A treasure chest of culture,
beauty and flavours
Syracuse was the cradle of culture in Magna Grecia, but, thanks to its position in the heart of the Mediterranean, it was the centre of ancient civilisations even before the arrival of the Greeks. A city where arts and practices found fertile soil to grow and flourish, producing valuable results in diverse areas such as architecture, theatre and gastronomy.
Syracuse is a city with a vast wine and food culture and has many famous gourmet restaurants where you can discover the traditional flavours of this land so rich in products and recipes to delight the palate and senses. Rich in gifts from the sea and from the land, Syracuse cuisine has all the flavours and fragrances of the Mediterranean: think of Pachino cherry tomatoes, Avola almonds, Nero d’Avola wine and Sortino honey, products that are famous throughout Italy and abroad.
The baroque style developed widely and in a fascinating way in eastern Sicily and Syracuse in particular, producing results of high artistic quality. The Cathedral of the Nativity of Holy Mary [Cattedrale della Natività di Maria Santissima] or Syracuse Cathedral stands out among the countless buildings of great architectural interest. The cathedral is a splendid symbol of Sicilian baroque that stands on the island of Ortygia and incorporates what was in ancient times the holy temple dedicated to Athena and subsequently converted into a church with the advent of Christianity.
Syracuse is famous worldwide for its ancient theatre and Greek plays. Pay a visit to the Greek Theatre which, besides being a place of great fascination and beauty, is the venue for performances of classical Greek tragedies and comedies from May to July every year. Fantastic performances of eternally beautiful stories in a scenario that will treat you to unanticipated emotions from dusk to dawn (times of the performances).
Then there is the altar of Hieron, what remains of an altar probably dedicated to Zeus and erected by Hieron II for public sacrifices, and the Roman amphitheatre dating back to the late classical period situated north of Ortygia in the Archaeological Park of Neapolis. Stroll around these wonderful sites where the eternal beauty will take you a journey of discovery of the Greek civilisation.mpo, saprà condurvi alla scoperta dell’affascinante civiltà greca.
