Two Days in Syracuse
Day 1: Neapolis Archaeological Park and Explore City Center
Start your day by visiting Neapolis Archaeological Park, you can also go here on your way our of Ortigia.
After visit the Museo Archeologico Regional Paolo Orsi
Drive and see a few viewpoints along the coast, you could also park and walk along the coast but we didn’t find parking easily
Viewpoint near Parco delle sculture
Pista Ciclabile Rossana Maiorca
Wander around the old town of Syracuse and the most picturesque part of the city. It’s best explored on foot—get lost among narrow alleys, charming piazzas, and sea views at every turn. Don’t miss the Fountain of Diana and the Cathedral of Syracuse, both in the heart of Piazza Duomo. Grab some gelato at Levante Gelato Artigianale or Gelateria Gusto (this one is popular but it wasn’t my favorite).
The best part of Ortiga is just sitting in the Piazza Duomo and people watching - la passeggiata. There are many nice restaurants around that you can stop in for dinner. For example, Chiodo - Ristorante Ortigia is a popular restaurant. We went to Moon Restaurant, a vegan Italian restaurant, which was extremely unique and didn’t taste vegan at all! Although this restaurant is highly regarded on social media, there are better restaurants with better vibes.
Some Essential Tips
Honestly, you don’t need to plan out a day by day itinerary here as it’s quite easy to walk around everywhere, except drive to the Archaeological Park either when you first arrive in Syracuse or when you leave.
How to arrive?
After leaving Taormina, we drove south to Syracuse, a city filled with ancient history and coastal charm. The drive is about an hour and a half and makes for an easy transition from Taormina’s hillside views to Syracuse’s seaside energy. You could also opt to take the train from Catania and go south first rather than north up to Taormina first.
How do I get around?
Walk and get lost wandering the streets, we didn’t use our car at all.
How long do I need?
Two days is more than enough to see all of the main attractions that the city offers, I didn’t feel that we needed more time here.
Day 2: Explore Street Market, Soak up the Sun and Sunset
Spend the morning wandering around the Ortigia Street Market and pass by Temple of Apollo along the way. Spend time eating at Fratelli Burgio and then grab a sandwich next door from Caseificio Borderi to eat along the water.
If you have time, you can pop into the Archimedes & Leonardo da Vinci Museum. We didn’t spend a long time here, but it was fund and worth going into.
Relax in the sun at Solarium Forte Vigliena, the public beach/bath. I preferred this one compared to the other ones but you can walk along to find a spot you like. Make sure to bring your own towel and go earlier so you can get a spot in the shade. I love how in Europe people just sun bath all next to eat other, the idea of personal space doesn’t exist as much in Europe.
Next, start to walk south along the waterway toward Castello Maniace. The edge of Ortigia offers stunning views of the sea, with plenty of cafés and gelaterias to stop at along the way. It’s especially beautiful in the late afternoon when the light hits the old stone buildings. Pass by the Arethusa Springs.
As the sun starts to set, head to any of the restaurants on the west side along the waterway. The popular restaurants are Sunset Ortigia or Mikatu for a drink with a view. Both offer a laid-back atmosphere and the perfect vantage point for watching the sun dip below the horizon.
Things I would skip
Puppet museum was terrible
