Ortygia, the historic heart of Syracuse, is one of Sicily's most beautiful gems. This enchanting island, connected to the mainland by two bridges, boasts a rich history spanning thousands of years, with ancient ruins, baroque splendor, and vibrant street markets.

Hidden within the ancient Latomia del Paradiso lies this remarkable limestone cave - 23 meters high and 65 meters deep. For centuries, it has captivated people with its exceptional acoustics and poignant history. It was Caravaggio, in 1608, who bestowed its name, inspired by the cave's ear-like shape and the legends surrounding Dionysius.

The Archaeological Park of Neapolis showcases the grandeur of ancient Greco-Roman history. At its heart lies the monumental Greek theater, one of the largest of its kind, built in the 5th century BC. The park also features the Orecchio di Dionisio, a striking man-made cave renowned for its acoustics. Completing the park’s highlights is the Roman amphitheater from the 3rd century AD, once a venue for gladiatorial contests.

The Cathedral of Syracuse, known as the Cattedrale della Natività di Maria Santissima, stands majestically in the heart of Ortygia. Originally an ancient Temple of Athena from 480 BC, it beautifully blends Greek, Byzantine, and Baroque architecture. The striking façade, designed by Andrea Palma in the 18th century (after the 1693 earthquake), and the grand Doric columns from the original temple are testaments to its ancient history.

Legend has it that the Fountain of Arethusa is where the nymph Arethusa emerged after fleeing her underwater home in Arcadia. Surrounded by papyrus, this freshwater spring is one of the few places in Europe where this plant grows.

The Temple of Apollo, constructed in the early 6th century BC, stands as the oldest Doric temple in Sicily. Originally crafted from massive monoliths, it marks the transition from wooden to stone structures and showcases unique architectural features like a double colonnade on the east side.

Perched atop Ortygia Island, the fortress is a stunning example of medieval military architecture, offering expansive sea views. Built between 1232 and 1240 by Emperor Frederick II, its massive walls, four cylindrical towers, and magnificent marble entrance adorned with intricate arches and sculptures are truly impressive.

The fountain was created in 1906 by the sculptor Giulio Moschetti. This impressive fountain complex depicts the goddess Diana with a bow and dog, attributes of hunting and the patroness of Ortygia. At her feet is the nymph Arethusa in the midst of her transformation into a spring, protected by Diana from the advances of the river god Alpheus. Tritons and sea horses frame the scene, giving the fountain a dynamic, mythological flair.

Hidden beneath the Residenza Alla Giudecca Hotel in Ortigia is the oldest Jewish ritual bath in Europe, built in the 6th century. Rediscovered in 1989, this fascinating mikveh lies 18 meters underground and features five basins carved into the rock, fed by a natural spring. Visitors descend a steep stone staircase into a room with a vaulted ceiling, surrounded by four limestone columns. Once a sacred site for ritual purification, the mikveh remained hidden for centuries after being filled with rubble and sealed during the Inquisition in the 15th century.

The Basilica of the Madonna delle Lacrime, also called Madonnina delle Lacrime is a 20th-century Roman Catholic Marian shrine church in Siracusa in Sicily, Italy. The modern building, derided by some as an inverted ice-cream cone, dominates the skyline of the approach to Ortigia.

The Greek Theatre of Syracuse, a stunning example of ancient Greek architecture, is one of the largest and best-preserved theatres from antiquity. Built in the 5th century BC and renovated in the 3rd century BC, it features a semi-circular stone auditorium carved into the Temenite Hill. This historic site has hosted classical plays for centuries and continues to enchant visitors with performances of Greek tragedies during the summer months, offering a unique experience against the backdrop of the ancient stone theater​

The Roman amphitheatre of Syracuse is one of the best preserved structures in the city of Syracuse, Sicily, from the early Imperial period.

The street market is a vibrant place brimming with colors and aromas. You'll find a wide selection of fresh fish, cheese, spices, and typical Sicilian delicacies—perfect for a snack or souvenir shopping.

Santa Lucia alla Badia is a baroque-style, Roman Catholic church, now deconsecrated, located on the south corner of the piazza duomo, located to the south of the facade of the Cathedral of Syracuse), located in the island of Ortigia, the historic city center of Siracusa in Sicily, Italy. The church building and adjacent former monastery is now used for special exhibitions and functions.

The Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi of Syracuse, Sicily is one of the principal archaeological museums of Europe.

The Altar of Hieron or the Great Altar of Syracuse is a monumental grand altar in the ancient quarter of Neapolis in Syracuse, Sicily. It was built in the Hellenistic period in Magna Graecia by King Hiero II and is the largest altar known from antiquity.

The Grotta del Ninfeo is an artificial cavity in the rock of Temenite Hill located in the Archaeological park of Neapolis in Syracuse.

Bellomo Palace Regional Gallery is an art museum in Syracuse, Sicily.

The presumed Tomb of Archimedes, located in the northernmost part of the Neapolis Archaeological Park in Syracuse, is an artificial cave carved into limestone within the Grotticelle necropolis. Despite its association with the famous mathematician Archimedes, who was killed during the Roman siege of Syracuse in 212 BC, evidence suggests it is unlikely to be his actual burial site, as described already by the ancient source Cicero.

The Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco is a large urban palace, located on piazza Duomo, across from the present city hall and diagonal to the Cathedral of Syracuse, in the island of Ortigia in the city of Syracuse in Sicily, Italy.

The Two Brothers Rocks are a rock formation in the Ionian sea to the north-east of Syracuse in Sicily.

Palazzo Vermexio is a 17th-century Baroque monumental building, located facing Piazza Duomo in the island of Ortigia in Siracusa, region of Sicily, Italy. It presently serves as city hall.

The Monument to the Fallen Italians in Africa is a Fascist era monument, dedicated to the Italians who died during the Ethiopian War, and assembled only in the 1960s on the seashore in Siracusa, region of Sicily, Italy. The monument, sculpted and designed by Romano Romanelli, was initially meant to be shipped in 1940 and assembled in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia; however, the Second World War prevented the transport, and led to its installation more than two decades later at this site, chosen because Syracuse had been a center for embarcation of troops for the African wars.

Syracuse War Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of World War II located near Syracuse on the island of Sicily.

San Martino is a mainly gothic and baroque-style, Roman Catholic church located on Via San Martino in the island of Ortigia, in the historic city center of Siracusa in Sicily, Italy.

The remains of the Dionysian Walls were part of the defensive structure built by Dionysius I between 402 and 397 BC to protect the Epipoli plateau in Syracuse. Constructed in just twenty days, these monumental walls stand as a remarkable testament to ancient engineering and strategic planning.

Palazzo Montalto, also known as Palazzo Mergulese-Montalto, is a late 14th-century palace on the island of Ortygia in Syracuse, Sicily.

Walk along the Via dei Sepolcri, a historic 150-meter uphill road within Syracuse's Neapolis archaeological park. Flanked by high rock walls and dotted with votive aedicules, this path reveals ancient cult carvings and remnants of diverse eras. At the top of the relief there are the remains of the Sanctuary of Apollo Temenite, which gave the Temenite Hill its name.

Spirito Santo is a baroque-style, Roman Catholic church located on Lungomare Ortigia #4, facing towards the Ionian sea, on the island of Ortigia, in the historic city center of Siracusa in Sicily, Italy.

The Hypogeum of Piazza Duomo in Syracuse is an interesting underground pathway that starts at the highest point of Ortigia, Piazza del Duomo, and emerges at Foro Italico near the Marina walls. This subterranean attraction features a main gallery with several branching minor galleries, including one connecting to a cistern near the Archbishop's Palace.

San Filippo Neri is a baroque-style, Roman Catholic church located on via Vittorio Veneto, facing seaside, on the island of Ortigia, in the historic city center of Siracusa in Sicily, Italy.

San Paolo Apostolo is a baroque-style, Roman Catholic parish church located on via dell'Apollonion on the island of Ortigia, in the historic city center of Siracusa in Sicily, Italy. It serves as a parish church for the Quartiere di la Graziella, once the quarter housing the families who worked in the fishing trade. Alongside the church are the ruins of the Temple of Apollo.

The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore was a sanctuary in ancient Syracuse in Sicily, Magna Graecia, dedicated to Demeter and Kore. The sanctuary was founded on the Ortygia in the Piazza Archimede. Numerous female terracotta figurines from the 8th-century BC has been excavated. The sanctuary was moved to the acropolis of Syracuse in the 5th century BC. The cult of Demeter was benefited by Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse, as a way to unite the Greek population during his expansionism on Sicily. Gelon was the hereditary chief priest of Demeter's cult in Gela, a cult that was popular also in Syracuse and Camarina, and he used the Demeter cult as well as the fight against Carthage to unite Syracuse, Gela and Camarina. After his successful war against Carthage, Gelon used the spoils of war to finance the new sanctuary of Demeter in Syracuse. The new sanctuary was situated below the Piazza Vittoria in Syracuse. Remains has been found of a large sanctuary including a temple stereobate and the foundations of an altar. A great quantity of votive material has been found on the site. The sanctuary was described by Plato as the location of the city Thesmophoria. The Thesmophoria lasted ten days in Syracuse, in contrast to the three days in Athens.