Beauties of Siracusa
- 1 day
- 4,6 Km
- Easy
If you visit Siracusa for the first time or you want to spend a weekend or are looking for a great day trip to remember, this is the perfect tour to discover the city.
A tour through the most representative places, listening to legends and seeing ancient temples, magical fountains and wonderful churches. From the Temple of Apollo to the Greek Theatre passing by the Bellomo Museum, that is home to the great work of art by Antonello da Messina: “L’Annunciazione” (Annunciation).
Apollo’s temple
It is the oldest Doric stone temple in Sicily. Dating back to the sixth century BC., it underwent various transformations starting from the Byzantine period. It was first turned into a Christian basilica, then into a mosque by the Arabs and again in a Christian …
Archimede square
At the center of the square stands the beautiful fountain of Diana of the sculptor Giulio Moschetti of 1906 which tells the legend of Arethusa. The nymph is portrayed in the act of fleeing from Alpheus who, with his outstretched arms, tries to grab her. …
Cathedral of Siracusa
The Doric temple was built in the fifth century BC. by the tyrant Gelone following the victory against the Carthaginians in the battle of Imera. The Athenaion was hexastyle (six columns in front), periptero (columns surrounded the cell on all four sides), with 14 columns …
Palace Vermexio or of Senate
The palace Vermexio also called Palace of the Senate (1629 – 1633) was commissioned by the city government to the architect John Vermexio to replace the ancient headquarters of the Chamber Reginale of Syracuse. The building then became the government building of the city until …
Church of Saint Lucia alla Badia
The Church and the Cistercian convent dedicated to St. Lucia had a prominent place in Syracuse, because of its location in the heart of Ortigia and especially for the feast of St. Lucia in May, established in memory of a miracle of the Patron Saint …
Fonte Aretusa
The legend tells that river god Alpheus fell in love with Arethusa, nymph of Artemis, and he tried to seduce her in every way. Aretusa invoked the intervention of the goddess that turned her into a spring. Sank beneath the Ionian, Aretusa was to lead …
Regional Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo
The Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo, museum of medieval and modern art, is located next to the church of St Benedict in the historic center of Ortigia, near the fountain Arethusa. It was inaugurated in 1948 with a first museological arrangement, but only in the seventies …
Maniace’s Castle
In front of the mythical Fonte Aretusa, we can see the imposing Maniace’s Castle, on the extreme tip of the island. The building is among the most important monuments of the Swabian period, and certainly the one that still sees formulated as many conjectures. The …
Greek Theatre
The Greek Theatre is the largest example of theater architecture of the Greek West. It has the peculiarity of being almost entirely carved in stone. In addition to the performances, as the ancient Greeks used to do, the theater was used for popular assemblies. After …