The simultaneous presence of a fresh water source and a coastal bay suitable to protect ships at anchor attracted the Greek colonists of Corinth to the island (at that time still a peninsula) of Ortigia in Sicily in 734-33 B.C.
Here the Greeks founded the city of Syracuse, chasing out the Sicels who had already populated the area for several centuries.

The choice proved to be fortunate, as the newly founded city soon after started to expand onto the mainland, developing into a set of five articulated principal areas, together called a "pentapolis.” With an overall population on the order of hundreds of thousands of people, this pentapolis represented one of the largest metropolises of the ancient Mediterranean before the days of Roman conquest and decadence.

Ortigia is one of a few centers of the Mediterranean to conserve its ancient Greek urban framework in such a way as to still be legible on a map. The structure of the streets, despite more than two millennia of evolution, still respects the "comb teeth" orientation that radiates from a principal street, the Via Sacra, or “Sacred Way,” (known today as the Via Dione), which runs through the center of the island.

Over the centuries the urban domestic framework was developed out of  ronchi (alleys) and courtyards, where people lived outdoors throughout most of the day. The house was correspondingly designed as a place both to store work tools and to take shelter at nighttime.

The island of Ortigia is slightly larger than a square kilometer, or 0.39 square miles, but concentrated within it is an extraordinary density of monuments of historic and artistic importance.  A less-than-superficial visit of Syracuse requires at least three days, one of which must be dedicated solely to Ortigia, while another can be reserved for the archeological treasures of the mainland.

Some of this time can be dedicated to simply strolling through the streets lined with Baroque buildings. These magnificent structures compete for attention by exhibiting extraordinary balconies, one more whimsical and unique than the next. Like the famous nearby town of Noto, Syracuse was also rebuilt with Baroque sensibilities after being partially destroyed by the catastrophic earthquake of Val di Noto in 1693.

The recommended route proceeds right down the street on which the Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel is situated, the Via Vittorio Veneto. This thoroughfare is lined with Baroque buildings, mostly restored, and even some surviving Gothic and Renaissance buildings. Soon this street crosses the Strada Nobile (“Noble Street”) of Syracuse, lined with even bigger and grander Baroque buildings.

Turning to the right one reaches the Piazza Archimede. Heading south from the Piazza you can find a street that passes in front of Santa Maria della Concezione. Continuing on this street, one arrives at last at the extraordinary Piazza del Duomo, from which it is possible to proceed from the city center in any direction. A recommended detour is to head east from this piazza, which will take you toward the ancient Jewish quarter, the Giudecca.

During this walk one is advised to enter the courtyards, within several of which the stairs are true theatrical wings that cannot be appreciated from the exterior.  Among the many, we recommend the courtyard of the Palazzo Gargallo, very close to the Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel, which provides a scenic gloss of the Baroque over preexisting Gothic elements, or that of Palazzo Bonanno, in Via Maestranza 55, with a grandiose open gallery. A visit to this building is worth the effort.

Another promising itinerary is possible along the island’s edges, where one can indulge in a relaxing stroll along the seaside filled with interesting tourist attractions and ancient historic monuments. 

And don’t forget to take time to sit at a table at a bar to taste a fresh latte di mandorle (“almond milk”), or if it’s the season, a Sicilian granita. Also tempting is the culinary array of Sicilian pastries, sold in the many artisanal shops found in Ortigia.