Sicily and Malta.2 – Siracusa Wed. & Thu.

Statue of Archimedes – Island of Ortigia, Siracusa

Why three nights in Siracusa? That island city’s key treasures and its historical importance in the ancient, storied, Greek world (larger than Athens and Corinth in its time).

We (well, mostly I…) like to arrive and have one or two days on our own before joining a guided tour. Siracusa was a perfect choice. We landed at Catania Airport on October 9 and needed to return there to begin the tour.  Siracusa was only a one hour bus ride direct from Catania Airport.

Maps

These are the attractions in central Ortigia that we visited

We traveled from Hop 3 to Hop 12 to get to the Museum. It goes N off the island into mainland Siracusa

Wednesday, October 10

We walked a short distance to the Piazza Duomo, first visiting Santa Lucía alla Badia Church that has a huge painting of the Burial of Saint Lucy by Caravaggio, a painter whose wonderful chiaroscuro work I search for wherever I am.

At 10:30 AM walking past the Archimedes Museum to the Piazza Duomo

Santa Lucía alla Badia Church has Caravaggio’s “The Burial of Saint Lucy”

Photos are not permitted in the church. This is from Wikipedia

I did sneak this one of Caravaggio’s life

After visiting St. Lucy’s Church we visited the Duomo itself, a cathedral built on the site of an ancient Greek temple, supported by the temples original columns and full of beautiful art .

There are many treasures in this place

The Duomo was built on original Doric columns from a ruined Greek temple

Santa Lucía with her eyes in a jar

Looking down the nave are two Doric columns

We aborted our walk through the Ipogeo, an ancient tunnel that leads to the Fonte Aretusa, because of the smell of urine, we cleansed with gelati at Gelati Bianca in P. Duomo and finished leftover pizza from our late supper on Tuesday. Then we walked north along Via Roma and just off the island to see how we would get to the Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum on Thursday. The two regular city bus lines weren’t working but we learned we could catch the Hop On Hop Off Bus at Hop 3 (Piazza Archimede), very near our BnB then get off at Hop 12 and the Museo tomorrow.

This early 20th C. statue by Giulio Moschetti represents the nymph Arethusa having been transformed into the goddess Diana, to whom she appealed when pursued by a horny river god.

We walked through this market on our walk near mainland Siracusa

Tourists cross from Ortigia to Siracusa’s mainland

We ate at a very busy Osteria Mariano, where we enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was good. I enjoy cannelloni so I tucked into one for dessert.

Thursday, October 11

Our stop for the Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum

Its sheer contrast with everything else in Siracusa renders this place scornful for many despite its “miraculous” tearful Madonna

This one was signed on the dolphin under Arethusa’s neck. The coin and jewelry items are plentiful and splendid.

A second century BC Venus at the Museo

La Fonte d’Aretusa – a fresh water spring that the Oracle of Delphi spoke of. It enabled the island of Ortigia to withstand sieges.

We walked from our B and B here for lunch on Thu

We enjoyed ourselves here on Wed night so returned (a tad early) on Thu

Friday, October 12

On Friday morning we explored Siracusa’s Forte Vigilena and the Papyrus Museum.

Friday morning we walked east to Forte Vigilena and I went to the edge, where the view was nice. But then almost all views are exceedingly nice in Ortigia.

At the Papyrus Museum I learned that it grows in the fresh waters near the mouth of the Ciane River – the ONLY place outside Africa where it grows in the wild.

At the mouth of the Fiume Ciane is the Papyrus Reserve.

Then  we got on the Interbus, which goes to the airport, but getting off near the Catania train station, close to our hotel, instead. We were in good time to meet our tour director and a few of our fellow tourists before supper. I explored the centre of Catania very thoroughly – looking for a lens cover I’d lost. No decent photo shops to be found. Guess the Samsungs and iPhones have taken over…

We knew beforehand that Saturday we would return to Siracusa with our tour and this time visit its amazing Greek Theatre, the massive Ear of Dionsyius Cave and the bits left of the Temple of Apollo before continuing to the picturesque hilled town of Ragusa. All this the subjects of Sicily and Malta.3 – coming soon.

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