Page 143 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

SOUTHERN SICIL Y  141

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Practical Information
Road map F4. * 123,000.
n STR (0931­464 255). _ Santa
Lucia (13 Dec); Santa Lucia delle
Quaglie (first Sunday in May).
∑ siracusaturismo.net
Transport
V from Messina, Naples,
Rome, Rome Piazza Stazione
(892021).@ Interbus (0931­146
27 11); AST (0931­66 710). g

The large Grotta dei Cordari, the most interesting of the Latomie caves followers of the new Christian
religion in Roman times. The
coined the nickname when 140 x 119 m/459 x 390 ft) is main gallery of the catacombs
taken to see the quarries. There only slightly smaller than the leads to a series of round
are other huge adjacent caves, Arena in Verona. The walls in chapels that still bear traces
such as the Grotta dei Cordari, the interior were part of the of frescoes.
which until recently was used underground section, used
by local rope makers (cordari), to house the stage scenery. Environs
and the Latomia Intagliatella Beneath the tiers were corri­ On the hill overlooking the city
and Latomia Santa Venera. dors through which the is the main work of military
gladiators and wild beasts architecture in the Greek world:
T Altar of Hieron II and entered the arena. the Castello Eurialo, built by
Roman Amphitheatre Dionysius the Elder in 402
Walk down from the E Museo Archeologico BC to protect Syracuse. The
Archaeological Zone’s main Regionale fortress was protected by two
entrance to find these on your See pp144–5. rock­cut moats and a tower on
left. Although only the found­ the eastern side, while a 15­m
ations remain of the Altar of T Catacombs of San (49­ft) keep was built in the
Castello Euralio Hieron II, its impres sive size Giovanni Evangelista middle of the forti fication,
8 km (5 miles)
(198 x 23 m/649 x 75 ft) is clear. Via San Giovanni alle Catacombe. and further towers overlooked
Catacombs
VIALE RIZ Z O of San Giovanni TYCHE Dedicated to Zeus, it was used Tel 0931­646 94. Open Apr–Oct: the sea.
Evangelista
9:30am–noon, 2:30–4:30pm; May–Jun:
for public sacrifices in which as
Latomie VIALE TERACATI Museo 9:30am–1pm, 2:30–5:30pm; Jul–Aug: T Castello Eurialo
Archeologico
Greek Regionale many as 400 bulls were put to 9:30am–1:30pm, 2:30­6pm.
Theatre VIALE TEÓCRITO death at one time. Frazione Belvedere, 8 km (5 miles)
VIA LE AUGUSTO VIA TORINO RIVIERA DIONSIO IL GRANDE A huge public work under­ This underground complex, from Syracuse. Tel 0931­711 773/723.
Altar Santa
of Hieron II Lucia taken in the early years of dating to the 4th century AD, Open 9am–6pm daily (to 5pm in
Roman VITTORIA VIA ENNA VIA MONTE GRAPPA the empire, the Roman housed hundreds of loculi, winter, to 7pm in summer); 8am–2pm
PIAZZA
Amphitheatre
VIALE
PAOLO ORSI VIALE LUIGI CADORNA S. LUCIA Amphitheatre (outer diameter, or rooms, used to bury the Sun & hols.
PIAZZA
VIA D'ARSENALE
PIAZZA CORSO GELONE C. TIMOLEONTE
REPUBBLICA VIA STATELLO
Train Station
ACHRADINA
FORO Porto Píccolo
SIRACUSANO
Bus
CORSO UMBERTO I
VIA ELORINA
Station
RIVA LUNG. DI
DELLA LEVANTE
CORSO UMBERTO I
POSTA
VIA MALTA
Temple of Apollo
V. SAVOJA
LARGO
XXV LUGLIO MIRABELLA
VIA
Palazzo Montalto
Porto
Grande Palazzo PIAZZA ORTYGIA
Beneventano DUOMO
Duomo VIA LARGA
Fonte Aretusa VIA NIZZ A
Galleria Regionale ORTIGIA
LUNGOMARE
Castello
Maniace
Remains of the majestic Roman Amphitheatre in Syracuse
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p204 and pp214–16
140-141_EW_Sicily.indd 141 04/11/2016 10:54