Syracuse had far fewer tourists than the other places I visited in Sicily in March.

Yet it once rivalled Athens in power and splendour.

Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its seamless blend of 2,700 years of history, ranging from massive Greek ruins to golden Baroque architecture.

Click PLAY or watch some drone video on YouTube.

I started with a GPSmyCity walking tour of Ortigia Island (Historic Center).

Underwhelmed. Not sure why. Everyone else seemed to really appreciate having the place to themselves.

I did enjoy it more at night than in daylight.

BETTER was simply wandering the narrow streets of the old city.

Stumble upon random historic sites not mentioned in my tourist bumf.

Next day I paid 18 Euro to tour the Roman Amphitheatre, one of the 3 largest in Italy.

This and the surrounding grottos were more interesting than the old city, for me. BUT the site is badly organized. Poor signage. Confusing navigation.

Museum quite good, however.

You’ll enjoy Syracuse more than me. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood.

One HIGHLIGHT for me was a small, unpretentious restaurant called PASTA RUN.

Inexpensive. Small portions. Tasty.

Here’s their Pasta Alla Norma, a signature dish of Sicily. It was named in honour of a native of Catania, Vincenzo Bellini, the composer of the opera Norma.

I went back the next day to try their arancine, Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. 

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.