{"id":14908,"date":"2019-07-25T13:27:05","date_gmt":"2019-07-25T11:27:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unadonnaconlavaligia.com\/?p=14908"},"modified":"2022-09-22T15:10:22","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T13:10:22","slug":"sicily-discovering-siracusa-ortigia-itinerary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unadonnaconlavaligia.com\/en\/destinations\/italy\/sicily-discovering-siracusa-ortigia-itinerary\/","title":{"rendered":"Sicily: discovering Siracusa and Ortigia in two days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Visiting Sicily: among sea, traditions, ancient history, excellent cuisine, and last but not least warm hospitality, I think this island is one of the most extraordinary travel destinations in Italy. Let’s discover it!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since now, I have been to Sicily three times, the last time in May 2018 when we made a one-week itinerary in the south-eastern part of the island,<\/strong> from the ancient town of Siracusa<\/strong> to the southernmost point of Italy,<\/strong> Capo Passero.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Siracusa, Siciliy: a little history of the town<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Siracusa was the first stop of our itinerary. The history of this Sicilian town – inscribed among the Unesco Heritage<\/strong> – tells us of an extraordinary historical melting pot<\/strong><\/em>. Remarkable artistic and architectural testimonies reached us through of all the ages that have crossed it. Let’s summarize the history of Siracusa in these fundamental points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • greek period:<\/strong> founded in 734 B.C., the town of Siracusa developed around its first original nucleus, the islet of Ortigia. It became one of the most powerful Greek polis<\/em><\/strong>, and its strategic port was one of the most important in the Mediterranean sea.<\/li>
  • roman period:<\/strong> between 214 and 212 B.C. Siracusa was under the siege by the Romans, the town resisted thanks to the aids coming from Carthage and thanks to the war machines built by one of its most illustrious citizens, the scientist Archimedes<\/strong>. He unfortunately died  during the final assault to the town, which was definitively under Roman control in 212.<\/li>
  • medieval period:<\/strong> Arabs, Byzantines and Norman follow each other in the control of Syracuse, until the Spanish take the lead in the sixteenth century, giving the town the architectural imprint<\/strong> of today.<\/li>
  • the disastrous earthquake<\/strong> of 9th and 11th of  January 1693 severely damaged many villages in eastern Sicily, including Siracusa, which was after then partly rebuilt in Baroque style.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    First day of our itinerary: Ortigia, the heart and historical center of Siracusa<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    What to see in Ortigia<\/strong>? Here are the most worth sightseeings of Ortigia, the historical centre of Siracusa<\/strong>, check it out on the map:<\/p>\n\n\n\n