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Driving to Ortigia (Syracuse)

We are coming from Piazza Armenia and staying at a place on Via del Consiglio Reginale, Ortigia. The B & B gave us directions to park at Talete Parking and to take the Umberto Bridge (never Santa Lucia bridge to avoid ZTL) which according to Google Maps is outbound (not onto the island). I can't tell if google maps is keeping me out of the ZTL in Syracuse as well as Ortigia. I googled ZTL Ortigia and I can't figure it out from what I researched. We will not have a mobile phone so I need to figure the route out and print it before we go. Thanks..

Posted by
4534 posts

We drove into Ortigia, but I couldn't for the life of me tell you which bridge we used. I have read reports that Google Maps is wrong and that there is, in fact, at least one inbound lane on Umberto Bridge.

ETA: see subsequent post for further details on directionality of Umberto Bridge.

All that aside, the key that I'm reading is that, as a client of a hotel/B&B within the ZTL (assuming that is the case?) you are, in effect, a resident during your stay and thus entitled to enter the ZTL and stay within it, without restriction, for the duration of your stay:

https://www.accessibilitacentristorici.it/parcheggio_siracusa.html#Clienti di Alberghi e Affittacamere o Case di riposo

Critically important, your hotel must submit your details, including vehicle registration number, to those in charge of the electronic gate system so that they can enter you into their database.

Clearly, you should confirm this with your hotel! Now, if all that is the case, then why your hotel is telling you not to use the Santa Lucia bridge (to avoid ZTL) is unclear. Perhaps a) it is an overabundance of caution or, b) your hotel is not within the ZTL (sure looks like it is!) or, c) they're not planning to submit your details to the ZTL management system, so they're directing you around the ZTL instead.

(The website for all this is in Italian, but that's the gist of it and you can use Google translate to confirm for yourself.)

Posted by
4534 posts

Aha! I've just read (on a travel board, not an official site) that Ponte Umberto is normally one-way but becomes bi-directional when the ZTL is in force.

These are the hours when the ZTL is in force:
https://www.accessibilitacentristorici.it/ztl/sicilia/siracusa.html#Orario e giorni di funzionamento

Orario e giorni di funzionamento

Le telecamere della ZTL di Siracusa sono in funzione nei seguenti orari
Dal Lunedì al Venerdì, dalle 20 alle 2 del giorno successivo; (M-F 8pm 'til 2am following day)
il sabato e prefestivi dalle 16 alle 2 del giorno successivo; (Sat and day before holidays, 4pm 'til 2am following day)
domenica, festivi e prefestivi, dalle 11 alle 2 del giorno successivo (Sun, holidays and pre-holidays, 11am - 2am following day)

I would confirm all of this with your hotel. The fact that they are directing you around the ZTL may mean they do not plan to submit your details to the authorities of the electronic system.

Posted by
6382 posts

We crossed onto Ortigia via Ponte Santa Lucia. Once you cross the bridge, turn left onto Via XX Settembre (good luck seeing the street sign). Then go a few blocks and there are public parking lots. The parking ticket machines only take €1 and €2 coins. If after crossing the bridge you miss your turn, if you go straight, there’s a small traffic circle. Go around it and go back to your turn. When I missed the turn a policeman was at the traffic circle and I just asked him. If you go past the traffic circle you’ve entered a ZTL.

Download Google maps for offline use. You just put your phone in airplane mode and it will be a GPS. You don’t need any data or service. A printed copy of that small area of Ortigia might be handy. I use street view prior to going there so between that and plugging the parking lot into my GPS I got there with little trouble. With your phone, have the parking lot name and Google maps should take you right to it.

Posted by
3150 posts

On my trip to Ortigia last year I parked at the Molo San Antonio lot on Via Benghazi. I then got a cab and took it to the front door of my hotel. Very easy with no fear of the ZTL.

Posted by
365 posts

Mary,

I don't recall any of the parking facilities in the area. However I am confident if you don't get it correct your car will be towed and it will take a full day to recover. Not worth it. Your hotel should be able to park for you. Can you drive to the B & B and ask them to park it? Check with them.

We have met several tourists that have had difficulty parking, and paying the inflated fines is also a consideration. Also, no mobile phone while driving around Sicily? I'd rethink that as well.

Just a little for you to consider.

Have a great trip.

Regards,
Lorie

Posted by
15 posts

Mary, I would follow the advice of your B & B host. I have also read that the Umberto Bridge had one lane going onto the island which avoids the ZTL. I will be staying on Ortigia in mid April and plan to park at Talete as well. I will be using a Garmin for navigation but will also have a printed copy of a Google map that I printed, as I know a Garmin will not keep me out of a ZTL.. I “drove” this route using Google Street View and it appears to be well signed for Talete prior to the bridge as you approach. You turn left at Riva Darsena, the street just prior to the bridge, and then turn right onto the Umberto Bridge. Once across the bridge take a left on Via Trento then just keep following the Talete signs. “Driving” the route on Google Street View really helps!
Here is a link to some useful information about parking at Talete:
http://www.comune.siracusa.it/images/doc/Mobilit%C3%A0_e_trasporti/Parcheggio_Talete.pdf

Posted by
11052 posts

That pay parking lot is a very large area on the north east end of Ortigia and shouldn’t be difficult to find.
I got an Italian SIM card for my phone which was so helpful to have especially if you are using Air BnBs. 30€. Data and phone. There is a TIM store right after you drive over the bridge on to Ortigia. Make dinner reservations and use as GPS,for Google Translate, etc.
Bridges: Ponte Santa Lucia ( to Odtigia)and Ponte Umbertino( from Ortigia to. Siracusa) are close, side by side. They connect Siracusa and Ortigia Is. We didn’t have any problems driving there to drop off bags at our apt ( overlooking marina side) before turning in car back in to rental agency in Siracusa.