Sicily was everything I wanted it to be and more, even with only a very short time docked in each port. One day I’ll be back to explore the island properly, sans-ship, but until then here’s my complete crew members guide to docking at Siracusa cruise port. (And in case you’re curious, yep- Syracuse, New York, is indeed named after Siracusa, Sicilia.)
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There’s more than one port in Sicily…
Located just off of the ‘toe’ of the big old boot of Italy, Sicily is characterised by its dramatic landscapes, mouthwatering rustic cuisine, and stunning Mediterranean beaches. Then of course there’s the mafia. The mafia is so intertwined with Sicily that the very word ‘mafia’ was invented here. (But as a tourist, you’re highly unlikely to run into any problems. Don’t worry folks.)
And Sicily is a little larger than you might have once presumed. In fact, this is the biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and as such there are actually several cruise ports that you might dock at.
Palermo, on the northeast coast, is the capital city and sees a lot of ships scooching on into its gigantic port. Messina, another large city, is right across the Messina Strait from mainland Italy– in fact you can practically wave at the mainland from the dock. Catania is a third large city port, also in the eastern part of the island, and then there are the lesser-called-at ports: Trapani, Taormina, Pozzallo and Siracusa. And Siracusa cruise port is in the south east corner of Sicily, not so far from Catania.
Make sure you have an eSIM before you dock in Sicily so you can stay connected! Here’s a discount code for you.
A very brief introduction to Siracusa
These days Siracusa is very much Italian, but thousands of years ago it was one of the most important Greek cities of them all, rivalling Athens in its importance. Fancy that. Over the many many years that followed, Siracusa seems to have been taken over by just about anyone and everyone who wanted a piece of the pie: Romans, Normans, Byzantines and Arabs (to name but a few).
There are still plenty of ancient ruins to spot around Siracusa, but it’s also renowned for the stunning baroque architecture which sprang up during the 18th and 19th centuries. Beautiful palazzos and churches are flamboyantly decorated in the Sicilian baroque style, allowing sunlight to bounce off of theatrical masks on curved facades. It’s an absolute beauty, and the island of Ortigia (which is part of Siracusa), is officially a core part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of “Siracusa and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica.”
But don’t worry pals, getting to Ortigia is very very simple. It’s connected by road to the rest of the city; in fact, while on Ortigia you might not even realise you’re on an island at all.
Where is Siracusa cruise port?
Siracusa cruise port- Porto Grande- is in the south of Siracusa, and there are several piers available to dock at. Port facilities are pretty minimal, but just outside the port gates there are several bars and restaurants, and there are also normally taxi drivers waiting to whisk you away. There also tend to be stalls set up selling souvenirs along the side of the road.
Can you walk from Siracusa cruise port to Ortigia?
Yes! In fact, the walk from Siracusa cruise port to Ortigia should take you no longer than ten minutes. Just turn right as you exit the port gates, and when you get to the bridge, cross on over. The picturesque island of Ortigia and its charming old town is just on the other side, and although these narrow streets can get crowded, it’s well worth a visit.
The best things to do near Siracusa cruise port
Wander through the streets of Ortigia
Alright. This one maybe goes without saying. But I’m gonna say it anyway, because I see far too many people just sticking to a list that AI gave them and subsequently missing out on everything they might see in between the top destinations. If you’re docked in Siracusa cruise port with just a few hours to explore, the island of Ortigia is perfect for wandering aimlessly through. The lanes and alleyways, streaked with patches of sunlight and shade, are wonderfully walkable. And although there are sights to see, chances are you’ll stumble across them eventually anyway.
If you’re worried about missing any of the most important sites, and want to learn as much as possible about the area, I’d recommend taking a tour with a local guide. It’ll mean you’re actually taking in the world around you, instead of staring at the blue dot on your phone, know what I’m saying?
See the Temple of Apollo
It’s hard to miss the Temple of Apollo (that’s Tempio di Apollo to the Italians), simply because it’s almost immediately right there, just past the bridge that takes you from the direction of Siracusa cruise port to the island of Ortigia.
The temple dates back to the 6th Century BC, and although it underwent several changes throughout its life, my favourite period of all is probably during the 1700s. Having gradually been swallowed up by Spanish barracks and private houses, parts of the ancient temple remained visible. If anyone fancied a look at the ruins, they had to enter the house of a man named David- which happened to be in prime position for ruin-viewing- and pay a few coins to take a peek.
Since then the temple has been fully excavated, and it’s a crazy reminder of just how long us humans have been around for. You can’t walk around the temple, but it can be viewed for free from the street.
Hit the Piazza Duomo
Keep your eyes peeled for the glorious wide open square of the Piazza Duomo, home to the stunning Duomo di Siracusa. The cathedral was built in the 7th Century AD on the site of a Greek temple dedicated to Athena, and columns from that temple were incorporated into the exterior walls of the cathedral. After a period of time as a mosque, it was converted back to a cathedral (all very confusing), but following the 1693 earthquake it needed to be rebuilt: blossoming into the beautiful baroque structure you see today.
Other than the grand old cathedral, the vast square is lined with beautiful white marble palaces, and it’s probably one of the most beautiful Italian piazzas I’ve ever stepped foot in. There, I said it. What a place.
Siracusa Cathedral is open daily from 9.30am-6pm. Although you can book in advance, it’s normally not necessary and is a mere €3 per person!
Eat Sicilian!
What point is travelling the world if you’re not going to try the food, right pals? It is 100% worth eating in Siracusa, whether you head to a restaurant or stick to the street food. For breakfast, tuck into an icy granita with a warm, doughy brioche- it’s a Sicilian classic. (Caffe Apollo is great for this.)
And then of course, there’s lunch. It goes without saying that seafood is particularly fantastic in Siracusa; the fishing boats in the harbour are a bit of a giveaway on that one. Anything involving pistachios is highly recommended- they’re grown here on Siciliy and feature heavily in both savoury and sweet meals. I loved just wandering up and down the beautiful little lanes and basically following my nose to the source of any mouthwatering smell. (Of which there were many.)
Sicily has such a variety of tasty street food on offer, and joining a tour is a really great way of making sure you’ve tried everything. Literally, everything. Check availability for this street food tour of Ortigia.
Join a cooking class
One thing that I really miss out on while working on a cruise ship, as opposed to travelling by myself, is that I feel like it’s harder to connect with local people in each destination. Time is so limited in each port, and that makes it tricky to get a deeper understanding of wherever it is that I happen to be visiting.
Some of the most memorable experiences I’ve had involve shared meals, and in Siracusa one brilliant way to get this experience for yourself is by joining a cooking class with a local. There are several of these cooking classes available, during which you’ll be invited into a local home and given a class on how to prepare a traditional Sicilian meal. What an absolute joy.
Take a walk to Castello Maniace
The Castello Maniace is named after George Maniakes, a Greek general who first built a fort on this very same spot after he conquered Siracusa from the Arabs in 1038. During the 13th Century, a new and improved fortress was built, and over the years it housed Sicilian queens, defended the city from attacks, and became a prison. Altogether, a very patchworked history which matches the patchworked history of Siracusa.
The surroundings of the Castello Manice, with the views of the coast and the sea gently lapping at the shore, provide a little bit of calm respite from the busy streets of Ortigia. Even if you don’t pay to go inside the castle (it’s about €6 per person), the walk here and the peaceful atmosphere is easy-breezy and worth it.
Marvel at the Teatro dei Pupi
Did you know that Pinocchio himself was Italian? True story! Well, as true as it can be for a fictional tale. The original story was set in Tuscany, but puppets remain kind of a big deal across Italy- and there is a truly marvellous puppet theatre right in the heart of Ortigia which is well worth a visit.
The craftsmanship of these Sicilian puppets has been passed down from generation to generation and is downright astounding; papier-mache and wooden figures have beautifully painted faces and wear painstakingly detailed costumes and suits of armour, all made by hand. Particularly in this day and age, it’s an absolute wonder.
There are puppet shows at Teatro Alfeo, but even if you can’t make it to a show there’s a wonderful museum which is worth visiting.
Check the opening hours of the Museo dei Pupi.
Search for teste di mori
It won’t take long from when you leave the cruise port, to notice the heads. That’s right, the heads. In fact, if you’re visiting other parts of Sicily, you’ll see them there too. Beautiful, colourful, ceramic heads, draped in fruit and flowers, and often with a crown or turban to complete the look. You can’t argue that they’re stylish, in an oh-so-Sicilian fashion, and you’ll find them used as plant-pots, vases, ornaments, or just simple magnets if you’d rather a miniature version.
These wonderfully glamorous objects are teste di moro, or ‘Moors heads.’ Traditionally they come in pairs: one female and one male. And the legend behind them is a dark one. (As you’d probably imagine.)
In Palermo, when the Arabs ruled Sicily, a Sicilian girl fell in love with a Moorish soldier. Everything was going swimmingly, until the girl discovered that he had a wife and child at home. (If you’ve ever worked on ships, you’ll know that this is pretty standard even to this day.) The girl, in a fit of rage, beheaded the soldier. Things went from bad to worse when she decided to turn his severed head into a vase, in which she planted a sprig of basil- which grew and grew like never before. In fact, the basil did so well in its new home, that the neighbours became incredibly jealous, and ordered ceramic models of the basil-pot.
A slightly less macabre, but still very sad version of the tale is that upon discovering the romance between the Sicilian girl and the Moorish soldier, is that they were beheaded together by the girl’s own disapproving family, who were not fans of the multicultural relationship. A terrible story, but at least they weren’t turned into basil planters at the end.
Visit the Fonte Aretusa
The appeal of the Fountain of Arethusa- that’s the Fonte Aretusa in Italian- is partly in its picturesque setting, and partly in its mythical backstory. Naturally, I’m a fan of both.
The natural pool is fed by a freshwater spring and surrounded with high walls and a beautiful promenade. Around the edges of the pool are the brushy wands of papyrus which is typically more of an Egyptian kind of a plant. In fact, Sicily is one of the few parts of Europe where papyrus grows naturally.
Now on to story time. The spring is named after a Greek nymph called Arethusa, who escaped to Siracusa when she was being pursued by the river god Alpheus. Alpheus had spotted her bathing in the river in Arcadia (in the Peloponnese region of Greece), but Arethusa simply was not interested. So nervous that she began sweating profusely, Arethusa eventually turned into a stream, which as you can imagine would be more than a bit awkward to cope with. She prayed to her goddess, Artemis, who helped her to travel under the Ionian Sea, up to the island of Ortigia where she broke ground.
The story goes that if you were to throw flowers into the river ar Arcadia, they’d eventually surface at the Fonte Aretusa.
Enjoy the sea
End your time on Ortigia with a stroll along the seafront promenade. Start along the raised walkway around the edge of town, where you can find plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy an aperetif in the sunshine, and then head down towards one of Ortiglia’s beaches. When I visited in April it was still too chilly for me to swim although there were a few brave people giving it a go.
There are plenty of other beaches further away from Siracusa cruise port, but the main beach of Ortigia is Spiaggia di Cala Rossa, which is accessible by a flight of stairs. The beach is pebbly, but the water is completely clear and I can imagine, extremely inviting on a hot summer day.
Best excursions from Siracusa cruise port
I visited Siracusa cruise port in spring, and the narrow streets of Ortigia were already filling up with crowds. Having visited certain other Italian tourist hotspots at the height of summer- I’m looking at you, Pisa– I wouldn’t blame you one bit if a sweaty day in the city doesn’t quite tempt you. So here’s a round-up of the best excursions I can find from Siracusa cruise port.
The best way to truly get a breath of fresh air is probably to head out by boat. Travel from Siracusa out to the Plemmirio marine protected area and its stunning blue waters, swim with colourful fish and visit the nearby sea caves. This tour includes snorkelling equipment, but then this one includes prosseco and fruit.
For the adventurers, head up to the volcanic peak of Mount Etna, which towers over the island’s scenery. When in Italy, you might as well enjoy the wine too- so consider a tour which involves a bit of a local wine tasting, post volcano-hike!?
Finally, for those passengers who want more of a private experience, book yourself onto a private tour to the Neapolis archaeological park, around Ortigia and out to the beautiful baroque city of Noto. Or, for a more relaxed but equally as exclusive vibe, head up to the wineries on the slopes of Mount Etna. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I do love a wine tasting.
The benefit of a private tour like these are that thy can be tailored exactly to your wishes, and the tour will only involve your carefully-selected group of friends and family! Not a tour bus in sight.
Whether you decide to stay close to Siracusa cruise port, or head further inland to see what else Sicily has to offer, you’re bound to have an incredible time. This island has a special glow about it, (maybe it’s all the wine), and I’m yet to meet anybody who wasn’t a fan.
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