Free Tour of Syracuse | Ortigia, Temple of Apollo & Duomo

This Free Tour of Syracuse lasts 2 hours, is conducted in English and starts beside A’Surgiva before exploring Ortigia, the historic centre of Syracuse, with confirmed stops at the Temple of Apollo, Fountain of Diana, Piazza Duomo and the Cathedral, Santa Lucia alla Badia, the Fountain of Arethusa and the old Jewish Quarter, where the walk ends. The activity stays on Ortigia rather than continuing to the archaeological sites of Neapolis on mainland Syracuse.

The route covers an unusually long span of history within a small area. Ortigia was the nucleus from which ancient Syracuse developed after Corinthian Greeks settled here in the 8th century BC. Greek temples, later Christian buildings, Baroque architecture and streets associated with the city’s former Jewish community now occupy neighbouring blocks, making the island particularly useful for understanding how different periods reused the same urban space.

The Temple of Apollo introduces the Greek city, while Piazza Duomo reveals an even more striking example of continuity: the Cathedral incorporates columns from the ancient Temple of Athena directly into its structure. Later stops shift towards mythology at the fountains of Diana and Arethusa before finishing in the Giudecca, the historic Jewish district.

The tour is primarily an exterior walking experience. Civitatis only lists the English-speaking guide as included, so monument admissions should not be expected. The current supplier description also contains an outdated reference to Caravaggio’s The Burial of Saint Lucy inside Santa Lucia alla Badia. The church remains on the route, but the original painting is currently displayed at Santa Lucia al Sepolcro elsewhere in Syracuse.

You can check availability and reserve the Free Tour of Syracuse up to the scheduled starting time while places remain. There is no fixed participation price: the booking secures your place and, after the walk, you decide freely what voluntary contribution to give the guide.

How the Free Tour of Syracuse Works

The meeting point is beside A’Surgiva on Ortigia. From there, the guide leads the group entirely on foot through the historic centre for approximately 2 hours.

The activity is conducted with an English-speaking guide. No transportation is required because the confirmed itinerary is concentrated within the compact historic centre.

The published route begins with the Temple of Apollo and continues through Piazza Archimede, Piazza Duomo, the area around Santa Lucia alla Badia and the Fountain of Arethusa before finishing in the former Jewish Quarter.

The end point is therefore different from the meeting point. Civitatis only identifies the Jewish Quarter as the final area rather than publishing a precise street corner, so follow the guide’s instructions on the day if you need to plan another activity immediately afterwards.

Only the guide is listed as included. The free tour does not include tickets for archaeological areas, churches, underground sites or museums.

The activity requires at least six participants to operate. If that minimum is not reached, the provider can contact the people who have booked to offer alternatives.

There is no fixed price per participant. You reserve your place in advance and decide at the end of the walk what voluntary contribution to give the guide based on your assessment of the experience.

Temple of Apollo and the Greek Origins of Syracuse

The first major stop is the Temple of Apollo, close to the entrance to Ortigia. The surviving structure dates from the 6th century BC and is considered the oldest Doric stone temple in Sicily.

Its importance goes beyond its age. Building large freestanding columns in stone represented an important technical development during the archaic Greek period, and parts of the original inscription associated with the temple can still be identified among the remains.

The ruins also provide an early example of the historical reuse that appears repeatedly around Syracuse. The temple continued to serve different purposes long after the Greek city changed politically and culturally.

From temple to church, mosque and barracks

During the Byzantine period, the former Greek temple was adapted as a Christian church. It later became a mosque under Muslim rule, returned to Christian use during the Norman period and was eventually incorporated into military structures.

This sequence is useful for understanding Ortigia as a living city rather than an archaeological park. Successive communities did not simply leave every older building untouched. They altered, occupied and reused structures according to their own needs.

The free tour observes the archaeological remains from the surrounding public area. No separate admission to the Temple of Apollo is included or required as part of the standard walking route.

Ortigia itself forms part of the wider UNESCO World Heritage property known as Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica. UNESCO recognises the area for the concentration of evidence left by Mediterranean cultures over roughly three millennia.

Fountain of Diana and Piazza Duomo

Fountain of Diana

The walk continues to Piazza Archimede, where the Fountain of Diana occupies the centre of the square. Despite the ancient mythology represented by its sculptures, the fountain itself is relatively modern.

It was created in 1906 by sculptor Giulio Moschetti. The composition represents the myth of Arethusa and Alpheus, with Diana positioned at the centre of the scene as Arethusa attempts to escape.

This distinction matters because the supplier currently describes the fountain in terms of Renaissance art. Its mythology is ancient, but the monument belongs to the early 20th century.

Piazza Duomo

From Piazza Archimede, the tour reaches Piazza Duomo, one of the principal monumental spaces on Ortigia. The square shows another layer of Syracuse’s history, with Baroque façades built around structures whose origins are much older.

The Cathedral is the most important example. Its current exterior reflects later architectural work, but the building incorporates the ancient Temple of Athena, constructed after the Greek victory over Carthage in 480 BC.

Several of the Doric columns from the temple remain visible within the walls of the Cathedral. Instead of demolishing the pagan structure completely, later builders incorporated it into a Christian church.

The result makes the Cathedral particularly useful for understanding Syracuse. Greek architecture and Christian worship do not occupy separate sites here: they form part of the same building.

Civitatis does not list Cathedral admission among the inclusions. The confirmed product should therefore be understood as a stop in Piazza Duomo rather than a guaranteed guided visit through the interior.

Santa Lucia alla Badia and the Fountain of Arethusa

Santa Lucia alla Badia

The tour continues to Santa Lucia alla Badia, the Baroque church at the end of Piazza Duomo dedicated to Saint Lucy, the patron saint of Syracuse.

The church has a strong association with Caravaggio’s The Burial of Saint Lucy, but there is an important current distinction. The original painting is no longer displayed here.

Caravaggio created the large altarpiece after arriving in Syracuse in 1608. It was originally intended for Santa Lucia al Sepolcro, the church associated by tradition with the saint’s burial.

The painting was transferred to Santa Lucia alla Badia in 2009 while restoration work was taking place at its original church. It remained there until 2020, when it returned to the Basilica Santuario Santa Lucia al Sepolcro on mainland Syracuse.

The free tour can therefore discuss the church, Saint Lucy and Caravaggio’s connection with Syracuse, but you should not expect to see the original painting at this stop under the current arrangement.

Fountain of Arethusa

Later, the route reaches the Fountain of Arethusa on the western side of Ortigia. Unlike the sculptural Fountain of Diana, this landmark is based around a freshwater spring.

The spring forms a small basin close to the sea and is associated with papyrus plants. Its unusual position has made it one of the most recognisable natural features of Ortigia.

Its name comes from Greek mythology. In the traditional story, the nymph Arethusa flees Alpheus and is transformed into a spring on Ortigia, while Alpheus becomes a river whose waters travel beneath the sea to reach her.

The story is mythological rather than a historical explanation for the freshwater source, but it connects this stop directly with the imagery you encountered earlier at the Fountain of Diana.

The Giudecca and Syracuse’s Jewish Heritage

The final part of the tour moves into the Giudecca, Ortigia’s historic Jewish district. Its narrow streets preserve the layout of a neighbourhood associated with Syracuse’s Jewish community before the expulsion of Jews from Sicily under Spanish rule at the end of the 15th century.

The district adds another cultural layer after the Greek, Christian and Baroque monuments encountered earlier. It also demonstrates why Ortigia’s significance cannot be reduced to classical archaeology alone.

The Jewish ritual baths

One of the most significant surviving sites in the district is an underground miqweh, or Jewish ritual bath, on Via G. B. Alagona. The chambers are located around 18 metres beneath street level and are supplied by spring water.

The Municipality of Syracuse describes the baths as evidence of one of the Mediterranean’s longstanding Jewish communities. The underground rooms and purification pools provide unusually tangible evidence of religious practice in the district.

The miqweh is not included as an admission on this free tour. It is a separate visitor site, so the guide’s walk through the Giudecca should not be confused with an underground visit to the ritual baths.

The free tour finishes in this part of Ortigia after approximately 2 hours. From here you can continue exploring the historic centre independently or return towards Piazza Duomo, the waterfront or the Temple of Apollo on foot.

Practical Information and Frequently Asked Questions

The Free Tour of Syracuse lasts 2 hours and takes place entirely on foot through Ortigia with an English-speaking guide.

You can currently book up to the scheduled start time while places remain. Confirmation is immediate and the electronic voucher can be shown from your phone.

At least six participants are required for the activity to operate. Pets are not permitted.

Civitatis does not currently publish a specific wheelchair-accessibility classification for this activity. If you need particular mobility arrangements, confirm the current route and conditions before booking rather than assuming accessibility from the general layout of Ortigia.

How long does the Free Tour of Syracuse last?

The published duration is 2 hours.

Where does the tour start?

The current meeting point is beside A’Surgiva on Ortigia. Use the location on your electronic voucher as the final reference.

Where does the tour finish?

The published itinerary finishes in the historic Jewish Quarter, or Giudecca, on Ortigia.

Does this tour visit all of Syracuse?

No. The two-hour route is concentrated entirely on Ortigia, the historic centre and original nucleus of Syracuse. It does not include the Neapolis Archaeological Park, Greek Theatre or other mainland archaeological sites.

What places are confirmed on the route?

The current itinerary confirms the Temple of Apollo, Fountain of Diana, Piazza Duomo and the Cathedral, Santa Lucia alla Badia, the Fountain of Arethusa and the Jewish Quarter.

Is Caravaggio’s The Burial of Saint Lucy at Santa Lucia alla Badia?

No. The painting was displayed there between 2009 and 2020, but the original is currently at the Basilica Santuario Santa Lucia al Sepolcro elsewhere in Syracuse.

Are monument entrances included?

No monument admission is listed as an inclusion. The reservation includes the English-speaking guide and the walking route through Ortigia.

How much does the Free Tour of Syracuse cost?

There is no fixed participation price. Your reservation secures a place and, at the end of the tour, you decide what voluntary contribution to give the guide.