Visiting Syracuse: Ortigia, Neapolis, Pantalica, Plemmirio
Ortigia with the temples of Apollo and Athena (now the Cathedral); the Neapolis archaeological park with the Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre and Ear of Dionysius; the Paolo Orsi Museum; Euryalus Castle; the Pantalica necropolis. Classical drama in May and June, Saint Lucy in December, diving in the Plemmirio marine area.
Sections: Attractions · Museums · Nature · Itineraries · Excursions · Accessible visits
- Ortigia: the temple of Apollo (sixth century BC) and the temple of Athena, turned into a church and then into the Baroque cathedral.
- Neapolis: Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre, altar of Hieron II, Latomie del Paradiso and Santa Venera with the Ear of Dionysius and the so-called Tomb of Archimedes.
- Paolo Orsi regional archaeological museum: finds from the area, including the skeleton of a dwarf elephant and a major coin collection.
- Euryalus Castle: it guarded the entrance to the long Greek city wall.
- Outside the city, in the same park: Eloro, the Villa del Tellaro near Noto with its fourth-century mosaics, Akrai at Palazzolo Acreide.
- Necropolis of Pantalica, about 40 km away: over 5,000 rock-cut tombs, mostly from the thirteenth to the seventh century BC.
When to come and rules
Timing matters: between May and June INDA stages ancient drama in the Greek Theatre; from 9 to 20 December the city celebrates Saint Lucy. The Plemmirio marine protected area, run by the Consorzio Plemmirio from Castello Maniace, has dive routes requiring authorisation or notification and accredited dive centres; sport fishing is heavily restricted (rods with reels and electric reels banned, closed season in May, June and December).
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/22/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-13
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