This post is the continuation of a series documenting our travels to the Eastern part of the Italian Island of Sicily in the European Spring of 2025. We were now in the beautiful island neighbourhood of Ortigia in the city of Siracusa after 3 spectacular days in the resort town of Taormina ( Goodbye to Taormina & Hello to Ortigia – Exploring Eastern Sicily, Part 5). We had enjoyed our walks in and around this beautiful island ( Morning walks around Ortigia – Exploring Eastern Sicily, Part 6 ) and also seen the Neapolis Archaeological Park in the mainland part of Siracusa ( Neapolis Archealogical Park, Siracusa & Waterfront evening walks in Ortigia – Exploring Eastern Sicily, Part 7 ).
On our last full day in Ortigia we wanted to see the Castello Maniace at the Southern most tip of Ortigia. This Castle was built in the 13th century and used to guard the port of Siracusa and the city beyond. It continued to be used as a military structure undergoing several structural changes to suit the changing means of warfare over the ages and protected the city for 7 centuries going through various regimes till 1970 when it was finally demilitarised. It was restored in the 1990s with the rest of the island and has been open for tourists since then.
We had taken photos of the exteriors of the castle from our favourite vantage point along the sea but that last morning we decided to visit the castle just as it opened. We walked down to the Castle and the walls seemed more and more imposing as we got closer.
Approaching the imposing walls of the Castello Maniace in Ortigia
It was a beautiful sunny spring morning and we were surprised to see that there was nobody in line to buy tickets for the Castle. We weren’t complaining and made our way past the turnstiles after buying our tickets and entered the huge courtyard.
Inside the huge front courtyard of the Castello Maniace
We reached the entrance of the main hall which had been beautifully restored after an explosion in the 1800s led to collapse of its cross vaulted roof. The huge main hall as a pleasing symmetry that I always enjoy as a photographer and I spent the next few minutes seeing what compositions would show the beauty of this plain but yet architecturally pleasing hall.
The huge walls of the Castle seem even bigger when you get inside
Inside the restored main hall of the Castello Maniace showing it’s symmetry and restored roof
Another angle showing the cross vaulted roof of the main hall
Tall gothic looking arches have always been a favourite of mine to photograph
Another angle showing the original and restored parts of the roof
A selfie after I exhaust all angles of photography of the hall itself
We then left the hall and went to the tip of the Castle which has ramparts extending out into the sea and has a modern lighthouse to guide ships getting into the harbour. The mix of modern and old architecture with the beautiful blue skies above were just perfect for enjoying and photography. We walked along the modern ramparts and enjoyed our time in the sun before I saw a Eurasian Jay fly in. The birder in me then got the better of the landscape photographer and I shifted to the 300 mm lens.
A modern lighthouse caps the Castello Maniace guiding boats into the harbour
The wide modern ramparts of the Castello Maniace on a beautiful sunny morning
The better half does her signature jump on the ramparts of the Castello Maniace
The Ramparts above and the store rooms below at the Castello Maniace
Usually when I put on the 300 mm lens on the camera I’m hoping and praying that the bird doesn’t fly off. Thankfully the Jay was in a mood to pose around and my efforts weren’t wasted as I got my photos of this common but pretty bird.
A Eurasian Jay poses on the ramparts of the Castello Maniace
The 300 mm then stayed on the lens for the rest of our visit leaving the landscapes for the trusty iPhone of the better half. I spent the rest of the time on the ramparts photographing the wild flowers & sea gulls but had the most fun taking photos of the evasive but numerous striking Sicilian Lizards on the ramparts. It also helped in seeing details that we had missed earlier like the plaque over the main hall entrance & the delicate carving that adorned the arched entrance of the main hall.
The 300mm is a beautiful portrait lens if you can get far away!
A sea gull poses on top of the lighthouse
A coastguard boat patrols the harbour outside Siracusa
Wild flowers growing on the ramparts of the Castello Maniace
A sea gull gives me a fly by as we walk the ramparts of the Castle
The striking Lizards on the ramparts of the Castello Maniace
Enjoying our time on the ramparts
The plaque over the main hall door with the 300 mm
The carved entrance of the main hall with the 300 mm
We then got off the ramparts and went down first to the storeroom area below and then walked the wooden walkway built in between the outer and inner walls of the castle where there was a moat when the castle was a military structure.
The wooden ramp that leads down to the erstwhile storerooms of the castle
Wooden walkways built between the outer and inner defence walls of the castle
On the walkway where there originally was a moat
The wooden walkway gives a unique perspective of the Castello Maniace
We then exited the wooden walkway and reached the main courtyard where we had started. We noticed that the entrance gate structure also could be climbed for yet another viewpoint. Never ones to miss a viewpoint we climbed up those stairs and enjoyed views of the Castle we had just visited and the sea around. We saw a Icarus statue ( yes yet another one!) outside the castle and made a mental note to go there before we left the area.
Climbing the walls along the entrance for a view of the Castle behind
The huge Icarus statue outside the walls of the Castello Maniace
Climbing the walls on the entrance side gives great views over the outer courtyard and the main hall
Finally it was time for us to leave the Castello Maniace and as you can see in the photos we almost had the castle to ourselves for the entire duration of our visit. We were glad we had decided to visit the castle despite the underwhelming online reviews. This was the second Castle (the first being the Saracen Castle above Taormina ) we had visited in Sicily that we had enjoyed thoroughly despite having lukewarm reviews making me not trust reviews for things in Sicily any more. ( The Saracen Castle, Sanctuary of Madonna della Rocca & Castelmola – Hikes in Taormina, Exploring Eastern Sicily, Part 4 )
One last photo in the vast courtyard of the Castello Maniace
Getting our photo clicked before exiting the Castello Maniace
We exited the castle and made a beeline for the towering Icarus statue. Though this is a modern bronze statue like the ones littered across the Neapolis Archaeological Park, the superb location made it extremely photogenic.
The photogenic modern Icarus Statue outside the Castello Maniace
A selfie with Icarus before we leave the area
Outside the Castello Maniace after a great morning spent there
A beautiful facade of a closed church on the way back from Castello Maniace
Photo of the walkway which we enjoyed for 3 days in Ortigia
All that walking and climbing had ensured that we had digested our heavy breakfast and it was almost time for lunch. It was our last day in Ortigia and there was a meal that I had to have before we left the city tomorrow. That was a sandwich at the Caseificio Borderi. It had been described by many food reviewers as the best sandwich they had ever had! Being a person who makes and eats a sandwich for breakfast on most days it would have been criminal for me to have been in Ortigia and not had it. So we walked across the island to near the market at the entrance to get a sandwich at the Caseificio Borderi!
As expected the tables outside were packed so we decided to take the sandwiches as a take away and enjoy them in the comfort of our room which had a fairly well equipped kitchenette. We stood in a relatively short line and ordered the Chef’s Special Sandwich for me and the Fresh Mozzarella , tomatoes, Basil and lemon sandwich for the better half.
In line for the “Best Sandwich” in Sicily at the Caseificio Borderi
We watched as they loaded up the sandwich with their fresh veggies, cold cuts (Pistachio Mortadella) and fresh Burrata cheese. The better half’s sandwich was made on a separate veg sandwich assembly table which was good to see. We took our packed sandwiches and salivated on the way back to the B&B in anticipation!
The Chef’s Special and Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella sandwiches from Caseificio Borderi
The sandwiches were really spectacular. Freshly baked bread, great cold cuts, even better cheese and fresh veggies – I was glad I hadn’t missed it. We enjoyed it at a leisurely pace with drinks we had bought and kept from the local supermarket. It was such a heavy meal that it demanded an afternoon siesta afterwards. We gladly obliged!
Enjoying a meal in the comfort of our B & B room
Glad at not having missed the opportunity to have a great sandwich
After a short siesta we left our room again to see the interiors of the Duomo / Cathedral of Siracusa. Staying right in Ortigia meant that we could return to our room whenever we wanted which has always been a big factor when choosing places to stay on a vacation.
Leaving our B&B post siesta to see the Cathedral
The steep staircase from our rooms down to the B & B entrance
We reached the Duomo and bought our tickets and went inside. Unlike the Gothic or Renaissance architecture seen in the mainland the Duomo in Siracusa is very different. It was originally a Greek temple built 2500 years ago to honour the goddess Athena. It was later converted into a church by simply filling the space between the greek temple columns. Arabs came and converted it into a mosque, then back into a church by the Normans who defeated the Arabs. The huge earthquake of 1693 severely damaged the cathedral which was rebuilt with the present Baroque style facade. So this mishmash of architecture makes this cathedral unique. Photos might be better than describing it further so here goes!
The interiors of the Duomo of Siracusa
The altar and choir area reconstructed after the quake
A Madonna with Child statue in the fortress like recesses in the Duomo
A 
The Chapel of the Crucifix showing later Baroque styled embellishments
The wooden roof and the thick stone pillars make it look more like a fortress
The original 2500 year old Greek temple pillars still stand at the Duomo
The Chapel of Santa Lucia , the patron saint of the city
As usual there is hardly any crowd inside the magnificent Cathedral
The better half poses in the nave of the Duomo di Siracusa
12th century sculptures and Basin at the Duomo
A selfie before we leave the Duomo
After seeing the Duomo we made a beeline for the other Church on the square dedicated to the patron saint of the city – The Church of Santa Lucia of Badia. This Church was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693. Then suffered damage again in WW II and was restored post that to the style of the church built post the earthquake.
The interior of the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia in Ortigia
The relatively simple altar dedicated to the saint
The roof is hidden partially due to a protective net in place
At the Church of Santa Lucia in Ortigia
Having seen both the churches on the Duomo square we decided to spend the rest of our evening walking along the waterfront path that goes around the island ( described here – Neapolis Archealogical Park, Siracusa & Waterfront evening walks in Ortigia – Exploring Eastern Sicily, Part 7 ). Post our evening walk we decided to take a light takeaway dinner as the heavy sandwiches were still sitting tight in our tummies. We went to a bakery at the via Cavour at the end of the Duomo square and bought ourselves the reliable Arancini variants for dinner.
Baked treats at a small bakery in Ortigia
The better half with her Spinach Arancini on Piazza Duomo
Overcast skies on the Piazza Duomo in Ortigia
The Church of Santa Lucia of Badia that we had visited earlier
Via Cavour in Ortigia
We returned to our room having thoroughly enjoyed our 3 days in Ortigia. It had been delightfully less crowded with the perfect mix of history and nature that we crave on vacation. We were to leave for the town of Noto the next morning but I couldn’t going out for one last very early morning walk to say goodbye to the beautiful island and its inhabitants. Since I have described this walk before just letting the images do the needful.
Piazza Duomo before dawn
The Church of Santa Lucia all lit up at dawn
The Duomo of Siracusa all lit up at dawn
Couldn’t resist using the mini tripod and mobile for a selfie or two
The beautiful Duomo square in Ortigia
The fountain of Diana
The Main Street of Ortigia – Corso Matteotti
Saying goodbye to the Rabbits at the Temple of Apollo
Saying goodbye to my feline friends in Ortigia
Watching the ducks swim in the Fountain of Arethusa
We would enjoy one last delicious breakfast at the B&B Aretusa Vacanze before saying goodbye to the wonderful family that runs it and moving on to our next destination on the trip – the town of Noto known for its Baroque architecture. But that is topic for another post some other time, some other day.
For now I will leave you with some more selfies from pretty Ortigia.
Ciao!
yogictravel 