Siracusa

Fontana dell’Elefante
It was built by the architect Gianbattista Vaccarini in 1757, who was inspired by the Elephant of Minerva in Rome. This architect from Palermo built the fountain using some of the city’s historical relics as a symbol of rebirth after the eruption and the earthquake of 1669 and 1693 respectively.

Basilica Catedrale Sant’Agata V.M. Catania
This magnificent example of Baroque architecture is dedicated to Saint Agatha, patron saint of Catania and protector of its citizens from the eruptions of Etna. Its original construction dates back to the period between 1070 and 1093.

A’ Piscaria Mercato del Pesce
This market has been a big part of Catania’s history and it is also an important element of the day to day life of its citizens. A piece of authentic Sicilian culture that has been around for centuries where you can find, not only fresh fish but also meat, vegetables and fruit from local vendors.

Via Etnea
Via Etnea is the main street in Catania. It extends from the Piazza del Duomo to Gioeni Park, in the northern part of the city. Along its 3 kilometers of extension there are numerous palaces, churches and squares of the Baroque and Neoclassical Catania.

Porta Uzeda
Porta Uzeda is considered one of the symbols of the city and it was built in 1695 by the Duke of Camastra and dedicated to Paceco de Uzeda, who had promoted the reconstruction of the city after the earthquake of 1693.

Teatro Massimo Bellini
This Teatro was designed by the Milanese architect Carlo Sada and it was inaugurated in 1890. In the hundred and thirty years of its existence, this driving force of musical life in Catania has seen many of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century pass through its stage.

Piazza Universita
This square located on Via Etnea, a few meters from the Cathedral, has existed since the last part of the 18th century and it is home to the University of Catania, the oldest university in Sicily, that was founded in 1434 by King Alfonso the Magnanimous.

Anfiteatro Romano
The Roman amphitheater of Catania, of which a small section is visible today in Piazza Stesicoro, was probably built in the 2nd century on the edge of the ancient city. The area where it stands, which today is part of the historic center of the city, was once used as a necropolis.

Museo Civico Castello Ursino
This symbol of Catania was built between 1239 and 1250 as one of the royal castles of Emperor Frederick II, King of Sicily, closing a chapter of the turbulent period in Sicily that followed the death of his predecessor. The project was based on a defensive model similar to the Castle of Maniace in Syracuse, considered impregnable at the time.

Via dei Crociferi
Via Crociferi is one of the oldest streets of the city. It is surrounded by churches and monasteries that portrait an example of Catania’s Baroque architecture. It is in the heart of the historic center and it begins in Piazza San Francesco D’Assisi crossing the famous triumphal arch of San Benedetto .

Syracuse Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands on the elevated part of the island of Ortigia and is considered the most important church in the city of Syracuse. It has become part of the heritage protected by UNESCO. Next to it you will find The Temple of Athena that is a Doric order building erected in the 5th century BC.

Temple of Apollo (Tempio di Apollo)
It is located on the island of Ortigia in Syracuse and it is a historical and architectural testimony of great value.The temple, dating back to the early 6th century BC, is certainly the oldest Doric temple in Sicily.

Arethusa Spring
This Fonte is an integral part of the city’s history and it is a place where reality and legend meet. Today, this source of freshwater that flows at the seashore, forming a small lake inhabited by fish and plant species, is one of the island’s main tourist attractions.

Maniace Castle
On the extreme tip of the island, you will find this fortress that has protected the city for eight centuries and that is among the most important monuments of the Swabian period.

Palazzo Vermexio
Current headquarter of the Municipality of Syracuse, this palazzo preserves in its basement notable remains of an Ionic temple from the 6th century BC. The Vermexios, a family of architects of Iberian origin, left an unmistakable mark on the city’s architecture.

Piazza Archimede
In the center of the square stands the beautiful Diana fountain by the sculptor Giulio Moschetti from 1906, which tells the legend of Aretusa. The nymph is depicted in the act of fleeing from Alpheus who, with outstretched arms, tries to grab her.