Syracuse, a southeastern Sicilian gem, bewitches visitors with its cultural itineraries that combine history, art, and natural beauty.

Founded by the ancient Greeks as far back as 734 B.C., the city offers a time travel through its Neapolis Archaeological Park, home to the famous Teatro Greco and the Orecchio di Dionisio, an ear-shaped grotto known as the Ear of Dionysus. Strolling around Ortygia, the beating heart of the city, one can admire the Cathedral, built on the skeleton of an ancient Doric temple, and the meandering alleys accounting for thousand-year-old stories.  These beauties are surrounded by the exceptional frame of the sparkling blue Ionian Sea.

Along the way, visitors can also marvel at baroque masterpieces such as the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, which houses the renowned “Burial of Saint Lucy” painted by Caravaggio.

 

Staying in Ortygia at Palazzo Artemide

With stunning views over Minerva Square, Palazzo Artemide is the place to be for a luxury stay in Syracuse. Established in 1880, this dazzling Baroque gem is ideally located in the heart of Ortygia, between the Cathedral and the Archbishopric.

The palace’s interiors have an authentic Sicilian atmosphere, from the pearly stones typical of Greek temples and baroque palaces to the hidden courtyard of Arab influence, every striking detail brings the history of Ortygia and the whole region alive.