Syracuse – Ortigia

Syracuse “the largest and most beautiful of all Greek cities”.

Distance from the Hotel Borgo Pantano: 7 km (8 minutes)
Syracuse is the fourth largest city in Sicily described by Cicero as “the largest and most beautiful of all Greek cities”, from 2005, along with the ancient center of Syracuse, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The city of Syracuse is developed in part on the cape-Ortigia island and partly on land. The shape of the coastline determines the wide bay of Porto Grande, the Island city north and south from the promontory of Plemmirio. To the eighth century. B.C. They arrived in Syracuse the first Greeks from Corinth, who led by noble greek Archie, founded a colony Syrakousai that quickly grew much, developing a real city, so wide that many historians defined metropolis, and some called it even the First Empire of the West. Syracuse became the Hellenic culture, arose the temples dedicated to Apollo, Zeus, Athena (later transformed in today’s Cathedral of Syracuse); born myths and legends that spoke of the Greek gods, nymphs and mortal heroes.

Myth of Arethusa

Does the myth of Arethusa, the history of the Greek era that has remained so linked to Syracuse, that even today the expression “aretusea” is used to talk and define the “city of Syracuse”. Definitely worth visiting is the archaeological area where you can admire the famous greek amphitheater and other historical artifacts from the ancient Greek polis. Other interesting places to see in the city of Syracuse are: the archaeological museum Paolo Orsi, the Catacombs of San Giovanni, the catacombs of Saint Lucia, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears and the caves of the Capuchins.