Ortigia Island Guided Tour

On this Ortigia Island Guided Tour, you'll explore Syracuse's historical centre, discovering significant sites such as temples, palaces, churches, and fountains.

Description

At the scheduled time, we'll meet at Largo XXV Luglio in front of the Temple of Apollo, the oldest Doric temple in Sicily from the 6th century B.C. This temple showcases the transition from wooden to stone architecture in Western Europe.

After discussing the temple's history, we will visit the Church of San Filippo Apostolo to explore its crypt, which served as an air-raid shelter during World War II.

Next, we'll proceed to Piazza Archimede to see the Fountain of Diana, created in 1906 by Giulio Moschetti, depicting the myth of the nymph Arethusa.

Our tour will then continue to the Cathedral of Syracuse, built in the 17th century, integrating the Baroque cathedral with the earlier Doric temple dedicated to Minerva.

Additionally, we'll visit the Arethusa Fountain, surrounded by papyrus plants, also linked to the Arethusa and Alphaeus myth, which will be discussed during the tour.

After 2 hours of exploring the history of Syracuse's ancient island, our guided tour of Ortigia will conclude.