The Barocco and Food Experience: tour of Syracuse, Ortigia and Noto from Taormina

Enjoy comfortable return transport from Taormina or Giardini Naxos as you visit some of the most spectacular sights Sicily has to offer. Discover the ancient secrets of Syracuse, get swept away by the beauty of the island of Ortigia and marvel at the Baroque magnificence of Noto.

Discover the island of Ortigia on a guided walking tour

A professional driver will pick you up in Taormina or Giardini Naxos in a comfortable vehicle and drive you to one of Sicily’s most spectacular sights. The first stop of your full day will be the island of Ortigia, the city centre of Siracusa. Here, you’ll take a guided walking tour with an expert local guide who can answer any and all of your questions on the island, introducing you to the rich history of the island, explaining its Greek and Roman past Admire the most famed landmarks (exterior) such as the Cathedral “il Duomo” and much more. Any day trip in Sicily is not complete without a traditional lunch, full of Sicilian specialties, which is included in our tour.

Enjoy a guided tour of an ancient treasure

It will then be time for a visit of another stunning Sicilian monument: the archaeological park in Syracuse, which was constructed in the 5th century BC, then rebuilt in the 3rd century AD. Your guide will lead you through the park, pointing out the various ruins and explaining their historical and cultural significance. You will see some of the most important sites of the park, such as the Greek Theater, the Roman Amphitheater and the Ear of Dionysius, a deep limestone quarry from which stone to build the ancient city was extracted.The 16,000-capacity amphitheatre, also known as the Teatro Greco, is the archaeological park’s mind-blowing centrepiece. As you explore the park, you will learn about the different civilizations that inhabited the area, including the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. You will discover how they lived, their customs, and the contributions they made to the development of Siracusa. A visit to the Syracuse Archaeological Park would be enough to take your breath away normally. But this trip is packed with some of the island’s top attractions - such as the next stop, the beautiful town of Noto.

Visit Noto, one of Italy’s most beautiful historic centres

In the afternoon, you will continue your journey to the nearby town of Noto, famous for its amazing Baroque architecture. The Baroque city of Noto is so stunning that you may think it’s a film set. However, it isn’t. Less than 40km southwest of Syracuse, you’ll have an hour of free time in Noto, which you can spend at your own pace, do some shopping, or enjoy a gelato in one of the many ice cream parlors or strolling the Corso Vittorio Emanuele marvelling at the elegant baroque palazzi and churches. And you’ll have the chance to stop for a surprise tasting too!

The tour will end in the late afternoon when you will be driven back to Taormina, leaving you with unforgettable memories of this beautiful part of Sicily.