Sicily Part 3: The Isle of Ortigia and Ancient City of Siracusa

My traveling pal and I arrived at the lovely, seaside Hotel Gutkowski (an affordable recommendation from a friend) on a Sunday early afternoon, just moments after a welcome, much needed thunderstorm and downpour began to clear the air. The island of Sicily had been suffering from a drought and the air had been gray and acrid due to the dusty Sahara sciroccos that had blown north to the island of my ancestors. 

We planned to stop in Noto en route (made famous to American viewers by the TV series The White Lotus), but we spotted miles and miles and miles of cars backed up along two roads merging and leading to the baroque town. Just in the nick of time, I swiftly instructed my friend Nigel to “Take a right turn – NOW!” (Later, I finally unearthed the cause of the logjam: an annual flower festival. Let this be a lesson to check holidays and festas on your travels!)

Our final destination, Siracusa and the city’s historical center, the island of Ortigia (reached by auto or foot via a small bridge and home to 34 palaces), was to fulfill my friend Nigel’s desire to visit Teatro Greco, the continually operating 2,000-year-old outdoor Greek theater. We had tickets to attend a performance of Phaedra. 

We took a cab to the Teatro and walked amidst the crowds to the outdoor amphitheater: our concrete seats not far from the sound and visual technician boards. Even though the entire production was in ancient Greek, it really didn’t matter as the production values, the singing/chanting and spoken word and compositions were compelling. The people watching and chatting with other theater goers – including a doctor and friends from Milan who attend annually – added to the experience. Plus, if we glanced to our left at the video screens the production team were monitoring, we had close-up views of the singers. A leisurely stroll back through the city to the island of Ortigia gave us a chance to stop for gelato while absorbing and discussing our wonderful experience and stunning performances. 

The following week, I joined a half-day tour with knowledgeable guide/historian Douglas Kenning, who has ancestral roots on the island but also lives part time in Northern California. Douglas has been informing visitors to Sicily for many decades and bringing the Sicily’s rich history alive, including mythology and architectural history. Douglas and his wife, talented artist/poet Patti Trimble, have lived part time in Sicily for the past two decades. Places we visited in the “city of water and light” included the ruins of Apollo temple, Archimedes square and the lovely Diana fountain, the fascinating Cathedral (Duomo), home to 3,000 years of continuous worship, and impressive Piazza Duomo (cathedral square), where we paused for a drink. We continued to the natural spring fountain of Arethusa, the patron figure of ancient Siracusa, where Douglas shared the Greek myth of the nymph Arethusa’s appearance after escaping her underground home, Arcadia. The history of Sicily is both complex and fascinating and takes more than one afternoon – or even weeklong tour – to totally comprehend. Sicily has been ruled from 14,000 BC/ancient times through colonization under the Phoenicians, enjoyed a first golden age under the Greeks (732 BC-212 BC) followed by the Romans (slaves and revolts!) then the Barbarians. A second golden age occurred under the Arabs/Islam (827-1250 AD) followed by Norman rule. Five hundred and fifty years of Spanish inquisition ensued in a downward spiral. It wasn’t until 1860 that Italy became the latest occupier! Douglas and his colleagues help unravel it all for visitors while combing the streets, broad avenues, and narrow pathways that follow the ancient Greek pattern.

Buon Pranzo and Illumination!

My most memorable meal was a lunch on my own at the renowned Don Camillo ristorante that began with a “sweet and salty” amuse-bouche of gelato with sea asparagus. I then savored every last bite of the signature dish “Mermaid Spaghetti’ topped with bits of tiny, sweet shrimp and sea urchin, which were also mixed into the excellent creamy sauce (sopped up with a scrap of bread at the end) that got better with each bite! This lunch might have been better enjoyed with a companion – but I was well looked after by the refined staff in the elegant dining room. Bravo Chef Giovanni Guarnieri! 

I took a rather long afternoon stroll after lunch from the island into the city center in search of Caravaggio’s famous work of art, Burial of Santa Lucia, at the Santa Lucia church. The church is commonly known as the Basilica of Saint Lucia al Sepolcro because it is located next to the octagonal temple that originally housed the remains of Saint Lucia. Uncrowded the afternoon I visited, the masterpiece looms large and invisible; front and center in the church nave — until visitors drop a few lira into a metal box that theatrically and magically illuminates the magnificent painting. 

My last morning, I took an impromptu shopping stroll with a fellow traveler – a young gal from Sweden whom I met at breakfast at the hotel. We wandered the nearby outdoor market on my search for capers and sweet dried tomatoes to bring back home. 

My satisfying ten-day sojourn to Sicily was coming to an end. I had gained a wonderful new friend in Palermo, Francesco, my host at La Bella Palermo. In other towns, I made several new acquaintances that I hope will deepen into friendships when I return. 

I visited the village where my great grandparents had married, was able to meet up with my distant cousin Silvia and her boyfriend Eugenio at a lively pit stop along the road as they took a lunch break during a vintage car rally around the island. I expanded my knowledge of the island’s history, barely skimming the surface. Through it all, Sicily got under my skin but it was time to move on. 

I loved my room at the Hotel Gutkowski, with its peaceful view to the sea. I hated to leave but swore to return. I said good-bye to the hotel’s sweet resident cat – whose name I have sadly forgotten – that had crept into my room one night. And soon after I began plotting my next visit.

Details

Hotel Gutkowski – I spent four glorious nights at Hotel Gutkowski in Ortigia. Yes, I know it doesn’t sound very Italian or Sicilian, but that is because the owner’s name has Polish roots. This is the kind of place – cozy, fresh bright rooms, some with views to the sea, a lovely breakfast included, other friendly travelers – you don’t want to tout too much – for fear of not being able to get a room when you return. www.guthotel.it

Don Camillo –Old world style, five-star cuisine.

Sicily Tours – Historian Douglas Henning and his partners lead small group tours and even offer genealogical tours for those with ancestral roots. The company provides insights with an intellectual bent, and is based in Siracusa, Sicily. www.sicily-tour.com

By chance, I met another tour guide staying in the room next door at Hotel Gutkowski, Karen La Rosa, owner of La RosaWorks tours, based in New York City. Karen has also been sharing the island’s many delights with tourists, drawing on her own Sicilian heritage, often with stunning and well-known specialists she invites on her highly personalized tours. We started a friendship based on our mutual love of Sicily and discovering that both our fathers had been
jazz pianists. 

La RosaWorks – Join a group tour or have owner Karen La Rosa curate a personalized tour. Interesting 2025 tours range from Two Kingdoms of Sicily – which includes Naples, as well as exploring Sicily on immersive tours that visit olive farms, cooking classes and more. www.larosaworks.com