The Temple of Apollo

The Isle of Ortigia is connected to the mainland by a bridge.
One of the first structures encountered on the island is the Temple of Apollo, built by the Greeks in the first decade of the 6th century B.C.
It later became, in turn, a Paleo-Christian church, a mosque, a church (this time Norman) and, in the end, a barracks.

The Cathedral

The cathedral has a proud 3000 years history behind it.
Starting out as a Greek temple in 480 B.C., it was turned into a cathedral during the Byzantine period.
It was transformed under subsequent Arab and Norman domination.
Each invader left its mark, rendering the present mosaic-rich cathedral unique in all the world.
From the Piazza del Duomo, a walk through the Ortigia's oldest quarters is an absolute must, from the Jewish ghetto the characteristic Spirduta quarter.

The Fonte Aretusa Spring
One of the city's most picturesque sights? The Fonte Aretusa, a thousand year-old sweet water spring, is a romantic place to watch the sun set behind the silhouette of Mt. Etna.
At the island's southernmost tip, is the Castello Maniace, (ca. 1239) that boasts a splendid entrance covered in multicolored marble.