Almost all banks have ATM-tellers outside. The closest ATM is on Piazza Archimede/corner Corso Matteotti. There are more ATMs in Via Savoia.
Bakery:
A nice bakery with a wide choice is “Viola” in Via Roma
Bar for coffee/cappuccino:
Italians love their Bar. There are plenty of them around. Go for a quick espresso at the counter, or have a cappuccino. But bear in mind: cappuccino only in the morning! No Italian would have a cappuccino after, let’s say, 11 o’clock! Only tourists do ;-) Maybe you want to try a typical Sicilian breakfast: Granita alle Mandorle con brioche – a almond sherbet and a brioche to dip in! Sherbet for breakfast may sound strange to you, but once you experience a Sicilian summer (30°C and more at 8 am) you will understand!
We like “Irma La Dolce” – nice cafe with tables outside, Irma’s homemade cakes and the ice coffee (caffè freddo) – Piazza dei Mergulensi. She occasionally organizes live concerts and sings herself once in a while.
Bike rental:
Across the bridges from Ortigia in Corso Umberto and Via Malta you can find several bike rental companies. Regular, simple bikes or e-bikes.
Siracusa Tour Bike, Via della Dogana, 15
Cicli Valente, Corso Umberto I, 38
Car rental and scooter rental:
There are several car rentals in Siracusa:
Avis/Maggiore Piazzale della Stazione Centrale 9
Europecar in Corso Umberto
Scooter Rental: Rent a Scooter in Corso Umberto I, 28
Cars & Scooters: Ortigia Rent Service Siracusa in Viale Giuseppe Mazzini, 2
Groceries/Shopping:
Opening hours in general: 9 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm. Monday morning a lot of shops are closed.
There is a mini market "Gusto" on Via Maestranza 80. A bigger supermarket is in Via Cavour.
But the best shopping for food is definitely the market of Ortigia. Every day except Sunday from 8 am until 1 pm you can find fresh vegetable, fruit, fish, seafood – everything Sicily’s nature offers!
Of course there are two shops that have become Trip-Advisor attractions in the last years. The cheese shop of Andrea Bordieri – he has a wide choice of cheese and you can taste all of them. And next to him the Delicatessen shop Burgio, also here you can taste almost everything. Both have good quality. But if you don't want to stand in line and want to go where the locals shop, go around the corner to Via Trento/Via Giaracà there is a small “alimentari” shop called Cassia – no frills, no show but excellent quality.
Icecream:
For us the best ice cream in town you can get just across the bridge in Corso Umberto 34 at Voglia Matta.
Map:
Ortigia | Siracusa
Parking:
see here: Parking Possibilities
Pizza:
La Volpe e l’Uva, Piazza Duomo. Very good pizza on the most beautiful piazza of Sicily!
Gran Caffè del Duomo, Piazza Duomo, good restaurant and pizzeria
Era Ora Pizzeria, Via Riva Giuseppe Garibaldi, 10
Bianco Pepe, Piazza del Precursore, 7-8-9, Tel: 0931 185 2406
Public transport:
Urban transport:
Siracusa has a new public transport system SAIS which is very efficient. On their website you can see all the routes. You can click on the map on the stop closest to you and see what time the next bus is due. You buy the ticket on the bus. See here: SAIS Bus Service
Interbus connects Siracusa with Catania, Catania airport and Palermo. The terminal is in Corso Umberto. Check timetables: www.interbus.it
Train: good connections and modern trains from Siracusa direction north. Fewer connections and sometimes older trains from Siracusa to the South. Check timetables here: www.trenitalia.it
Restaurants:
Don Camillo, Via Maestranza: for many the best restaurant in town, traditional Sicilian food
Al Mazarí, Via G. Torres: prices medium/high, traditional West Sicilian food. 0931/482690
Porta Marina da Salvo, Via dei Candelai: prices medium/high, elegant atmosphere, modern Sicilian food
Sicilia in Tavola, Via Cavour 28: medium prices, typical Sicilian food, reservation necessary! Tel: 392 461 0889
La Tavernetta da Simone, Via Cavour 44. Low//medium prices, typical Sicilian food. Tel: 0931-66385
Apollonium - Osteria da Carlo, Via Carmelo Campisi 18, medium prices, good fish. Tel: 0931 483362
Sightseeing:
Every first Sunday of the month entrance is free in regional Museum, Galleries and Archaeological Sites!
Swimming:
Ortigia has now two very nice places for swimming: the “solarium comunale” at the Forte Vigliena Lungomare/via Nizza there is a stair to the rocks from where you can swim. During the summer months the city builds wooden platforms to have more space.
Further ahead at the Lungomare Ortigia you can find “Cala Rossa”: a stair to a small pebble beach.
Both access points are on the east side to the open sea, so the water is clean.
Beaches:
The sandy beaches are outside of town. To get there, a car is be convenient. There are buses to Arenella and Fontane Bianche, see SAIS Bus Service.
To Fontane Bianche you can also get by train in only 15 minutes. Check www.trenitalia.it - The beach is 5 min walking from the train station. * * * not train until October/November 2024 * * *
Our tip: A very nice and relaxed place is Terrazza Fanusa, but you need a car or bike to get there. Via Colombo, Spiaggia Fanusa. You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas or stay on the public beach.
Tap Water
Tap water is officially drinking water, but the taste is not good. We use it for cooking and coffee, but for tea and to drink we use bottled water. If you want to reduce plastic garbage (and safe money!) there is a water dispenser in Vicolo IV Alla Giudecca: still and sparkling, about € 0,05 per liter, you need coins.
Winebars:
Taverna Giudecca, Via della Giudecca: Very nice wine selection and “Sicilian Tapas”
A Putia, Via Roma: very nice atmosphere, good wine selection and delicious “snacks” that make a lunch or dinner.
Apollonium - Osteria da Carlo, Via Carmelo Campisi 18, medium prices, good fish. Tel: 0931 483362
Sightseeing:
Every first Sunday of the month entrance is free in regional Museum, Galleries and Archaeological Sites!
Swimming:
Ortigia has now two very nice places for swimming: the “solarium comunale” at the Forte Vigliena Lungomare/via Nizza there is a stair to the rocks from where you can swim. During the summer months the city builds wooden platforms to have more space.
Further ahead at the Lungomare Ortigia you can find “Cala Rossa”: a stair to a small pebble beach.
Both access points are on the east side to the open sea, so the water is clean.
Beaches:
The sandy beaches are outside of town. To get there, a car is be convenient. There are buses to Arenella and Fontane Bianche, see SAIS Bus Service.
To Fontane Bianche you can also get by train in only 15 minutes. Check www.trenitalia.it - The beach is 5 min walking from the train station. * * * not train until October/November 2024 * * *
- Plemmirio (rocky coast): about 10 km, Varco 23, very nice Lido: https://www.varco23.it/
- Arenella: ca. 10 km, nice sandy beach, clear water, Lido where you can rent sunbeds & umbrellas
- Fontane Bianche: ca. 16 km, sandy beach, various Lidi
- Noto Marina: south from here, the really nice beaches start ;-)
- Lido di Noto: 38 km, various Lidi
- Eloro: 38 km, “wild beach” (bring your own umbrella), already part of the Nature Reserve of Vendicari.
- Vendicari: 45 km, Nature reserve, wild beach (no sun beds or umbrellas), ideal for snorkeling, bird watching (spring/autumn)
- San Lorenzo: 55 km, the south end of Vendicari, the clearest water you will find in the area. You need to walk for about 20 min, but it’s absolutely worth it (no sun beds/umbrellas)
Our tip: A very nice and relaxed place is Terrazza Fanusa, but you need a car or bike to get there. Via Colombo, Spiaggia Fanusa. You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas or stay on the public beach.
Tap Water
Tap water is officially drinking water, but the taste is not good. We use it for cooking and coffee, but for tea and to drink we use bottled water. If you want to reduce plastic garbage (and safe money!) there is a water dispenser in Vicolo IV Alla Giudecca: still and sparkling, about € 0,05 per liter, you need coins.
Winebars:
Taverna Giudecca, Via della Giudecca: Very nice wine selection and “Sicilian Tapas”
A Putia, Via Roma: very nice atmosphere, good wine selection and delicious “snacks” that make a lunch or dinner.
