Wanderers : Sicily

Ortigia is a small island located off the coast of Syracuse in Sicily. It is the historical center of Syracuse and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The island is steeped in history and is home to some of the most beautiful baroque architecture in Italy.

What did we do?

Piazza del Duomo, which is the main square of the island. It is surrounded by some of the most beautiful baroque buildings in Sicily, including the Cathedral of Syracuse. The cathedral was originally built as a Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, but was later converted into a Christian church. The baroque facade is stunning, as well as its impressive interior, which includes beautiful frescoes and intricate marble work.

Our Lady of Snow Chapel

The Chapel of the Crucifix

Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament

Chapel of Santa Lucia

Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia is a baroque style, Roman Catholic Church that has been deconsecreted.

The Burial of Santa Lucia – Caravaggio

Fonte Aretusa, which is a natural spring that has been a source of fresh water for the island for centuries. The spring is home to a variety of aquatic plants and animals, including the famous papyrus plant, which grows wild in the spring's waters.

Castello Maniace, a medieval castle built by the Norman King Roger II in the 12th century. The castle is located on the eastern edge of the island and offers breathtaking views of the sea and the surrounding landscape. We explored the castle's interior and climbed to the top of its towers for even better views.

More steps

A pecker in a pecker!

Temple of Apollo dates back to the early 6th century BC, it is the oldest stone Doric temple in Sicily. it was once a Byzantine church, it became an Arab mosque, there is the Norman church of the Savior which was then incorporated into a sixteenth-century Spanish barracks and private buildings.

Walking! We wandered through the island's narrow streets and alleyways, which are lined with beautiful buildings and charming cafes and restaurants. There are also numerous art galleries and museums to explore, including the Museo Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo, which houses a collection of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts.

Chiesa di San Filippo Apostolo

Mass

Fountain of Diana

She thinks she's cute 😍

Sharon and her poses

Market

How did we get here? Drove from Catania. We stopped at Faro Santa Croce to view the Ionian Sea, a nice little break in the trip. We managed to find the one and only free parking spot available! (Free as in available and free as in it did not cost to park!)

Where did we stay? A really nice AirBnB in the heart of the island. Downstairs had a small kitchen, sofa, kitchen table and upstairs the bedroom and bath. And it had a washing machine.

Where did we eat?

Sigonella Commissary, build your own sandwich 🥪 for only $4.99. We ordered one sandwich and could not finish it and it wasn't even the large.

Castello Fiorentino was cute little restaurant with good food and service.

Small bottle of Vino

Insalata Capricciosa
Tomato 🍅, mozzarella cheese,
corn, and lettuce

Spaghetti Alla Tarantina
Spaghetti with mussels

Lemon sherbert

Gelato

Camilla 44 this place was right around the corner from our room, it was rated higher than the first restaurant we went to but we liked the other restaurant better.