Siracusa is a land of ancient history, beaches and stunning scenery
The province of Siracusa in south east Sicily features a beautiful shoreline stretching some 100km. Many large sandy beaches, interspersed with rocky headlands can be found here, while inland the terrain consists of both mountains and fertile plains. The ancient city of Siracusa built up around the Island of Ortigia when Greek colonists built fortifications on it around 485 BC. Today Siracusa is a fabulous holiday destination, offering couples, groups and families luxurious beach surroundings, as well as thousands of years of history to investigate, all bathed in brilliant Sicilian sunshine.
Holiday accommodation around Siracusa is plentiful and varied, although the more central hotels are extremely busy in the height of summer. From this excellent Sicilian base you’re close to the sea, have the world-famous Island of Ortigia on your doorstep to explore, and are spoilt for choice for restaurants, open air cafes, and a handful of nightclubs and discos that Siracusa has to offer. The island is the heart of historic Siracusa, but Greek Syracuse, as it was then called, covered a large area inland, and many of the finest archaeological sights are found in the less built-up areas around the archaeological park, or within the more modern districts. Achradina, north across the port from Ortigia, was the city’s old commercial centre, while Tyche to the north-east was residential, and now holds the archaeological museum.

Siracusa offers delicious food and cooling drinks
Sicily's home-grown produce makes for a rich and varied choice of dishes - olives, oranges, cheeses like pecorino, and of course pasta. Pasta with sardines (con le sarde) is a must, found around coastal towns including Siracusa and nearby Catania. Seafood is a major staple of the diet, while cous-cous, eaten particularly in the west of the island, is another example of Sicily's mixed food heritage. A real Sicilian treat is the granita. This refreshing crush of ice and fruit is served with both a spoon and a straw, and is a delicious way to cool down in the summer heat. Fresh Sicilian lemons or oranges help make this a really special drink.