Things to see in Syracuse

Syracuse (Italian: Siracusa, Sicilian: Sarausa or Seragusa) is a city of 122,000 people (2017) on the eastern coast of Sicily. The city has a rich Greek and Roman history, culture, amphitheatres, and architecture. Syracuse is a good base for exploring south-east Sicily, including the Baroque towns of Ragusa and Noto, several archaeological sites, and the lively city of Catania. "Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica" have been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Isola di Ortigia: Ortigia island is the oldest part of Syracuse. It's connected to the rest of the city by two bridges. Boat trips leave from the channel here.

Tempio di Apollo. The first sight you reach after crossing the bridge are these remnants of a temple to Apollo, with two columns and part of the wall. You can't enter, just look over the railings. Cattedrale della Natività di Maria Santissima (Santa Maria delle Colonne). This was built as a Greek Temple of Athena in the 5th century BC on older foundations. In the 7th century it was converted to a church, incorporating most of its former construction including the Doric columns. In the 9th century, it became a mosque; in the 11th century the Normans converted it back into a church adding a new roof with mosaics in the apses. Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia, Piazza Duomo. In the apse, behind the altar, there was a large painting of the "Burial of Saint Lucy" by Caravaggio which was returned to Chiesa di Santa Lucia al Sepolcro. Free.

The midpoint of Ortigia is Piazza Archimedes, honoring the famous citizen who lived and worked here circa 287-212 BCE. His brilliance lay in combining pure mathematical reasoning (e.g.