Travel Tips: Syracuse, Italy

Euryalus Castle, Museums, Catacombs, Churches, Arethusa Spring, Art

Oct 8, 2007

Sicily's cultural capital is home to many great finds, including the Festival of Santa Lucia, the Neapolis Archaeological Park, Ortygia and a puppet theatre.

In the Neapolis Archaeological Park is the Altar of Hieron II (or at least the remains of it). It was the largest in the world, and an incredible 450 oxen could be sacrificed upon it at once.

Overlooking the city is the Euryalus castle, which dates back to 402BC. Originally built to scare off the Carthaginians, it was regarded as the biggest and most magnificent fortress of the ancient Greek world. It can still be visited today, and is in a remarkably good state of repair.

The Museo Archaeologico Paolo Orsi (00 39 0931 46 40 22) on Via Teocrito, near the archaeological park, is a bit dry, but is an excellent introduction to the treasures that have been dug up in the region over the years. It also traces the history of human settlement in the region.

Then again, no city worth its salt should be without a museum of such a perplexingly narrow potential audience that it’s difficult to see how on earth it’s survived. Syracuse’s addition to the world’s cheese and wicker basket museums is the Museum of Papyrus (00 39 0931 6 16 16). The reed, which grows plentifully in the area, was the forerunner of paper, and plenty of documents made from it can be found inside. Again, it’s on Via Teocrito.

December 13th plays host to the festival of Santa Lucia. A giant silver statue of the saint is carried across the city, surrounded by people holding candles.

The Arethusa Spring in Ortygia is a naturally occurring fresh water source. Mythology says that Arethusa was a beautiful nymph, turned into a spring by the goddess Artemis for her own protection. However, her suitor Alpheus tracked her down by turning into an underground river and rising right next to her.

The Catacombs of St Giovanni (00 39 0931 665 71), which can be explored, are easily the eeriest place in Syracuse. They can be accessed from Piazza San Giovanni, and plenty of early Christian tombs can be found amongst the maze of tunnels.

For art lovers, the Museo Regionale d’Arte Medioevale e Moderna (00 39 0931 696 17) on Via Capodieci in Ortygia is the place to head for. Caravaggio’s The Burial of St Lucy is the highlight, but the collection spans both the centuries and the range of styles.

For a different form of art, Via Della Giudecca is the street to head for. It contains a puppet theatre and museum (www.pupari.it, 00 39 0931 46 55 40).

Strangely ignored in the tourist brochures, the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Lacrine on Viale Teocrito is a magnificent landmark. Easily the tallest building in the city, it looks like an upside-down ice cream cone and was built to celebrate a painting of the Madonna weeping tears in 1953.

If travelling in a sizable group, it’s well worth hiring out a boat and checking out the gorgeous coastline. Sailing Team (www.sailingteam.biz, 00 39 0931 60808 ) hire out yachts, including a skipper, for from EUR350 a day.

If sweet-toothed and looking for a snack, track down some giuggiulena. A local concoction, this is a nougat flavoured with sesame seeds.

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