Siracusano

<< Sicily

The Siracusano is the territory of the Province of Syracuse, located along the coast of the Ionian Sea in southeastern Sicily. This area is mostly occupied by hills and mountains, and hosts numerous towns featuring famous historic landmarks, most notably Noto.

Noto

Noto is a town located among the hills southwest of Syracuse. The town was founded in ancient times and remained an important center until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693. The city was rebuilt nearby, and was adorned with many buildings erected in Baroque style. Noto is now a famous tourist attraction, especially because of its Baroque architecture, and its historic center has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

✪ Noto Cathedral

The Noto Cathedral is the main church of Noto, and a notable example of Sicilian Baroque architecture. The church was erected in the 18th century, and partly collapsed in 1996. The church has since been restored and reopened. The cathedral features a monumental facade, and inside it is adorned with some artworks and frescoes.

Palazzo Di Lorenzo del Castelluccio

Palazzo Di Lorenzo del Castelluccio is an 18th-century palace in Noto, that was once the residence of a local noble family. The palace includes various decorated halls as well as some artworks and historic furnishings.

Ancient Noto

Ancient Noto (Noto Antica) is the ancient town of Noto, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693. Now an archaeological site, the area features various the ruins of numerous buildings, including some churches, various palaces, a castle, and a series of tombs.

Roman Villa of Tellaro

The Roman Villa of Tellaro (Villa Romana del Tellaro) is an ancient villa located in the countryside south of Noto. The villa was built around the 4th century, and features various elaborate mosaics, some of which are still well preserved. The building was abandoned after being destroyed by a fire, and was found in 1971 under a rural building dating from the 18th century.

Wildlife Oasis of Vendicari

The Wildlife Oasis of Vendicari (Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari) is a nature reserve located along the coast south of Noto. The area includes a lagoon and a beach, and it is an important wetland visited by many species of birds. A small island is located just off the coast near the lagoon. The park also houses the ruins of some ancient structures, including a Byzantine church and a fishing site. Just north of the nature reserve are a few ruins of the ancient city of Helorus (Eloro).

Canicattini Bagni

Canicattini Bagni is a town located among the hills in the Province of Syracuse. The town has been inhabited since ancient times and has some historic landmarks.

TEMPO Museum

The TEMPO Museum (Museo TEMPO) is an ethnographic museum in Canicattini Bagni. The museum houses collections dedicated to local history and traditions, with sections focused on clothes, emigration, and medicine.

Palazzolo Acreide

Palazzolo Acreide is a town located among the hills west of Syracuse. The city was inhabited since prehistoric times, and was later inhabited by the Greeks and the Romans. The modern town emerged in the Late Middle Ages, and was rebuilt after being destroyed by an earthquake in 1693.

Archaeological Park of Akrai

The Archaeological Park of Akrai (Parco Archeologico di Akrai) houses the ruins of the ancient city of Akrai, a Greek colony located on the site of the modern Palazzolo Acreide. The town was an important center in ancient times, until it was destroyed by the Arabs in the 9th century. The ruins of the town include a theater, an assembly house, and a few other structures. Next to the park is a small archaeological museum.

Gabriele Judica Archaeological Museum

The Gabriele Judica Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Gabriele Judica) is an archaeological museum in Palazzolo Acreide. The museum houses numerous archaeological findings unearthed in the ruins of Akrai and in other nearby sites.

Sortino

Sortino is a small town located among the hills of the Province of Syracuse. The town has medieval origins, but it is best known for an ancient necropolis located nearby.

Necropolis of Pantalica

The Necropolis of Pantalica is a series of rock-cut tombs located among the hills south of Sortino. The site was occupied in prehistoric times, during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. During its long history, the area was sometimes inhabited, most recently during the Middle Ages. The area houses other archaeological ruins, such as a megalithic structure known as Anaktoron, dating from around the 12th century BCE.

Priolo Gargallo

Priolo Gargallo is a town located along the coast just north of Syracuse. Inhabited since ancient times, it once hosted the town of Thapsos, but now it is mostly an industrial center.

Archaeological Area of Thapsos

The Archaeological Area of Thapsos (Area Archeologica di Thapsos) hosts the ruins of the prehistoric village of Thapsos, located on a peninsula barely connected to the rest of Sicily near Priolo Gargallo. Settled around the 14th century BCE, this Bronze Age village is the oldest known city in Sicily, and later became a Greek colony. Later abandoned, the site includes the ruins of a necropolis and a few other structures.

Augusta

Augusta is a city located north of Syracuse, with the old town placed on an island that was once a long promontory. The area has been inhabited since ancient times, and the Greek city of Megara Hyblaea was located nearby, but the modern Augusta only emerged in the Late Middle Ages. Augusta is now a large port and an industrial center.

Archaeological Area of Megara Hyblaea

The Archaeological Area of Megara Hyblaea (Area Archeologica di Megara Iblea) houses the ruins of an ancient Greek colony. Founded in the 8th century BCE, Megara Hyblaea was a flourishing city until the 5th century BCE, when it was destroyed by Syracuse. The park includes various ruins of the ancient city, such as the Greek agora. A small museum is located just outside the archaeological area.

Lentini

Lentini is a town in the Province of Syracuse, located west of Augusta. The town was founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BCE, and remained a city of regional importance for centuries, but declined under the Romans. Destroyed and rebuilt a few times, the town still features some historic attractions.

Chruch of Santa Maria la Cava and Sant’Alfio

The Chruch of Santa Maria la Cava and Sant’Alfio is the main church of Lentini. The first church here was built in the 3rd century, and was later expanded, but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693. The current structure was erected in Baroque style during the 18th century. The interior of the church is richly adorned with artworks and decorations.

Archaeological Museum of Lentini

The Archaeological Museum of Lentini (Museo Archeologico di Lentini) is an archaeological museum dedicated to the history of Lentini. Its collection includes numerous archaeological findings and artworks unearthed in the city and the nearby Archaeological Area of Castellaccio (Area Archeologica del Castellaccio), which houses some ruins of the ancient town.