Empire dominated by the Byzantines. Due to a political design wanted by the Emperor Constant II, Syracuse became the capital of the empire from 663 to 668, until the assassination of Costante, which took place in the city. Syracuse was finally targeted by the Arabs: after a first assault, rejected, in 827, Syracuse fell in a definite way during the second bloody battle, which ended on May 21 of '878. All sorts of fortifications were destroyed, the city was set on fire, plentiful loot plundered by the conquerors inside. It was because of the Arabs that Syracuse lost the title of capital of Sicily. During the Arab decades Byzantium led by the emperor Michael IV tried to reconquer the city. The Byzantine general was sent to Sicily Giorgio Maniace (from him the well-known castle of Syracuse took its name), who in 1040 managed to take it. With the advent of the Normans Syracuse became a county, governed by its own count, in the figure of Giordano d'Altavilla, grandson of Ruggero d'Altavilla; became Grand Count of Sicily.
Restricted and inhabited only on the island of Ortigia, Syracuse saw the succession of other dominations, some completely unrelated to the rest of Sicily, such as the case of the dispute between the Maritime Republics of Genoa is Pisa, both wishing to take possession of Syracuse. To firmly bring the city back under the control of the Sicilian government was the king Frederick II of Swabia, who in 1234 declared it his urbs fidelissima. The Angevins and the revolt of the Sicilian Vespers followed, during which the city declared itself free municipality, until the advent of the Aragonese. In 1302 Syracuse became the seat of the queens of the Kingdom of Sicily, and from these it was ruled for a long time, through the institution of Reginale Room, until the city passed under the direct power of King Charles V. In 1492, with the Spanish edict, for which all Jews were expelled from Sicily, the Jewish community of Syracuse also disappeared, one of the oldest in Europe.
After the disastrous earthquake of 1693, the city had to be rebuilt, which was done by adopting the Baroque style which in Syracuse had notable flourishing. With the Treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, Spain renounced Sicily, which passed to the Savoy, who had to renounce it due to the Hague Treaty. They were replaced by the Austrians, and Syracuse became a stronghold of the Habsburgs. In 1734 the Bourbon era began. In 1798 the British admiral landed at the port of Syracuse Horace Nelson, headed to Egypt to face Napoleon Bonaparte.
The last Bourbon decades were difficult for Syracuse; following a revolution carried out against the Bourbons by the Syracusan revolutionaries, the Ferdinand II of Bourbon he downgraded the city, removing the title of capital and assigning it to the Hyblean town of Known. During 1848, the year known as the spring of the peoples, Syracuse asked and obtained from the new Sicilian government to be able to regain the title of capital; restitution that became definitive with the advent of the unification of Italy.
In the Italian colonial war and in the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, Syracuse assumed an important role, being its geographical position predisposed to the route between theItaly and theAfrica. Off the coast of the city, in 1941, the sinking of the ocean liner took place Count Rosso, which caused a very serious number of victims. Syracuse was occupied by the Allies on 9 July 1943, through theLadbroke operation. On 3 September 1943, near Cassibile, thearmistice between Italy and the Allies. Later the Syracuse War Cemetery, for the fallen British. 1953 was an important year for Syracuse, as the tearing of a Marian effigy took place inside it, an event that the church declared miraculous; effigy nowadays kept inside the sanctuary dedicated to it.
Between the end of the 1950s and the end of the 1970s, the Syracusan petrochemical center, which was counted among the largest petrochemical poles in Europe. This was not without social repercussions: as regards the territories of Syracuse, the industry affected the bay of Santa Panagia, the Targia district and the village of Priolo Gargallo, which becoming an industrial center, churches and obtained independence from Syracuse in 1979. The industries came to touch the northern entrance of the city. In addition to economic wealth, the pole led to the disfigurement and pollution of the surrounding environment.
In 1990 a violent earthquake, known as Santa Lucia, as it happened on December 13, caused extensive damage to the city and a lot of controversy due to the institutional silence that followed. On 5 and 6 November 1994 Pope John Paul II came to town to inaugurate the sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears, and for the occasion gave a speech to the citizens.
How to orient yourself
Syracuse: full screen map.The historic core of the city is undoubtedly the island of Ortigia where most of the monuments and accommodation facilities are concentrated. It is connected to the mainland through important roads such as Corso Umberto I (in an east-west direction) and Corso Gelone (in a north-south direction). The city of Syracuse in ancient times was divided into 5 fortified city-neighborhoods, which together formed the pentapolis largest in the Greek world. Currently the municipality has taken the 5 ancient names and divided the city into 9 districts; each of them has its own tourist attractions which often differ from each other.
Neighborhoods
Bordering Ortigia are the nineteenth-century districts of Saint Lucia (at the Piazza Santa Lucia) e Neapolis where is the Archaeological Park with the Greek theater. North of Santa Lucia is located Grottasanta where are the latomie of the Capuchins. Following the modern district of Akradina identifiable with the northern section of the cycle path up to park of the Balza Akradina. Following Tics which ends with the northern section of the Dionysian walls and the Scala Greca avenue. Epipolis represents a suburb with the so-called Villaggio Miano and the Euryalus Castle.
The territory of the city is vast and also includes two hamlets: Belvedere located at the highest point of the city. It is a few kilometers from the city center and shares the presence of the Eurialo castle with the Epipolis. Cassibile it is a reality totally detached from Syracuse. Note for the historic signature ofarmistice which sanctioned the exit of Italy from the alliance with Nazi Germany and the agreement with the Anglo-American allies (in reality the signature takes place about three km from the hamlet; in the district of Santa Teresa Longarini of Syracuse), Cassibile takes its name from the homonymous river which, coming from the Iblei, laps it on its south side. Location suitable for a seaside and naturalistic stay. Cassibile embraces the Syracusan seaside districts of Ognina is White Fountains
Conventionally the city has been divided into two areas:
How to get
By plane
The airports of eastern Sicily are:
- Catania-Fontanarossa Airport - with domestic flights to all Italian cities, and flights to the main European destinations and various international locations.
- Comiso airport - It mostly carries out seasonal, charter and low cost airlines flights to some Italian and European cities.
By car
- From the north on the highway
exiting at the interchange Syracuse center. - From the south on the highway
exiting at the interchange Syracuse center. - From Palazzolo Acreide you arrive via the
- From Floridia with the
exiting at the interchange Syracuse center.
exiting at the interchange Syracuse center.
Although not fully operational at the Grand Port, the services for the docking of cruise ships have been activated, with the aim of restoring ferries to Malta.
The city is equipped with a series of landings for boats of different draft:
1 Marina landing (Public service), Great port, Ortigia. It is the most famous landing place in the city, suitable for large and medium-sized yachts.- 2 Marina yatching (Private service), Pier Zanagora, Porto Grande, Ortigia, ☎ 39 3341795479, @[email protected]. 150 berths with depths from 7 to 10 meters.
- 3 The blue aster, Via La Maddalena, 49, ☎ 393913006051, 393387232691, @[email protected]. Landing in the Isola district on floating platforms. It also organizes port excursions and boat taxi service.
On the train
4 Central Syracuse, Station Square. 
Timetable. The station has:
Ticket office at the counter, 
Automatic ticket office, 
Waiting room, 
Toilet, 
Cafe, 
Restaurant, 
Tourist information office, 
Railway Police Station.- Going out in the open space of the station, on the left there is a bar that also carries out the luggage storage.
Ticket office at the counter, 
Automatic ticket office, 
Waiting room, 
Toilet, 
Cafe, 
Restaurant, 
Tourist information office, 
Railway Police Station.
- 5 Fontane Bianche station, via delle Muse. Open only in the summer. Station of the homonymous seaside resort 700 m from the first beach. There are no buses to reach it.
By bus
6 Extra-urban bus terminal, Via Rubino, ☎ 39 0931 66710, 39 0935 22460, 39 091 345791 (numbers for Interbus), 39 06164160 (Buscenter). Departures to and from Catania, Palermo, Ragusa, Modica, Known, Avola, Pachino is Portopalo through the company Interbus or AST from Noto e Sortino. The company Buscenter connects with various cities of the Puglia, with Naples is Rome.
- The Interbus ticket office is located at the terminal. The indication of the stop of the individual buses may not be clearly indicated. It is advisable to ask passengers or drivers where to wait for the bus.
| Streets that pass through Syracuse |
| Catania ← Lentini ← Augusta ← | No.  S. | → Known → Modica → Ragusa |
| Catania ← | No.  S. | → Rosolini |
| Palazzolo Acreide ← Canicattini Bagni ← | OR  IS | → end |
| Caltagirone ← Grammichele ← Vizzini ← Palazzolo Acreide ← | OR  IS | → end |
How to get around
By public transport
The city is served by two different bus transport companies, the AST owned by the Sicily region and the electric shuttles of the Municipality of Syracuse. The latter were created to facilitate the circulation of vehicles in the historic center and in the nerve centers of the city.
- Electric buses, Via Rhodes.
1 € 90-minute ride. Mon-Thu 7: 00-22: 00, Fri-Sun 7: 00-2: 00. Approximately every 20 minutes. There is only one circular line that serves the main points of the city. Further information can be found here. - The service performed by the AST it covers all other routes, however waiting times discourage use. Therefore we advise the tourist not to take it into consideration. If you are forced to use it, know that bus timetables and bus stop numbers are rarely posted. The best suggestion, besides asking for information, is to use the app Moovit which suggests timetables and rides in the city.
1 € 90-minute ride. A valid alternative for travel is the service 'Syracuse Open Tour which combines the possibility of having explanations on the monuments to the fact of being able to take buses in the course of 24 hours at each scheduled stop, overcoming the problems of public transport.
On a boat
Give it 7 disembarked from Santa Lucia up to the island of Ortigia there is a boat service that allows you to overcome the problem of parking and traffic. The service is carried out during the day and is organized very "in a good way". At the boarding point you will find a sign "Boat service" and a table to pay for the ticket.
By taxi
Although there is a taxi service in various parts of the city, it can be quite expensive. Here are the points where you can find them:
8 Taxi rank Piazza Pancali, Piazza Pancali.- 9 Taxi station station, station square.
- 10 Gelone taxi point, via Ticino.
The service is rather convenient Experience Ortigia and its surroundings active on weekends which involves a step in shared taxi for € 2 (if the seats are filled, 8 € in total with fewer people) up to Ortigia and from different points of the city. The service is active from 20 to 03. Taxis can be booked by calling 39 09311795, or 39 093164323 and 39 093160980 for individuals. From Ortigia there is only one meeting point in Piazza Archimede which allows you to return to the starting point at the end of the evening. Here are the points where you can get it: 11 Sgarlata square, 12 Avenue Tunis, 13 Via Piazza Armerina, 14 Viale Santa Panagia, 15 Adda Square is 16 Parking von Platen.
By car
It is the most used means of transport in the city and for this reason it can be difficult to move from one part of the city to another during peak times. However, it remains the simplest means given the shortcomings of public services.
In Ortigia there is, especially on weekends and holidays LTZ. The times and methods are often changed, however the access limitation is indicated by luminous signs. The access routes are at the entrance to the 17 Santa Lucia bridge and at the beginning of 18 via Vittorio Veneto. When the ZTL is active, the camera service reveals the license plate triggering the fines. The only free area of Ortigia are the Umbertino Bridge with access to the Talete car park.
Parking lots
In the city, the paid blue stripes are in force, managed automatically via smartphone app or sms with EasyparkThe main paid parking lots are located both on the island of Ortigia and on the mainland.
In Ortigia:
19 Thales parking, eastern seafront, ☎ 39 0931 463289. First hour € 0.50, from the second hour € 0.50 every half hour. 00:00-24:00. The hourly payment is the same as for the blue lines with Easypark.- 20 Marina parking, Viale Mazzini, ☎ 39 09311853510, 39 3895974843. € 2 per hour. 00:00-24:00. Manned parking
Outside Ortigia:
- 21 Molo Sant'Antonio parking, via Benghazi, ☎ 39 0931 463289. € 1 per hour. 00:00-24:00. The hourly payment is the same as for the blue lines with Easypark.
- 22 Von Platen car park, via Von Platen, 38, ☎ 39 0931 66102. 00:00-24:00. Parking also suitable for buses and campers. There are also services for campers.
- 23 Paradise parking, Via Giuseppe Agnello, 1, ☎ 39 366 2683199, 39 329 9666312. Car: € 3, 7/8 seater car: € 4, Motorbike: € 3, Camper: starting from € 5. 08:00-20:00. Parking in front of the Archaeological Park of Neapolis
By bike
Although the city is not equipped with adequate cycle paths that allow a quick safe movement from one point to another, the use of the bike is quite widespread especially in tourist areas.
There are several bike rental shops.
- 1 Syracuse tour bike, Via della Dogana, 2, @[email protected]. Mon-Sun 9: 30-19: 00. Bike rent.
What see
Property listings can be found in individual articles urban districts.
Most of the monuments are concentrated in Ortigia with its churches, alleys and views of the harbor and the sea. Don't miss the Temple of Apollo and the Duomo, the first a clearly visible Greek temple, the second a church built on a Greek temple. The other monuments of the Greek era are visible at the Archaeological Park of Neapolis where there is also the famous Greek theater and the Roman amphitheater. But there is also the interesting Euryalus Castle, the only example of a Greek fortress still perfectly legible.
The Archaeological Museum (among the largest of its kind in Italy) and the Bellomo Museum, and for the curious also the Papyrus Museum of which the city boasts a certain tradition. The city also has a Christian tradition with many churches, the modern Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears and the latomie which form the backdrop to the unmissable painting by CaravaggioThe burial of Saint Lucia.
The splendid setting of Piazza Duomo in Ortigia.
Events and parties
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- Classical representations (INDA), Greek Theater of Syracuse, ☎ 39 0931 487248, ☎800 542644, @[email protected]. 35-65€. Around 19:00. From mid-May to early July. The tradition of Syracusan tragedies begins in 1914 and has seen the most important Italian theater directors and actors tread the stage. The bill includes the alternation of two tragedies and a comedy.
- Saint Lucia of the quails, Piazza Duomo. First Sunday of May. Religious festival that recalls the memory of a miraculous event during a famine that the city suffered in the seventeenth century. The arrival of a ship in the port saved the city from starvation. For the occasion, quails are released in one of the balconies of Piazza Duomo.
- Strawberry Festival, In Cassibile. a weekend in April or May. Festival dedicated to the sale and tasting of strawberries.
- Ortigia Film Festival. In July. Annual summer film festival. It takes place in via Minerva and in the neighboring places of Ortigia.
- Archimedean feasts. In July. Events and shows in honor of Archimedes.
- Ortigia Sound System Festival. In July. Events and musical performances.
- LatomiArte, Latomia dei Cappuccini. In summer. Cultural events at the latomie.
_05.jpg/150px-Feast_of_the_Assumption_of_Mary_(Syracuse)_05.jpg)
- Feast of the Assumption. August 15th in the late afternoon. Procession of the Madonna dell'Assunta in the streets of Ortigia, then the fercolo is placed on a boat that goes around the Porto Grande.
- Palio of the sea. mid-August. The Palio is a regatta between rowing boats around the island of Ortigia. Competing for the race are rowers among the historic districts of the city. The event takes place every year.
- Strepitus silentii, Catacombs, ☎ 39 0931 64694, @[email protected]. 10€. August September. Theatrical visits of the catacombs of Syracuse organized by the Kairos association.
Procession for the feast of Saint Lucia - Feast of the Immaculate Conception. December 8.
- Feast of Saint Lucia. 13 December at 2 pm. The most important religious event in the city. The procession begins in the cathedral and ends at the Church of Santa Lucia fuori le mura in Piazza Santa Lucia della Borgata. At the arrival of the fercolo there are fireworks.
- Octave of Santa Lucia. December 20, 4 pm. After eight days the fercolo returns in procession to the Duomo, concluding the celebrations.
- New Year's party. December 31st. Festa in piazza Duomo con musica.
What to do
Gli elenchi delle strutture possono essere trovati negli articoli dei singoli distretti urbani.
Escursioni e gite
- 2 Visite guidate Hermes Sicily (Hermes Sicily Guides), Via Trento, 7, ☎ 39 346 5787561, @[email protected]. Infopoint turistico e prenotazione visite guidate individuali e di gruppo a Siracusa e dintorni.
- 3 Siracusa open tour, Via Rodi, ☎ 39 0931 959912. 4,10€. 9:00-19:00 ogni ora. Giro turistico della città in 16 fermate con partenza ogni ora dal terminal di via Rodi (presso il parcheggio Sant'Antonio).
- 4 Natura Sicula, piazza S. Lucia 24/C-D, ☎ 39 3387799417, 39 3288857092, @[email protected]. Mer 18:30-20:00. Associazione naturalistica, organizza escursioni tutti i weekend in aree naturali e archeologiche della provincia di Siracusa.
- 5 Tecnoparco Archimede, Viale Giuseppe Agnello, 26 (Di fronte all'ingresso sud del parco Archeologico della Neapolis), ☎ 39 0931758807, 39 3474826670, 39 3936252963, fax: 39 0931411430. 4-6 €. Lun-Dom su prenotazione. Marzo-ottobre: 9:30-18:30; novembre-febbraio Lun-Ven 9:30-13:30, Sab-Dom 9:30-17:00. Parco con la ricostruzione delle macchine da guerra e delle invenzioni di Archimede.
- 6 Aretusa Park, Contrada Spalla Melilli, ☎ 39 0931 765559, @[email protected]. 13-18€. 9:30-18:30. Acquapark con scivoli e attrazioni estive.
- 7 Escursioni in barca sul Ciane (via Elorina, uscendo da Siracusa superati i ponti dei fiumi Anapo e Ciane sulla sinistra). 10€ circa. Escursione con barca a motore risalendo il fiume Ciane.
- Treno del barocco, Stazione di Siracusa, ☎ 39 3138719696, @[email protected]. adulto 20€, ragazzi 10€. summer. Viaggio su carrozze anni '30 tra Siracusa-Noto-Scicli-Modica e Ragusa. Il percorso è di andata e ritorno in giornata con tour delle città.
Parchi e aree naturali
- Pista ciclabile Rossana Maiorca — Suggestiva pista ciclabile lungo la scogliera orientale della città. Ideale per passeggiate in bici o escursioni lungo la costa alla scoperta di tratti delle mura dionigiane.
- 8 Foro Siracusano. Parco cittadino con alberi secolari e antico foro romano della città. All'interno sono visibili delle colonne che ne testimoniano l'aspetto storico.
- Riserva naturale Fiume Ciane e Saline di Siracusa — Riserva naturale a pochi chilometri dalla città. Luogo di tranquillità, ottimo per passeggiate, escursioni in mountain bike lungo il percorso e giri in canoa o in barca per vedere le rigogliose piante di papiro.
- Area marina protetta Plemmirio — Il promontorio del Plemmirio a sud di Siracusa dal 2004 è stato trasformato in Area Marina protetta. L'intera zona è soggetta a restrizioni e autorizzazioni, tuttavia per il semplice turista è un bel luogo dove ammirare il panorama della città nonché per fare il bagno. I punti di accesso al mare sono diversi e segnalati da apposita cartellonistica. Il punto più famoso e paesaggisticamente il più bello è quello di Punta della Mola o "Pillirina" (nel segnaposto è indicato proprio questo punto), un golfetto roccioso tra i ruderi di un'ex area militare in disuso. L'area inoltre si presta alla possibilità di escursioni lungo la scogliera a piedi o in bicicletta.
Shopping
Gli elenchi delle strutture possono essere trovati negli articoli dei singoli distretti urbani.
Ortigia è piena di negozi di souvenir o di piccolo artigianato creativo, mentre la restante parte della città, soprattutto Corso Gelone e Corso Umberto presentano molti negozi che variano dall'abbigliamento ai gioielli.
Il mercato storico e principale della città di Siracusa si trova in Ortigia. L'altro mercato quotidiano è sito in via Giarre. In piazza Marcello Sgarlata ogni mercoledì, si tiene una grande fiera che attira in città commercianti provenienti anche da Catania.
How to have fun
Gli elenchi delle strutture possono essere trovati negli articoli dei singoli distretti urbani.
| La leggenda delle sorelle callipigie |
Una delle leggende antiche della città, riportata nelle fonti antiche, è la leggenda delle sorelle callipigie (che in greco significa dal bel fondoschiena). Due sorelle siracusane si misero in gara per stabilire quale delle due fosse la più bella. A giudicarle vi fu un giovane che dichiarò vincitrice la sorella maggiore, di cui s'innamorò. La fanciulla più giovane invece si fidanzò con il fratello del giovane giudice. Le due sorelle, poi, per ringraziare la dea dell'Amore fondarono un tempio dedicato ad Afrodite Callipigia. Presso il museo archeologico è visibile una statua greca ritrovata nell'Ottocento dedicata proprio ad Afrodite Callipigia la cosiddetta Venere Landolina. |
La zona in cui si concentrano i migliori locali è certamente Ortigia, ma negli ultimi anni anche la via Cairoli con la restante parte della zona di Corso Umberto è piena di pub e luoghi dove trascorrere la serata.
I cinema sono tutti fuori dal centro.
Where to eat
Gli elenchi delle strutture possono essere trovati negli articoli dei singoli distretti urbani.
Le zone dove è più facile trovare un luogo dove mangiare sono indubbiamente Ortigia dove c'è un'ampia scelta ma con prezzi spesso turistici e qualità variabile. Mentre nella zona di Corso Umberto e nelle vie Cairoli e Bengasi si trovano diversi locali.
Nella zona alta della città i locali sono più rari ma certamente meno turistici.
Nei mesi di ottobre e novembre c'è la tradizione di cucinare le zeppole una palla fritta accompagnata con zucchero ma anche con nutella, ricotta o pistacchio al suo interno. La tradizione si lega al giorno di S. Martino ma ormai è diffusa in un periodo più ampio. Per l'occasione presso le famiglie più tradizionali si preparano a casa ma negli ultimi anni bar e forni preparano presso chioschi le zeppole da asporto.
Where stay
Gli elenchi delle strutture possono essere trovati negli articoli dei singoli distretti urbani.
Ortigia è certamente la zona con più alta concentrazione di strutture ricettive ma anche quella con prezzi maggiori. Buone opportunità di alloggio possono essere trovate nella zona di Corso Gelone e alla Borgata dove vi sono molti B&B.
Safety
La città è sostanzialmente sicura anche di notte. Sono rari i casi di scippo e rapina persino in spiaggia o nei solarium. Per il resto valgono le consuete norme di cautela.
Particolarmente odioso è il fenomeno dei parcheggiatori abusivi che, specie in Ortigia, è diffuso in tutti i parcheggi liberi dell'isola. In genere è sufficiente dire che la mancia verrà data al ritorno per evitare l'obolo. Altra zona è in corrispondenza delle strisce blu all'ingresso del Teatro Greco. Qui i parcheggiatori si mostrano come dei venditori ufficiali con fascia catarifrangente. In realtà sono degli abusivi. Per questa ragione si suggerisce di acquistare i biglietti regolari presso i chioschi accanto alla biglietteria del Teatro Greco o utilizzare il sistema EasyPark.
Da prestare particolare attenzione al traffico veicolare. Spesso gli automobilisti non rispettano le norme del codice della strada, soprattutto negli attraversamenti pedonali non danno la precedenza. Inoltre manca spesso la segnaletica orizzontale, ciò determina confusione nella guida e il fenomeno del "parcheggio creativo" con auto in doppia fila e soste che rallentano il traffico.
Forze dell'ordine
24 Polizia Municipale di Siracusa (Traffic wardens), Via Molo, 2, ☎ 39 0931462644, 39 093146264445, 39 0931451174 (Sala controllo Z.T.L), ☎800632328, fax: 39 093122117, @[email protected]. Può anche succedere che il comando non risponda al telefono, in questi casi si consiglia di andare direttamente presso la sede negli orari previsti.
25 Questura di Siracusa (Polizia di Stato), Viale Scala Greca, 248b, ☎ 39 0931495111, fax: 39 0931495777. Denunce e segnalazioni.
26 Carabinieri, Comando Provinciale di Siracusa, Viale Tica, 149. Denunce e segnalazioni.
- 27 Carabinieri, Comando Stazione di Ortigia, 6 Piazza S. Giuseppe, ☎ 39 0931 65176. Sede di Ortigia.
Consulates
28 Consolato turco, Corso Matteotti, 86, ☎ 39 3289059470. Lun-Ven 9:00-12:00, Mar 15:30-17:00.
29 Consolato di Malta, Viale Giuseppe Mazzini, 8, ☎ 39 0931483681.
30 Consolato di Francia, Piazza della Repubblica, 11 (Presso agenzia viaggi Conigliaro), ☎ 39 0931 463909, fax: 39 0931 69 117, @[email protected].
How to keep in touch
Post office
Esistono diversi uffici postali per l'invio di posta. Per individuarli è sufficiente andare presso il sito di Poste italiane. Presso i tabacchini possono essere trovati i francobolli per eventuale invio di lettere e cartoline.
Internet
Tutte le strutture ricettive offrono connessione a internet. Inoltre sono presenti molti locali che forniscono una connessione internet wi-fi gratuita. In Ortigia inoltre vi è un sistema wi-fi comunale gratuito. Maggiori informazioni possono essere lette here.
Keep informed
L'informazione quotidiana
Su Siracusa operano diverse testate online che riportano notizie sulla città e la provincia:
In edizione cartacea è possibile acquistare: La Sicilia (edizione di Siracusa), Il giornale di Sicilia (edizione di Siracusa), La Civetta di Minerva (quindicinnale di critica politica locale)
Around
| Nei Paraggi | ||
| Priolo Gargallo 14 km | Augusta 30 km | Corfù 493 km |
| Palazzolo Acreide 40 km |  | Athens 750 km |
| Avola 24 km, Known 33 km | Misurata 524 km | Bengasi 703 km |
In provincia di Siracusa e nei dintorni della città vi sono diversi luoghi adatti all'escursionismo naturalistico e archeologico. Tuttavia bisogna sempre considerare la necessità di avere un'automobile perché i mezzi di trasporto sono poco presenti se non assenti come per alcune località.
Da non perdere una visita a Known, Palazzolo Acreide is Ferla per ammirare il barocco delle chiese e dei palazzi.
Per le escursioni e l'esplorazione archeologica sono da ricordare Pantalica, Thapsos, the Riserva naturale orientata Cavagrande del Cassibile is Cava d'Ispica. Ben più agevoli i siti della Villa romana del Tellaro con i suoi mosaici e Megara Hyblaea.
Itineraries
- L'itinerario delle spiagge prevede un spostamento verso sud, dove si segnalano le spiagge dell'Arenella e Fontane Bianche o quella rocciosa di Ognina. Si prosegue con la costa di Avola e Marina di Noto. Ancora più a sud non si può perdere un bagno a Vendicari, Marzamemi is Portopalo. Da non perdere un bagno nella spiaggia di Isola delle Correnti e Carratois.
- Inspector Montalbano's itinerary - Si svolge prevalentemente nei paesi della Provincia di Ragusa.
Useful information
Prima di partire si suggerisce di scaricare l'app gratuita Izi.Travel in cui sono presenti molte audioguide gratuite sulla città e i suoi monumenti. Inoltre è possibile visualizzare i principali monumenti di Ortigia ricostruiti in 3D per come erano un tempo tramite un'app apposita.
Uffici turistici
31 Comune di Siracusa - Ufficio Turismo, Via Mirabella, 29 (centro città), ☎ 39 0931 464657, 39 0931 451111.- 32 Ufficio Turistico Provinciale, via Roma 31, ☎ 39 800055500, @[email protected]. Lun-Dom 08:00-20:00, Dom e festivi 09:30-18:30.
- 33 Servizio Turistico Regionale, Via Maestranza, 33 (centro città), ☎ 39 0931 65201, 39 0931 464255.
- 34 Comune di Siracusa - Cosa visitare, Via san Metodio,38 (Neapolis), ☎ 39 0931 441772, ☎ 39 800299507, fax: 39 0931 419731, @[email protected]. Sportello informazioni del comune di Siracusa
