Are you planning to visit Sicily this year? You should definitely add Syracuse (Siracusa in Italian) to your must-see list. In this post you’ll find all the best things to do in Syracuse, Sicily.
Syracuse is one of the best historical sites in all of Sicily. It was an important Greek city, in fact one of the key strategic ports in the Mediterranean.
But Syracuse is more than just the ancient Greek ruins. you’ll find a lively medieval city centre here, great markets, and a lively waterfront with bars and restaurants. And just inland is one of the best hikes in all of Sicily!
We visited Syracuse in December 2024 – right at Christmas – and we found a charming town with friendly locals and plenty to see and do.
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Best things to do in Syracuse, Sicily
There are two main areas of interest in Syracuse (well, three if you count the beaches). Firstly, there’s the island of Ortigia, and secondly the mainland, where you’ll find the older archaeological ruins.
Island of Ortigia
Old Market of Syracuse
The street market in Ortigia has been operating for centuries. The market is relatively small (especially if you’ve been to the Palermo markets!). You’ll find a good range of fruit and vegetables, fish and meat here.
It’s always fun to walk through these markets and listen to the stall-holders shouting out.
Temple of Apollo
Just in front of the market, you’ll find the ruins of the Temple of Apollo. This temple dates back to the 6th century BC – it was one of the first temples the Greeks built when they settled in the area.
The temple had a varied history, becoming a Christian Church in the 6th century AD, a mosque under the Arabs in the 9th century, and then a Christian Church again after the Normans expelled the Arabs in the 11th century.
In the 16th century the building was used as barracks by the Spanish, and later parts of it were even private houses!
Since the early 20th century, the ruins of the temple have stood as they are now, unobstructed in the city centre for all to admire.
Cathedral of Syracuse
After wandering through the narrow alleyways that make up Ortigia, you will arrive at a beautiful square lined with baroque buildings. The most impressive is the Cathedral of Syracuse.
The current façade of the cathedral was designed by Andrea Palma in the mid 18th century, but the church itself was built over the ancient Temple of Athena. You can still see some of the columns of this 5th century BC temple on the walls of the cathedral. The columns are visible both inside and outside.
Like many of the churches in Sicily, you’ll see both Arab and Norman influences here too. On the right hand side of the cathedral, stop at the Chapel of Santa Lucia. St Lucy was martyred by the Romans in the 3rd century AD and is now the Patron Saint of Syracuse.
Church of the Burial of St Lucy
This former church (now deconsecrated) is most famous for housing Caravaggio’s painting The Burial of St Lucy. The painting has been removed to another church in Syracuse and there is now a copy on display here.
Fountain of Arethusa
Not so much a fountain, more of a pool! We were kind of unimpressed by this “fountain”. It is actually a freshwater spring, right near the ocean. The story behind it is that this is where the nymph Arethusa appeared after escaping the underworld.
Perhaps more interesting is that this is one of only three places in Europe where papyrus grows.
Lungomare Alfeo
From the Fountain of Arethusa, you’ll find a pleasant waterfront area with bars and restaurants. This is a great place to grab and aperitivo and enjoy the sunset over the water.
Castell Maniace
Right at the tip of Ortigia Island you’ll find the Castell Maniace. This fortress was constructed in the 13th century by the Emperor Frederick II, over an earlier fort dating back to the 10th century.
To be honest, there’s not a lot to see here, and even less in the way of explanation. BUT, we did think it was a really cool place to explore – especially looking out the gun turrets to the water.
It’s a great place for photography, and if you’re travelling around Sicily with kids, this would be a great place for them to explore, or play hide-and-seek. Admission is €5 for adults and €2 for kids.
Neapolis Archaeological Park
This sprawling complex of ancient monuments is one of the largest in all of Sicily. The site is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica.
You could easily spend half a day here wandering around. Don’t worry, there’s a café inside should you need refreshments while you wander!
NOTE: When we visited Syracuse in December 2024, there was a large sculpture exhibition by the Polish artist Igor Mitarej – you’ll see these sculptures in many of our photos.
Latomie del Paradiso
We began our walk through the Latomie del Paradiso, with paths winding through the cliffs, caves and orange groves. This area was once used as a prison, and the stone was quarried to build many of the nearby monuments.
Ear of Dionysius
This artificial cave is said to resemble the shape of an inner ear canal. It’s famed for its acoustic properties, where the slightest hiss is loudly audible – apparently. We tested this theory and didn’t hear much at all!
The legend says that the tyrant King Dionysius would shut his political opponents up in here and spy on them, being able to hear everything they said, even if it was a whisper.
Greek Theatre
The Greek Theatre of Syracuse is the largest in all of Italy. The diameter is almost 140m.
The theatre dates back to the 5th century BC, though what we see now is from the renovations in the 3rd century BC.
The theatre is still used today, so if you visit in the spring or summer you will see the stage and seating set up for performances.
Altar of Hieron
Almost nothing remains of the enormous Altar of Hieron, except the foundations. This is the largest surviving altar from antiquity, measuring 20 x 200m. Apparently 450 bulls could be sacrificed here in one go!
Roman Amphitheatre
The Roman Amphitheatre was carved out of the living rock. This amphitheatre measured 140 x 120 metres. The amphitheatre was used for gladiatorial battles.
You can see the remains of the seating on one side, and the tunnels where the gladiators would enter the arena.
We were amazed that all these ancient ruins are so closed to the suburbs of the city, and as we looked across the road, we wondered what else was buried under those houses and buildings.
Best Day Trips from Syracuse
You’ll find the beautiful baroque town of Noto not far from Syracuse, if you’re staying here a while this makes a lovely day trip. The golden yellow buildings of this small town are beautiful.
Check out GetYourGuide for some of the great Day Tours from Syracuse to Noto, Marzamemi the beautiful south east of Sicily.
Love hiking? One of our favourite hikes in Sicily was the hike around the Necropoli of Pantalica. This hike winds down into the Pantalica Gorge where you’ll have amazing views of the ancient necropoli, tombs carved into the rocks.
Syracuse Sicily Travel Guide – Essential Information
How to get to Syracuse
Syracuse is on the east coast of Sicily, around 65km (40 miles) south of Catania. The historical centre of Syracuse is on an island called Ortigia which is joined to the mainland via bridges.
By Air
The closest airport is Catania Fontanarossa, from here you can hire a car and drive to Syracuse, or take the train. The train from the airport leaves several times a day and takes around 1hr 15 minutes. A second-class adult ticket will cost around €9.
By Car
Syracuse is just off the E45 motorway (or SS114) which is the main highway running along the east coast of Sicily. Incidentally, this is the southern end of the E45, which is the longest road in Europe, stretching all the way to the north of Norway!
There are several exits off the motorway that will take you into the centre of Syracuse.
NOTE: You should be aware that there is a ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) or Restricted Traffic Area on almost all of the island of Ortigia. The ZTL includes the bridge ONTO the island, but not the bridge off the island.
The ZTL operates mainly at nights and on the weekends. For more information and a map of the ZTL check out this web page.
By Train
Syracuse is on the main train line that runs along the east coast of Sicily. You can take a direct train to Syracuse from Catania or Messina. If you’re want to take a train from Palermo to Syracuse, you will need to change trains in Messina.
For more information see the ItaliaRail website (remember to put in Siracusa not Syracuse!)
Where to park in Syracuse, Sicily
There are several large car parks on the island of Ortigia, right on the waterfront. Turn left after crossing the bridge and the parking will be directly ahead, on your left.
We were able to park overnight and stay in our campervan here. It costs €15 for 24 hours. If you are visiting Ortigia for the day you can park here for €2 per hour.
Where to stay in Syracuse, Sicily
We visited Syracuse in late December in our campervan. If you’re doing a Sicily Road Trip we can recommend two park-ups.
The first is called Area Sosta Camper – Ippo Camper. This Camper Stopover is behind a large shopping centre (with a huge Conad supermarket). They also offer a shuttle bus into Ortigia. We paid €20 per night here. The shuttle costs €2.50.
Secondly, we stayed overnight in the 24hour parking on Ortigia Island. We saw a LOT of other campervans parked here. This cost €15 for 24 hours. There are no facilities here.
If you’re looking for hotel or B&B accommodation in Syracuse, we recommend booking.com
FAQs
Is Syracuse Sicily worth visiting?
Absolutely! Syracuse has that great mix of ancient history, culture, beaches, and of course the food that Sicily is famous for. We think it’s the perfect place to discover all of the best that Sicily has to offer.
When is the best time to visit Syracuse Sicily?
While summer is peak season in Sicily, if you visit then you’ll find hordes of visitors. We loved visiting Syracuse in the winter. The temperatures weren’t too cold and we had the historic sites almost to ourselves!
However, if you want to visit the beaches at Syracuse too, then late spring or early autumn would be a great time to visit.
How many days in Syracuse Sicily?
We visited Syracuse and Ortigia in one day – but it was a very full day. We would probably recommend spending two days here. One day to wander around the archaeological park and another day to explore Ortigia.
Watch our Ultimate Sicily Road Trip travel film
Want to see more of Syracuse? Check out our video on the Ultimate Sicily Road Trip, which features our visit to Syracuse.
Where to next?
If you’re heading north, check out the beautiful hilltop town of Taormina. If you want to see more of the Greek heritage in Sicily, we recommend checking out the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento.