Description of the attraction
Ortigia Island is the real "heart" of ancient Syracuse. There are not many archaeological sites preserved here, since the territory of the island has been built up several times since the time of the ancient Greeks, but this is a great place to walk after visiting the city's sights. Tourists love to wander the narrow streets of the island among medieval buildings, baroque churches and romantic palaces. It's hard to get lost in Ortigia - a map and guide will help you navigate and explore ancient buildings, such as the extravagant Palazzo Impellizzeri, decorated with images, historic buildings, churches facing the sea, picturesque alleys and much more. Some once luxurious palaces now stand abandoned - weeds and vines have thrived on their dilapidated balconies, but this only adds a special charm to the city quarter. Ortigia has one of a kind gems to offer, such as the small church of San Martino, a simple old building with beautiful interiors decorated with mosaics.
Ortigia is connected to the rest of Syracuse by three bridges. Central - Ponte Umbertino - is a continuation of the wide boulevard Corso Umberto, one of the main arteries of the city. After crossing this bridge, you can find yourself at the ruins of the Greek Temple of Apollo. And turning right onto Corso Matteotti and passing through the rows of clothing stores, you can come to Piazza Archimedes, the center of Ortigia. Here is the Aretusa Fountain - one of the ancient attractions of Syracuse. Despite the abundance of cars scurrying back and forth, the area looks very nice and serves as an excellent starting point for exploring the entire island.
To the right of the Archimedes square is Via Cavour, along which there are numerous restaurants and souvenir shops. The street ends in the oval Piazza Duomo with amazingly beautiful buildings that make an indelible impression. And in the evening it is worth taking a walk along the lantern-colored embankment towards the Castello Maniace castle - a quiet walk will be remembered for a long time.
