Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
& 6pm Mon-Sat)
some 20m below ground level. Blocked up in 1492 when the Jewish com-
munity was expelled from Ortygia, the baths were rediscovered during renovation work.
Mainland Syracuse
Parco Archeologico della Neapolis
( 093 16 50 68; Viale Paradiso; adult/reduced €10/free-€5; 9am-6pm Apr-Oct, 9am-4pm Nov-Mar)
For the
classicist, Syracuse's real attraction is this archaeological park, with its pearly white, 5th-
above the city. This theatre saw the last tragedies of Aeschylus (including
The Persians
),
which were first performed here in his presence. In summer it is brought to life again with
an annual season of classical theatre.
ologico della Neapolis)
, a precipitous limestone quarry where stone for the ancient city was ex-
tracted. Riddled with catacombs and surrounded by citrus and magnolia trees, this is also
where the 7000 survivors of the war between Syracuse and Athens in 413 BC were im-
prisoned. The
Orecchio di Dionisio
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(Ear of Dionysius; ; Parco Archeologico della Neapol-
is, Latomia del Paradiso)
, a grotto 23m by 3m deep, was named by Caravaggio after the tyrant,
who is said to have used the almost perfect acoustics of the quarry to eavesdrop on his
prisoners.
GOOGLE MAP
,
originally used for gladiatorial combats and horse races, and the 3rd-century
BC Ara di Gerone II, a monolithic sacrificial altar to Heron II where up to 450 oxen could
be killed at one time.
To reach the park, take bus 1, 3 or 12 from Ortygia's Piazza Pancali and get off at the
corner of Corso Gelone and Viale Teocrito. Alternatively, the walk from Ortygia will take
about 30 minutes. If driving, you can park along Viale Augusto (tickets available at the
nearby souvenir kiosks).
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
Museo Archeologico Paolo Orsi
MAP
MUSEUM
GOOGLE MAP
