An early morning Wizz flight (one could see things rushing to catch it!) with complimentary premium first-row seats—perhaps a nod from the deities of globetrotters to our impressive mileage. It feels like this year alone, I've flown more than many people do in their entire lifetime. A bit of stiffness at the Catania airport bus terminal. Messed-up schedules, nothing weird for Italy. And then, finally, straight to Siracusa, as we intended to spend the rest of this vacation north of Catania and would have missed this UNESCO World Heritage site otherwise. Napping in shifts on the bus, as one of us had to stay awake to watch the route—we knew how things worked here.
“Ultima fermata di Siracusa! Siracusa last stop-pe!” the driver called out a second before stopping at what seemed like a completely random spot, kinda off the path you’d expect the bus to take. We managed to get off, oriented ourselves with the map and headed downtown. At least we could stop by the Basilica of the Madonna delle Lacrime, a rather unusual church built in the 1960s. I loved the architecture, yet the interior felt rather Ikea-esque. Definitely not something I’d expect in Italy.
Then a mandatory coffee break, first of many pistachio treats and a cannolo to pull ourselves together. There were a few hours ahead of us to roam the old town which took over the entire Isola di Ortigia, a small island just a few dozen meters from the mainland.
Had we traveled to Siracusa some two millennia ago, we would have been greeted by Apollo. Or perhaps one of his priests and disciples. You can still capture several shots of re-erected pillars of his 2,500-year-old temple and seek out worshipers of the god of arts; they are plentiful in the alleys of the old town. Or perhaps it was the gravity of like-minded spirits that led our steps to the right nooks. Often guarded by cats, although they align with Apollon's twin Artemis.
Sad to say, but the wild beauty of the sea (well, the Mediterranean Sea ain’t that wild, but still) appealed to us more than human creativity, especially since it was quite hot by the time we got to Ortigia. Fortunately, Siracusa has a hidden town beach—rather, just a few rocks accessible by a staircase, but still quite a nice spot to cool down a bit. Good enough for @honeydue to jump in.
Off-season travels allow you to admire touristy places without crowds (and crows too—I originally made a typo worth keeping), and this applied to the main plaza with the Duomo di Siracusa (under reconstruction), the metropolitan cathedral which fits our image of Italian churches much better, although the interior looked rather poor compared to what you might be used to from the northern regions of the country.
A far more interesting landmark, perhaps too unobtrusive to attract people even during the peak season, lies a few hundred meters further. Fonte Aretusa, the historical source of fresh water for the island. Have you ever wondered where such settlements on islets of this size got drinking water from? This spring originates on the island and emerges just some 20 meters from the sea. Yet the water is sweet and quite clear to this day. It would be drinkable if the fountain wasn’t squatted by water birds and inhabited by fish.
Castello Maniace is a 13th-century fortress protecting Siracusa. I believe, though, it’s not worth paying for the entrance if you’ve visited similar castles and fortresses in the Mediterranean area – and we have.
Icarus, a headless statue in front of it, is rather original though. I liked it a lot. Yet, it was about time to say goodbye to the mythical flyer and the old town to catch our train to Giardini Naxos. Stay tuned for the rest of the Sicilian series!
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