Siracusa

---

6 May 2008

Maria, one of our campsite hosts arrived early at 7.40 to take us to the train. We were surprised that our tickets to Siracusa had to be bought at a bar. Arriving at the station, we learnt that a bus would have to be taken because of engineering works.

From the station we made our way to Ortygia, andn island on which old Siracusa and mercifully survived the bombing of WW2. Our first port of call was the main Piazza where we indulged in a coffee a chocolate croissant before visiting the Duomo. This cathedral started life as the Temple of Athene built in the 5th century BC. In the 7th century it was incorporated into an early Christian church. The Normans made eight arches into the cella walls to create a nave.

We then went underground into the air raid shelters and learnt about the city during WW2. As we left the tunnels we found ourselves looking at the port. We found the Fonte Aretusa where Nelson took on fresh water before the Battle of the Nile.

Being unsure of bus routes we treated ourselves to a taxi to the Parco Archeologico where we saw a Greek Theatre, a huge ancient quarry with an enormous man made cave called the Ear of Dionysius and a Roman Ampitheatre.

We had our first group tour round the ruins of the earliest Christian church in the city and cript. St Paul is said preached here during his three day stay in Siracusa. An old Greek aquaduct and the main Roman street were used to build the catacombs.At the Museo Archeologico we were able to see an intricately carved marble sarcophagus of a Christian Roman woman who died in the 4th century AD found in the catacombes. Sadly we were not allowed to photograph it.

We finished with a visit to the nearby modern Santurio della Madonna delle Lacrime.

After such a busy day we were glad to get seats on a crowded train back to Noto.

---