Private full-day trip to Syracusa and Ortigia from Taormina

The Cathedral of Syracuse (Duomo) is one of the most extraordinary examples of architectural layering in the world. Built directly incorporating the columns and walls of the ancient Greek Temple of Athena (5th century BC), it was repurposed as a Christian basilica when Ortigia converted to Christianity — a common early Christian practice. Today you can still clearly see ancient Doric columns embedded in the exterior and interior walls of the Baroque cathedral, making it a physical record of 2,700 years of continuous religious use.

The Ear of Dionysus (Orecchio di Dionisio) is a remarkable artificial cave cut into the limestone cliffs of the Latomie quarries, measuring about 23 meters high and 65 meters deep with an S-shaped passage. Its name was coined by the painter Caravaggio, who visited Syracuse in 1608 and noted that the cave's extraordinary acoustics amplified even a whisper to a roar. Legend has it that the tyrant Dionysius I used the cave as a prison and could hear prisoners' conversations from a hole above.

The Greek Theater of Syracuse is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient Greek theaters in the world, with a seating area carved directly into the rock of Temenite Hill and an original capacity of about 14,000-15,000 spectators. It was a key cultural venue of the ancient Greek world — the playwright Aeschylus premiered several tragedies here, including the Persians (472 BC). The theater still hosts an annual cycle of classical drama performances each spring.

The Latomie are vast underground quarries from which the ancient Greeks extracted the limestone to build Syracuse — temples, city walls, and theater included. After the catastrophic Athenian expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC, thousands of captured Athenian soldiers were imprisoned in these quarries for months with barely any food or water. The historian Thucydides described the Latomie prison as one of the most terrible fates to befall the Athenian army. Walking through these gardens — now filled with citrus trees — is a deeply moving historical experience.

Ortigia is a small island connected to the mainland of Syracuse by two bridges, and it is the ancient nucleus from which the city grew. Founded by Corinthian Greeks in 734 BC, Syracuse became one of the most powerful cities of the ancient Mediterranean — rivaling Athens itself. Today Ortigia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: its narrow streets overlay the original Greek grid, and its buildings layer Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, and Baroque architecture across 2,700 years of history.

For groups of 1 to 8 people, a full cancellation fee applies if you cancel within 7 days of your tour date or in case of no-show. For groups of 9 or more, availability and cancellation terms are available on request.