Syracuse - Palermo For 91 Days

Noto: Version 2.0

If you're an adult human living in the 21st century, you have at some point in your life suffered a catastrophic computer crash. You've been faced with the choice of whether to try and recover your system, or just start fresh with a clean install. And you've probably learned that, almost always, the best option is to start clean and reinstall from scratch. Restorations rarely work and, even if you're able to cobble your computer back to a semi-functional state, there are usually problems. No, it's best to bite the bullet, lose some work, and start over. For metaphorical proof from history, just look at the Sicilian city of Noto.

Sanctuary of the Madonna of the Tears

The city of Syracuse is packed with beautiful baroque churches and stunning Greek monuments, still standing in defiance of the centuries. But the building which dominates the city's skyline was built just seventeen years ago. Say hello to the Santuario della Madonna delle Lácrime. Sigh. They just don't build them like they used to.

The Hebrew Baths of Syracuse

Syracuse had been under the control of the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines and the Arabs, but was always home to a healthy Jewish population. As in many of the European cities to which Jews emigrated following the diaspora, the ruling hierarchies were grudgingly tolerant of them and their religion. That is, until the arrival of the Spanish who decreed the total expulsion of Jews from their kingdom, in 1492.

The Temple of Apollo and the Fountain of Arethusa

The moment you cross the bridge onto the island Ortigia, where the ancient center of Syracuse is found, you're confronted with what the word "ancient" truly means. The ruins of the Temple of Apollo greet visitors at the island's gateway, and serve as the perfect introduction to a city rich in myth and history.

A Trip to Syracuse

Once upon a time, Syracuse was the most mightiest city-state in the world. Ruled by famous tyrants like Dionysius the Elder, and home to Archimedes, one of history's greatest thinkers, the power of Syracuse extended far beyond the Greek Empire, to which it belonged. The city's influence waned only during the Arab occupation of Sicily, when the capital was moved to Palermo.