Etnea – Syracuse

36th day

This morning the four of us set out for Syracuse. They are traveling like us, taking the route as it comes. They have been on the road for two weeks and have a couple more to go.

Today's campsite is close to the city, but not close enough to walk there, so after setting up camp, we rode over to visit.
Syracuse is one of the richest cities in terms of artistic and historical significance in ancient Europe and has, of course, the mix of styles we have been observing throughout our journey on the island.
Normally, during these visits, we head straight to the old town, which in Syracuse is located on Ortigia Island, connected to the mainland by two bridges.
The motorcycles were left at the entrance because traffic within is restricted, and we enjoyed a long stroll through the streets of the center 🙃.
Legend has it that “Aretusa, a nymph of Diana, the goddess of hunting, lived in the forests of Hellas. One day, to escape Alpheus, son of the god Oceanus, she threw herself into the sea and crossed the Ionian Sea until she reached Sicily, where she became a fountain in the port area of the city. Moved by Alpheus's pain, Zeus transformed them into a river, allowing him to flow beneath the earth and reach his beloved.”
The name of the island means partridge and seems to come from the number of birds that inhabit the area. The island is home to most of the notable buildings, including the Roman Amphitheater and the Altar of Hiero II (the most important Greek sacrificial altar today), which are currently closed to the public for restoration. We are also not sure if we would have visited them 😐.

A few streets after crossing the bridge, you find the Temple of Apollo, which still retains part of the base of the steps, some columns, and a section of the wall of the cell.
In the surroundings, they set up the local market, and we strolled through the stalls that were still open. Nothing out of this world because what you find in these places, apart from the typical products of the area, is pretty much the same wherever you go; we can attest to that 😊.

Continuing along the route, you come across the Cathedral Square, where the Beneventano del Bosco Palace and the Vermexio Palace are located, which is currently the seat of the municipal Senate.

The Cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin of the Pillar, is Baroque and was built in the 7th century by transforming the Temple of Athena, which still retains the solid columns that once surrounded the cell, now the central nave. The façade is adorned with figures of saints that flank the spectacular staircase leading up, which today, by the way, was so full of people sitting in the sun that we had a hard time making our way inside 😲.

On the way back home, we organized a dinner, once again improvised; it’s amazing what can come out from the depths of the bags of a motorcycle or a camper… I can understand it with the camper, but with the motorcycles, I’m amazed 😃

We all agreed that the visit to the city was worth it. We also had a great time and tried one of the delights of the city and Sicily, a giant breaded and fried rice croquette filled with meat, ham, or mozzarella, shaped like a small orange called “arancini,” which was delicious, especially at the time we had it.
Good night… I’ll keep you posted 😘