Sfincione soft focaccia with tomato, onion, anchovies and caciocavallo
Tall, soft bread dough, tomato, onion, anchovies, oregano and caciocavallo: sfincione is Palermo's focaccia, cut into squares.
Read more →Syracuse was founded in the 8th century BC by Greek colonists from Corinth, and that beginning still shapes the province. Twenty-one municipalities spread from the Ionian coast in the east to the Mediterranean in the south, reaching inland towards Catania and Ragusa. Lake Lentini, the largest artificial basin in Europe, lies inside these boundaries, and the port of Augusta is the commercial anchor of the area.
The island of Ortigia, with its cathedral, the Temple of Apollo and the Castello Maniace, is where a first visit starts; the Paolo Orsi archaeological museum, the Roman amphitheatre and the Castello Eurialo hold the rest of the Greek and Roman city. UNESCO listed Syracuse together with the rock necropolis of Pantalica, above Ferla and Sortino, then Noto and Palazzolo Acreide with the Val di Noto towns. Avola and Pachino close the province to the south.
Towns in the province of Syracuse
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The best of Province of Syracuse
The top 20 places in Syracuse
Our editors' ranking: the area's most important places, drawn from the individual town guides. See the national rankings →
1 🏛️ Squares & old towns Ortigia e il Duomo 📍 Syracuse The Doric columns of the temple of Athena still hold up the walls of the cathedral, on top of Ortigia. 
2 🏺 Archaeological sites Parco Archeologico della Neapolis 📍 Syracuse The theatre where Aeschylus had The Persians staged, the quarries and Caravaggio's cave. 
3 🏺 Archaeological sites Siracusa 📍 Syracuse Ancient Greek metropolis and UNESCO site, Syracuse combines classical history, Baroque Ortygia, and coastal nature. - 4 Pantalica Ferla · 🏺 Archaeological sites
- 5 duomo di Siracusa Syracuse · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 6 Museo archeologico regionale Paolo Orsi Syracuse · 🖼️ Museums
- 7 castello Maniace Syracuse · 🖼️ Museums
- 8 fonte Aretusa Syracuse · 🏛️ Squares & old towns
- 9 castello Eurialo Syracuse · 🖼️ Museums
- 10 Museo di Palazzo Bellomo Syracuse · 🖼️ Museums
- 11 Teatro greco di Siracusa Syracuse · 🖼️ Museums
- 12 Orecchio di Dionisio Syracuse · 🌋 Nature & views
- 13 Palazzo Montalto Syracuse · 🏰 Castles & palaces
- 14 chiesa di San Martino Syracuse · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 15 Tempio di Apollo Syracuse · 🏺 Archaeological sites
- 16 anfiteatro romano di Siracusa Syracuse · 🏺 Archaeological sites
- 17 Convento dei Cappuccini Sortino · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 18 santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime Syracuse · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 19 Chiesa dello Spirito Santo (Siracusa) Syracuse · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 20 chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia Syracuse · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
Syracuse and around, on the map
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
🍝 At the table: Sicily
Arancina fried rice ball stuffed with meat ragù
Saffron rice, ragù with peas and caciocavallo cheese inside a golden crust. Round and feminine in Palermo, pointed and called arancino in Catania: the quarrel is serious.
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Arancino fried rice cone stuffed with ragù, pointed like Etna
Saffron rice, ragù with peas and caciocavallo inside a golden cone-shaped crust: in Catania it is masculine and pointed, and the quarrel with Palermo over the name is serious.
Read more →Tours, tickets and experiences
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Saint Ambrose, patron of a town with three feasts across as many different churches
📅 Every year, on 7 December
Buccheri celebrates Saint Ambrose on 7 December; the town also holds the feast of Saint Anthony Abbot on 17 January and that of the Madonna della Provvidenza on the first Sunday of July, celebrated in a church rich in Baroque features with a long staircase.
The Immaculate Conception and the feast of the «scupiddi»
📅 Every year, on 7 and 8 December
Floridia celebrates Mary Most Holy Immaculate on 8 December; on the eve, the faithful process to the mother church from the church of the Carmine with decorated candles, recalling the old custom of the «scupiddi», the brooms once used to sweep the streets as the statue passed.
Feast of Saint Lucy
📅 Every year, on 13 and 20 December
Lucy was born here, and Syracuse celebrates her twice in December: on the 13th the silver statue leaves Piazza Duomo and reaches Santa Lucia al Sepolcro late at night, on the 20th it returns to the cathedral through fireworks over the Umbertino bridge.
Saint Paul the Apostle, patron of a UNESCO World Heritage basilica
📅 Every year, on 25 January and 29 June
Palazzolo Acreide celebrates Saint Paul on 25 January and 29 June; his basilica, together with that of Saint Sebastian, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Late Baroque towns of the Val di Noto.