4. Sicily - Siracusa & Ortigia

After leaving Taormina we spent 3 days on the small island of Ortigia, which is connected to the city of Siracusa by some short bridges.  Ortigia is an attractive web of narrow medieval streets with lots of historic buildings and some ruins. The area was originally colonised by the Greeks in 734BC.

ORTIGIA

Remains of the temple of Apollo:

This model in the archeological museum in Siracusa shows what the Apollo temple would have looked like:

An attractive canopy of vegetation flanks the promenade at Porto Marina, with restaurants & cafes and a walkway underneath: 

Sunset looking over the Porto Marina area:

Ortigia cathedral:

We enjoyed a lovely meal of Sicily-style fish & chips one evening:

This store/art gallery displays a range of art relating to fish:

Ceramic models of fish are for sale:

We happened across a guitar-playing fishmonger in the Ortigia markets:

The other marina in Ortigia, looking north east:

SIRACUSA

The city has an archeological Park with Greek & Roman ruins, as well as a large archeological museum exhibiting artefacts from this and other areas.

Remains of the Greek theatre - unfortunately most of the stone seating was covered when we were there due to a series of opera performances:

Large cave in the quarry behind the Greek theatre:

Remains of a Roman arena:

Toni near the remains of other Roman buildings:

Some of the larger artefacts in the extensive collection in the Siracusa archeological museum:

A modern church dominates the Siracusa skyline: