Every year in late spring/early summer (May /June), under the auspices of the National Institute of Ancient Drama, a series of performances of classical theater (in Italian language) takes place in the Greek theater in Syracuse, which attracts theater lovers from all over Italy and beyond. 

The idea of staging the ancient Greek texts on the stage of the Greek theater in Syracuse, the very stage for which several were actually created, came in 1914. The performances were so well received that they continued to be revived every other year since then, and in 2000 the frequency increased to every year.  

In addition, since 1929, works created for Syracuse’s Greek Theatre began to appear on the stages of Greek and Roman theaters all over Italy (Segesta, Palazzolo Acreide, Taormina, Tindari, Pompeii, Benevento, Gubbio, Fiesole , Luni, Trieste, to name a few).

To purchase tickets it’s possible to either contact the appropriate agency or book online.

The Greek theater belongs to the Archaeological Park of Syracuse, which is located off the island of Ortigia and more precisely at the extreme north of the ancient city (Neapolis).  A route by foot is possible, but it will exceed one kilometer/ 0.62 miles in distance.  Those who do not have their own transportation can call a taxi from the reception desk at a special rate or use the bicycles that the Hotel Algilà offers to its guests for free.  Alternately, one can take the (free) shuttle bus #20 from the nearby  Piazza Archimede up to the bus station (near the train station) and then take either one of the following bus lines:  6, 8, 11, 12 or 13. From Riva Nazario Sauro (behind the nearby Piazza delle Poste) one can choose from the following bus lines 1, 2, 3, 4 or 12.

Visitor Information.  
All of the sights within the Archaeological Park can be visited with a single ticket of entry (full price € 10, with reduced-priced tickets available for those aged 18 to 25 years and free entry for citizens of the European Union under 18 or over 65). Admission is free for people with disabilities and for those who accompany them.

Warning: the ticket office is somewhat difficult to locate (outside the archaeological area), and it only accepts cash (no credit cards). Remember not to throw away the ticket to go from one area to another.

The park is open every day, including holidays, from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Note: During the seasonal theater performances of classical theater (May/June), the lower part of the theatron and the scanae of the Greek Theater are not accessible nor fully visible.

Because of the enormous quantity of sights worth visiting in the Archeological Park and the extensive size of the area, one should plan to spend at least an hour and a half for a leisurely visit.

The area is organized in such a way as to be accessible from a convenient road, which is easy to follow even for those who have difficulty walking, but there are some areas accessible only by stairs.