Regional Features

Siracusa and Ortigia

I joined these two ‘cities’ together as Ortigia is considered a small island still a part of the larger surrounding city of Siracusa. In fact, Ortigia is also called the ‘citta vecchia’ (the old city of Siracusa), even though it is in this unique island form. Ortigia and the archeological complex (read more below) comprise the second Greek colony in Sicily (after Naxos). Yet Syracuse, founded in 743 BCE, is described by Cicero as ‘the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of all’.

If you are on the east coast of Sicily, Siracusa should definitely be on your itinerary. We hired a wonderful tour guide here as well. She accompanied us to the Greek theatre and made the experience more immersive. Her name is Alessandra; get in touch with me if you would like her contact information. Ortigia has some beautiful Baroque architecture; however, you will also be able to observe the palimpsest of influence from Roman, Byzantine, Gothic-Spanish, Norman, and the Renaissance eras. The streets are narrow and gorgeous. Definitely plan time for a wander around; the streets are full of beautiful photo-ops, bars and restaurants and some unique boutiques as well.

The Greek Theatre in the Archaeological park of Neapolis

Tour the Archaeological park of Neapolis and the Paolo Orsi Archeological museum. You might make your first stop the museum (especially if you do not hire a guide; this is a good alternative). It is located 500 meters from the Archaeological park, and there are very good didactic panels that lead you through the history of the area starting with pre-historic times, taking you through the history of the Greek colonies in Sicily and then into Roman times. Admission to the museum is 8 euro. Next, move to the Archaeological park. I mentioned the impressive Greek theatre of Siracusa in the entry on the Greek theatre at Taormina. This theatre is a part of the Archaeological park complex and it is one of the largest of its kind. Originally constructed in the 5th century BCE, it was rebuilt in the 3rd century BCE and could hold up to 16,000 spectators. The archeological park, by the way, is called a Neopolis because it is indeed the remains of a ‘city’ complex that was ‘new’ (neo) when the Greeks founded the colony of Syracuse (English spelling) in 743 BCE.

Other highlights of the site are the Latomia del Paradiso and Orecchio di Dionisio. The former is an impressive limestone quarry and the latter is an awe-inspiring grotto that was named the ‘Ear of Dionysius’ by the popular Baroque painter Michelangelo da Caravaggio when he visited in 1608. The ‘ear’ relates to both the unique shape of the entrance way and the incredible acoustic effects inside the cave. With Ortigia the Archaeological park of Neopolis form part of a UNESCO world heritage site.

Eat at Regina Lucia Ristorante in the central piazza of Ortigia, the Piazza Duomo. We celebrated Christmas Eve here in the beautiful cavernous space of the restaurant. The restaurant is part of the Michelin guide for 2020. With both quality and elegance, if you are looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion in Ortigia, this is it. Explore the seafood heavy menu here.

Pay homage to the Duomo di Siracusa in the same piazza as Regina Lucia (above). The cathedral of Syracuse is special because the current church you see, although reconstructed over 25 centuries still features the doric columns from a the Temple of Athena, built in this spot in the 5th century BCE. The ornate facade with corinthian columns in the front is in the High Sicilian Baroque style, as it was redesigned between 1725-1753. After exploring this holy site, spend some time wandering the streets of the Ortigia. You will notice that the clean, white, yet ornamental Baroque style predominates the streets due to reconstruction after the earthquake in 1693. Don’t miss the other significant Greek landmarks: The 6th century BCE Temple of Apollo and the Fountain of Arethusa. The namesake of the fountain, the nymph Arethusa has an important role in Greek mythology, and the fountain is alluded to in literary works by Milton, Pope, Wordsworth and even the American Melville.

Modica

Modica is another lovely Sicilian town in which you can experience the Baroque beauty that graces many towns in southeastern Sicily following the devastating earthquake in 1693. Modica, along with seven other towns, have been granted UNESCO status because they, according to the UNESCO website, “provide outstanding testimony to the exuberant genius of late Baroque art and architecture.” Modica is located in the Hyblaean Mountains, thus the elevation changes in the city are quite dramatic, and you can observe clusters of white buildings and homes tucked into hills that surround the city center. Oh, and there is a great tradition of chocolate production here.

A dramatic view of the Baroque Duomo of San Giorgio

Climb the steps up to the Duomo of San Giorgio. The construction on the Baroque incarnation of the church took place between 1702 and 1738. The central tower that becomes visible once you have hiked up enough embodies the theatricality with defines Baroque architecture. Read more here. Walking around the streets of Modica, you will notice countless other Baroque touches on balconies, palazzi and do not miss the other impressive Baroque Cattedrale di San Pietro

The Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily)

Experience the Italian P.G.I. specialty chocolate of Modica at the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, which is the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily. First, the P.G.I is a Protected Geographical Indication, that is, the equivalent to DOC or DOCG for foodstuffs. Chocolate production in the municipality of Modica uses a method of grinding chocolate “which gives the chocolate a peculiar grainy texture and aromatic flavor.” The production connects to the Spanish rule of Sicily (this is a long complicated history, but you can read more here). Regarding chocolate, the protected recipe in this area was inspired by the Aztec original recipe for Xocolatl; thus, if you are familiar with the taste of Mexican chocolate, it will bear resemblance. You can take a ‘short but sweet’ tour of the Bonajuto factory which, of course, involves tasting along the way.

The menu at L’osteria dei Sapori Perduti in the Sicilian dialect (which is truly a distinct language)

Eat at L’Osteria dei Sapori Perduti . The name of this restaurant translates to ‘Osteria of Lost Tastes’ and indeed, eating in this establishment feels like taking a step back in time. We had a perfect authentic lunch here. All of the dishes use original Sicilian recipes and the osteria has a particularly homey and congenial atmosphere.

Palermo

Moving from east to west, I wanted to highlight the city of Palermo, as I spent a delightful weekend there. The beauty of traveling in Italy is in fact the opportunity to pop down to another region on a quick (1 hour) cheap (40 euro) Ryanair flight. There is much more to explore in this capital city, and I provide only an introduction here. Still, Palermo is worth as much time as you have to spend, however, and even in a weekend, you can have a great taste.

Walk and experience the city. Palermo is perfect for a walking tour, as there is much to see, and you can get a good feel for the city on foot. This tour could be guided or just informed by your own research, but you will want to hit these highlights. First, the Palermo Cathedral is expansive and it has a history to match. The building we see was erected in 1185 by a Norman archbishop, but this came on top of a preexisting Byzantine basilica that was transformed into a mosque after the Muslim conquest in the 9th century. In fact, one of the most interesting architectural features is the column with a verse from the Qur'an carved into it.

Pass by the Piazza Pretoria with a mid 16th century fountain created by Francesco Camilliani. The fountain features nude statues and because of this it has been called the ‘piazza della vergogna’ (piazza of shame) which also relates to governmental corruption. Pass through the Quattro Canti with four Baroque facades and finally tour the Teatro Massimo, which is the third biggest opera house in Europe, and the biggest in Italy. Although only constructed at the end of the 19th century, it has more recently been imbued with cultural significance as the final scenes of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather III were filmed here.

Eat in and experience the Ballarò market. You will be able to wander through claustrophobic streets with vocal vendors and sights, smells, sounds expected at a lively street market. Indulge in the Sicilian street food on offer. Many of the bars in the area make fresh arancine, and you can stop in for a fried rice ball stuffed with your choice of filling. We had a demonstration, organized by the wonderful Dario, on how to make arancine in Bar Castiglione, just outside of the market. Here they also have tempting glutinous sweet treats such as cannoli on offer. You could also try more adventuresome street food such as stigghiola (veal or lamb intestine).

Another restaurant that I can recommend in Palermo is Osteria Mercede. It is slightly off the beaten path, a 20 minute walk from the market. However, it was near our hotel, and lived up to the overwhelmingly positive reviews. Sympathetic waitstaff serve fresh seafood at fair prices. The restaurant is quite intimate, so be sure to book a table ahead of time. You can reach them by phone at +39 091 332243.

Visit/Day trip to the unreal town of Monreale, especially if you have more than one day to spend in Palermo. To be honest, you will only need a few hours for the experience, and you can reach Monreale in 15 minutes by car, as it is less than 9 KM away from the center of Palermo. The town itself is cute, and it overlooks a valley growing orange, almond, and olive trees (how very Sicilian) but the pièce de résistance is without a doubt, the Monreale Cathedral. It forms part of a UNESCO designation under Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale. The cathedral is considered one of the best examples of Norman architecture. Construction began on the cathedral in 1174 under the direction of William II of Sicily. The Normans had been in control of Sicily since 1091; they were the next rulers after the Muslim conquest of Sicily in the previous two centuries.

The most striking features of the cathedral are the incredible golden mosaics in the apse and in the nave. These were executed in the Byzantine style during the 12th-13th centuries. The UNESCO designation also recognizes this cathedral for the coexistence of artistic influences and styles, namely “Muslim, Byzantine, Latin, Jewish, Lombard and French,” symbolizing “the fruitful coexistence of people of different origins and religions” during these particularly multicultural years as a result of relatively quick transitions between culturally diverse ruling powers, now connected through the hyphenated name, Arab-Norman Palermo. The cloister of the cathedral is also very impressive; 228 columns decorated with mosiacs and reliefs border a peaceful and well manicured interior courtyard.

In the cloister of the Monreale Cathedral with my mom

Food and Wine

Spots in Taormina