The 8 top things to do in Syracuse, Sicily

The jewel of Southern Italy, the island of Sicily is marinated in history, adorned with stunning landscapes, blessed with spectacular food, edged by sparkling beaches, and warmed by Mediterranean sunshine. This is Italy’s favorite holiday island for a reason. 

If you're looking for a base for encounters with ancient history, oodles of culture and long, lavish lunches, look no further than Siracusa (Syracuse), a veritable layer cake of historical treasures on Sicily’s eastern shoreline, within easy striking distance of Mt Etna and Catania’s busy airport.  

More than any other city, Syracuse encapsulates Sicily’s rich history and timeless beauty. Ancient Greek ruins rise out of lush citrus orchards, cafe tables fill baroque piazzas and medieval side streets spill down toward the sea in the island district of Ortygia. In its heyday, this was the largest city in the Hellenistic world, bigger even than Athens and Corinth.

Today, Syracuse is a place to linger, drinking deeply from Sicily’s wine cellar of experiences. To help you get more from your trip, here are the top things to do in Syracuse. 

1. Stroll the ancient streets of Ortygia

In less than an hour, you can walk a complete loop of the island neighborhood of Ortygia, the oldest part of Syracuse, following a handsome seawall lined with terraced houses that gaze longingly out to sea. Circumnavigating the island is the ideal way to get your bearings in this historic quarter.  

Wandering Ortygia's labyrinthine alleyways and piazzas provides a window onto 2500 years of history, from ancient Greek shrines to Norman churches that were given a baroque makeover in the 18th century. Best of all, in the baking summer months, you can cool down with a swim off rocky platforms and tiny beaches around the shoreline. 

Start at the robust walls of Forte San Giovannello on the eastern shore, part of the island’s 16th-century fortification system, and drink in perfect views of modern Syracuse on the mainland. Then continue south along the waterfront to Forte Vigliena, where you can watch waves crash against the crenelated fort walls and join locals for a dip, or lizard-bask on the sun platform. 

Head to the south end of the island to admire the imposing 13th-century Castello Maniace, a mighty fortress built for the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Its stone walls spring to life in July for the Ortigia Sound System festival of electronic music. Don’t miss the vaulted central hall; propped up by sturdy columns, it once hosted emperors and nobles.

Continue your walk along the western shore to the ancient spring of Fontana Aretusa, now a pretty pond dotted with papyrus plants. This fabled spot was where goddess Artemis transformed her beautiful handmaiden into a bubbling spring to protect her from the unwelcome attention of the river god Alpheus. End on the pedestrian jetty – a magical place to enjoy the sunset.

Planning tip: Give yourself time to explore the alleys inland from the shore. Along the honey-hued lanes, you’ll find such delights as the flamboyant Fontana di Diana fountain and an impressive collection of historic churches. 

2. Sift through centuries at the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis

It’s wild to think that you can sit in the very theater – perhaps even the same seat – where ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus watched his tragedies unfold on stage for the first time. The centerpiece of Syracuse’s impressive Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, the 16,000-capacity Teatro Greco was carved into a rocky hillside in the 5th century BCE and “modernized” into its present form two centuries later.

It remains one of Sicily’s most prestigious theaters, hosting traditional Greek dramas from May to July. Watching a summertime play here is unforgettable; book tickets well in advance through the INDA Fondazione, Europe's leading institute for classical drama. 

Pre-performance, time-travel to ancient Greek Syracuse with an evocative ramble through olive groves, citrus groves, bamboo tunnels and cactus-lined scrub dotted with toppled masonry in the surrounding archaeological park. Get an overview of the site's history at the Museo Archeologico Paolo Orsi. 

Above the Greek theater, the mysterious Latomia del Paradiso is a precipitous limestone quarry that produced stone for the ancient city. Riddled with catacombs and perfumed with citrus and magnolia trees, this is where 7000 survivors of the war between Syracuse and Athens in 413 BCE were imprisoned. Other sights to seek out include the monumental sacrificial altar of Hieron II and the Anfiteatro Romano, which once hosted gladiatorial combat. 

Planning tip: Buy tickets online to save queuing. On arrival, scan the QR code at the ticket booth for a park map, marked with three circular walking itineraries (wear closed shoes – footpaths are stony and uneven in places).

3. Dip into the Mediterranean 

The rocky mini-beaches and platforms around Ortygia offer a taste of the seaside without leaving the city. Good places to start include the Solarium Forte Vigliena, reached by metal steps below Forte Vigliena, which has deep water for swimming, and the Spiaggia Diane nel Forte, a wooden platform erected every summer for sunbathers. 

For a proper beach experience, there’s a small crescent of sand at Spiaggia di Cala Rossa near Ortygia’s southeastern tip. Then there’s the Solarium Zefiro below Fontana Aretusa, a private platform with sun loungers and parasols, music and a snack and drinks service (reserve a space online). In the new town on the mainland, try Solarium Zen, a private lido and late-night lounge bar, with loungers on terraces between the rocks. 

Planning tip: If you want a bigger beach to bask on, head 15km south along the coast to Fontane Bianche Beach, which doles out 3km of gleaming sand and diamond-clear water. Get here by train from Syracuse. 

4. Uncover Jewish Syracuse

The city of Syracuse has a rich Jewish heritage, dating back to Roman times and continuing through the expulsion of Jewish residents by Spanish King Ferdinand II in 1492. Wander off-grid into Ortygia’s tangle of nougat-colored alleys and squares and you’ll spot the odd faded star revealing traces of the old Jewish district. 

Before the Spanish persecution, the Giudecca (Jewish Quarter) around Via della Maestranza and Via della Giudecca hosted 12 synagogues, all repurposed after the emptying of the ghetto. Look for the inscription in Hebrew on Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista, a former synagogue on Piazza del Precursore. 

Delve deeper into Jewish history on an underground tour of the 6th-century Jewish mikveh (ritual bath) buried 20m below the surface at the Alla Giudecca hotel on Via Alagona. Subterranean tours at the Chiesa di San Filippo Apostolo on Piazza San Filippo, another former synagogue, also take in a mikveh set 18m below street level.

5. Browse the street stalls at the Ortygia market

Every morning except Sunday, Ortygia’s open-air produce market sets up along Via Emanuele de Benedictis, Via Trento and Via Raffaele Lanza, close to the historic building that formerly housed the city’s covered market. Here, you can weave your way through a kaleidoscope of stalls selling fresh seafood, fruit, veggies, herbs, cold meats and cheeses. 

At the northern end of the market, near the sea on Piazza Cesare Battisti, take a pew on the raucous terrace of Fratelli Burgio and order a charcuterie board and glass of wine to enjoy over a dress-circle view of the market. Freshly shucked oysters and giant panini prepared with market-sourced ingredients are the star attractions at legendary Caseificio Borderi next door. Alternatively, stop into Divino Mare for treats like Roman-style artichokes and plates of oysters, cured meats and cheeses. 

Planning tip: After exploring the market, drop by the nearby ruins of the Tempio di Apollo. While it takes a little imagination to picture the temple intact, the bases of columns hint at its former size and importance.

6. Break for aperitivi at sunset

As the working day winds down in the afternoon, locals take time to enjoy small snacks and drinks in the timeless Italian ritual known as aperitivi. Ortygia has some stylish spots for a sunset drink, such as the floating bar La Barca, where you can sip Negronis aboard a boat at the Ortygia marina (they also host film screenings and live music). 

At the south end of Ortygia near the castello, Sunset is a peaceful spot for lapping up the late afternoon rays with views of lilting water. If you lean more toward wine than spritzes, head to ​​Enoteca Solaria for Sicilian wines and snacking plates. 

Planning tip: In summer, enjoy views in the opposite direction on a floating aperitivo cruise with Ortigia Mare Escursioni or Ortigia Island Excursion.  

7. Tour the spooky Catacomba di San Giovanni

To get under the surface of ancient Syracuse, take a walk with the ghosts of former residents in the city’s 4th-century Christian necropolis, carved from the limestone bedrock beneath the martyrdom site of St Marcian, Syracuse’s first bishop, who was flogged to death in the Basilica di San Giovanni in 254 CE. Beneath the basilica, the Catacomba di San Giovanni contains a painted crypt dedicated to the bishop, surrounded by Sicily’s largest catacombs.

According to Roman law, Christians were not allowed to bury their dead within the city limits of Ortygia, so the early Christians used the outlying district of Tyche for burials, using underground aqueducts unused since Greek times to carve out a labyrinthine network of burial chambers. Guided tours take in the main chamber, with thousands of niches in the walls, and tunnels leading to rotonde (rounded chambers used for prayer).

Detour: A 15-minute walk east, more early-Christian catacombs are hidden beneath the 17th-century Basilica Santuario di Santa Lucia al Sepolcro. Visit on a guided tour and look out for the marble column where Syracuse’s patron saint, Santa Lucia, was martyred in 304 CE. 

8. Admire the monuments of Piazza del Duomo

For a taste of Syracuse’s medieval and Spanish-era grandeur, take a stroll around the Piazza del Duomo, where the city’s handsome Duomo has been sitting pretty since the 7th century. Approach from Piazza Minerva and you’ll see ancient Doric columns incorporated into the cathedral's walls – the remains of a 5th-century temple to Athena that once stood on this site.

Before entering the Duomo, contemplate Syracuse’s polished showpiece square and its sweep of baroque, pale golden palazzi that appear to be spun from solid sunlight. Behind the cathedral’s baroque facade – added by architect Andrea Palma in the 18th century after the earthquake of 1693 – you’ll find a mixture of baroque and rustic elements. The church enshrines relics from Syracuse’s patron, Santa Lucia, mounted inside a statue that is paraded through the city in May and December. 

Head across the piazza to the 17th-century Palazzo Arcivescovile, where the Biblioteca Alagoniana library preserves rare 13th-century manuscripts. The nearby Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia contains Caravaggio's 1609 masterpiece Seppellimento di Santa Lucia (Burial of St Lucy) and a parlor for nuns with a beautiful blue majolica tile floor. Before leaving the square, people-watch over an almond milk or spritz at Gran Caffè del Duomo. 

Detour: Walk five minutes south from Piazza del Duomo to reach the 13th-century Catalan-Gothic palazzo housing the Galleria Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo, where the collection of early-Byzantine to 19th-century art includes the 1474 masterpiece Annunciation by Antonello da Messina, Sicily’s greatest 15th-century artist. 

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Sicily and Southern Italy guidebooks, published in May 2025.