The ‘Grand Voyage’: big trip- I wish I could visit Taormina in the 18th century during my Grand Voyage in Southern Europe and come here on horseback from Catania the same as Goethe did. It must have been quite different from the today’s town visited by hundreds of tourist everyday. It is still beautiful however the smallness of the place and the tourist groups from cruise ships that come and go make it a bit ‘too’ crowded during day time.The main attraction, The ancient Greek theatre, was...
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Val di Noto, the valley of Noto, is located at the southeast of Sicily, it is where the late baroque cities including Noto, Monica and Ragusa and other are and since 2002 they are named as a Unesco heritage site. They can be visited from Siracusa by train as day trip visits or by renting a car.Noto is the most visited and famous one as it is half an hour trip by train from Siracusa. It was home to the aristocracy during the 16th and 17th centuries; though most of the buildings we see today...
Read more...An open air museum in Siracusa, the archeological site of Neapolis is a fifteen minute walk from the train station of Siracusa. Meaning the new city it was built during the reign of Hieron the 2nd, the last tyron of Siracusa in Greek period, 3rd century B.C. The roman historian Cicero defined it ‘imposing and very beautiful’ during his visit to one of the most important city of the antiquity. Built as the urban and architectural project of Iron the 2nd the archeological site today consists of...
Read more...I like places that have a historical heritage yet are still lively. Siracusa’s Ortigia island is one of them. Instead of making a day visit stay a couple of days to truly enjoy this place, explore the narrow streets, enjoy the various colours of yellow and pink of the façades of the buildings, walk along the sea side, swim in the Mediterranean. You may spare your days to visit the nearby cities as well like Noto, Modica, Ragusa.Separated form the main land with two bridges Ortigia island is...
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