Siracusa

Located near the southeastern corner of Sicily on the Ionian coast, Siracusa is built on an ancient Greek settlement founded by Corinthians in 734 BC. It shows a visible continuity from its ancient Greek past, both historical and mythological. Its older quarter is an island, Ortigia. Syracuse was the city of Archimedes , Pindar and Aeschylus. It was the most important city in Magna Graecia, with a population of around 300,000, and for a time rivaled Athens as the most important city of the Greek world.

Located in Ortigia  the Temple of Apollo , or Artemis, is probably the oldest Greek temple in Sicily built in the Doric style, it dates from around 565 BC.

In piazza Duomo, the 5th century BC temple known as the Athenaion (and also part of the Temple of Minerva ) forms a side of the Cathedral. This is one of the few surviving examples in the former Magna Graecia of a temple being turned into a church.

Closer to the Sea, the Spring of Arethusa, which takes the form of a large round fountain.

Among Ortigia's medieval relics is Maniaces Castle. Most of the medieval structure was actually built during the reign of Frederick II two centuries later, though the fortress has been extensively modified in successive centuries.

The city's patron saint, Santa Lucia, was martyred near the site of the church of that name in 304 AD . The church itself was built during the Byzantine era, restructured by the Normans during the 12th century, but modified almost beyond recognition in the 17th century. Beneath the church are extensive catacombs.

In the Neapolis Archeological Park, Siracusa has a Greek amphitheatre (literally carved out of the rock) and also a Roman one. This archeological park has some charming surprises, such as the Altar of Geron II and the Ear of Dionysius, formerly a limestone quarry.

There's no shortage of good restaurants and shops in Siracusa, and there are splendid beaches nearby (South).

Pantalica

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