Since Greek and Roman times, the island of Ortigia has been an important commercial and cultural center. The market, with its strategic position near the port, was a meeting point for merchants from different parts of the Mediterranean. Here, not only foodstuffs such as fish, fruit, vegetables and spices were exchanged, but also different ideas and cultures.

The Temple of Apollo was built at the beginning of the 6th century BC and is the oldest example of a Doric temple in Sicily.

In the heart of Ortigia, in the center of Piazza Archimede, is the majestic Fountain of Diana, created between 1906 and 1907 by the famous Palermo sculptor Giulio Moschetti.

The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also commonly known as the Cathedral of Syracuse, stands on the foundations of an ancient Doric temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, built by the Greek-Siceliots in the 5th century BC.

This fresh water spring, located a short distance from the sea, has inspired poets and writers since ancient times. Also known as “a funtana re papiri” or “the fountain of papyrus”, the Fonte Aretusa is certainly one of the most interesting places in Ortigia.

The Archaeological Park of Neapolis, located in the north-western part of Syracuse, covers an area of approximately 240,000 square meters and is one of the largest archaeological areas in the Mediterranean.

The Greek Theatre of Syracuse, one of the most important in the world, is remembered for its grandeur since ancient times, in fact together with the theatre of Athens it was the largest theatre of ancient Greece.

The Ear of Dionysius is the most famous of the caves of the Latomia del Paradiso, dug by stone quarrymen following the limestone veins.

The Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Lacrime in Syracuse was built following a miracle in 1953, when an effigy of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, located in the home of the Iannusos, began to weep.

The Sanctuary of Santa Lucia al Sepolcro is located just outside the walls of Syracuse and stands on the site of the martyrdom and burial of Santa Lucia, patron saint of the city.