Syracuse’s immense Greek theater, admired today as one of the largest of the ancient Greek western Mediterranean, is actually only part of the building founded in the 5th century B.C. and rebuilt by Hieron II in the 3rd century B.C. 
Today what remains is, in fact, only the lower part, which was dug directly into the rock, while all the rest was built of stone blocks and colored marble (such as the top row of seats, the covered portico that runs along the top, and the stage) and dismantled by the Spanish in the 16th century to build the fortifications of the island of Ortigia.  
But even so, the remains are still of an impressive grandeur, measuring 140 meters / 459 feet in diameter and containing 67 rows of seats.

The space was used not only for the theater but also for public meetings.  
Scholars do not agree on whether, in Roman times and before the construction of the Arena, it was also used to present fights between gladiators and animals.

The structure was built to the height of the "classic" ancient Greek theater, and it was here that the celebrated playwright Aeschylus presented The Women of Aetna (now lost) and The Persians. Tourists can admire the lower area of the orchestra and of the scanae frons, or theatrical façade, of which relatively little remains and is now partly occupied by a beautiful Mediterranean garden. One can also observe the large middle part of the theatron, or radiating rows of seats, which are, despite everything, still in a good state of preservation, as well as the upper level of the theater that was once sheltered by a covered portico.  

As mentioned previously, the theater has lost its uppermost rows of seats, which were removed in the 16th century. Still remaining, however, are the theater’s good acoustics for which ancient theaters, built in an era devoid of sound amplification devices, were famous.

One can also spot in the upper portion of the theater a preserved mulino ad acqua, or water mill, here missing its blades. These mills were constructed in the 16th century to supply water to the great Greek fountains of Syracuse, (such as the Grotto of the Nymph), which had just been reactivated. Exploiting the theater’s sloped construction, these mills proved quite effective.

The subsequent excavation of drainage channels and the construction of a road to lead wagons to the mills inflicted further damage to the structure, which can still be seen.

During the Byzantine era, graves were carved into the rock wall that supported the upper portico (which ran along the edge of the of the theater). These graves were conjured in an arcosolium style, meaning they consisted of an arched recess or niche into which the deceased could be placed. Their presence provided the name the road that runs along the terrace once occupied by the portico, the Via dei Sepolcri (“Street of the Tombs”).

All these tombs remain today, but centuries of plundering have resulted in only the cavities themselves remaining, completely bare and in more than one case bizarrely eroded by centuries of severe weather.  

One of the most romantic points of this rock wall is the so-called Grotta del Ninfeo, or “Grotto of the Nymph," which is an artificial cavity carved into the wall at the center of the space that was once occupied by the covered portico.

Here a waterfall flows, which in ancient times was surrounded by ancient statues of the Muses. This was a reference to the mythical Fonte delle Muse," Spring of the Muses", which according to legend turned those who drank its waters into poets. It is no coincidence, then, that the “Mouseion” (the Shrine of the Muses) was here the home of the actors guild.

The water channel, part of the Galermi aqueduct, dates back to the Greek era and was restored in the mid-16th century to feed the watermills.  Today, of course, the ancient fountain is merely a decorative element.

Along the cliff one notices a long series of square niches (naiskoi), which are all that remain of the "pinakes” (squares) containing religious images, which in Greek times were used for the cultic worship of heroes (something resembling our concept of the "cult of the saints"). The images were usually painted, but could also be made of wood or clay, cemented to the base of the naiskoi.  They were, in essence, small religious “altars” of which only the niches cut into the rock now remain.

The rock wall, built with Cyclopean masonry and studded with naiskoi, facing outward, proceeds along the road, where one can still see the tracks carved into it by wagons over the centuries.

Since 1914, the Greek Theater in Syracuse has been home to a spring festival of classical Greek plays.  

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.