Siracusa & the Island of Ortigia

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Today I went on a day trip (by train and foot) from Catania to Siracusa and the peninsula of Ortigia, home to many Roman ruins. There’s a beautiful “area pedonale” by the harbor with lovely shade trees and public benches. I instantly was at ease in Siracusa. 
The people were hospitable and friendly, they seemed to take a lot of pride in their city and in their heritage and were keen to have tourists visit their homeland. In fact, there was a civic pride I could detect - the streets were clean, no trash anywhere. It seemed like a thoughtful, community-oriented place with well-marked signs, lovely outdoor cafes on every corner with views overlooking the Ionian Sea. 

The Island of Ortigia is tiny and connected by a bridge to the mainland. Interspersed between all of the green spaces, modern buildings and shops, were reminders of Sicily's Roman past. Siracusa was the former  capital of the Kingdom of Sicily which fell under Roman rule but had earlier influences from the Greeks, Byzantines, Phoenicians and other ancient peoples. 


It was a pleasant walk around the island and I had a sense of the historical significance of the island with its many landmarks, like the Temple of Apollo, Fountain of Diana, Castello di Maniace.

Also, you gotta love the Italians for making a beach out of any small grouping of rocks and sand! :) The Ionian Sea was clear and tranquil and you can make out the Calabrian region of mainland Italy across the water.



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