Syracuse – Italy
Birthplace of Archimedes
Visiting the east coast of Sicily could not be completed without a trip to Syracuse, one of the most historic places on the island. The most important ancient city of Magna Graecia rivalling no other than Athens, and described by Cicero as the most beautiful of them all. And although there’s no much left from its glorious past likewise other places such as Agrigento with the impressive valley of the Temples, there’s a large archaeological site northwest from the old town Ortygia Island. As for the quality of the remains, it will be totally down to you should you wish to enter the archaeological park. I would only recommend it if you have enough time in your stay as otherwise the city itself is definitely much more worth it. For amphitheatres, temples, buildings and monuments you have better preserved elsewhere in Sicily. Nevertheless, there are several unique sites such as the tomb of one of the most celebrated mathematician and natural philosopher from antiquity, Archimedes.
We came to Syracuse from Catania, our base city for these three days trip to the east coast of Sicily. It’s merely 45 minutes to the south either by railway, bus or car. Smaller than Catania, it is perfect to spend the day without any rush, without the need to start the day too early nor finishing too late; still, with that many places and smaller villages nearby so truly worth sightseeing, it can be challenging to properly plan the most optimal route unless of course, coming for longer holidays. In the other hand, what relates to walking through every corner of the historic city and various farther sights, a day is good enough considering the short distances needing to be walked.
Through its rich history, you can admire sights from all eras since its foundation back in 734 BC by Greeks settlers from Corinth, its Classical and Hellenistic periods, Roman, Byzantine, Norman, Medieval, Baroque and modern days. No wonder the UNESCO has listed the entire city and its Necropolis of Pantalica a World Heritage Site. Pretty much the same legacy as anywhere else in Sicily yet in a smaller scale. Syracuse is the 4th largest city on the island behind Palermo, Catania and Messina. (more…)