Ortigia Sicily Itinerary

We went to a puppet show when we were in Ortigia; it was so fun. The whole show was in Italian, so we didn't understand the dialogue, but the puppet show and theater were so fun. There is also an incredible puppet museum.

I think you will see a lot of Ortigia in the first 2 days you are there, so I would opt for the cooking class on your final day; the food in Sicily is the best.

September can still be hot… I would choose between Noto or Ragusa for one trip with a proper lunch and Modica on another day.

The Archaelogical Park in nearby Syracuse is worth a visit….beautiful Greek Theatre, still used for performances, remains of a Roman Ampitheatre all set in a large park area. Good museum also. The cathedral in Ortega is a baroque building outside, built around the remains of a Greek Temple. Pleasant seaside walk with gelato….

Looks good and doable. Can't say anything about boating or cooking, but Syracusa/Ortiga has a lot to offer. In addition to the sites already mentioned, check out the Ear of Dionysius cave. Apparently named by Caravaggio himself. If you like art, see Caravaggio's 'Burial of Saint Lucy' in the church of Santa Lucia al Sepolcro. The Castello Maniace sometimes hosts temporary art exhibitions. All the Baroque towns in the Val di Noto region are stunning. Up to you which ones you pick. If you have a car, it will be easy to visit several in a day. I went to Ragusa, Modica, Noto, and Scicli from Syracusa, and to Caltagirone from Catania. All by public transport, one a day.

I second the puppet show. It was whimsical and interesting.
I loved Modica. It was very hot when we arrived, so we opted for a fun mini-train ride. It was well worth the few Euros. Ortigia is lovely. If you are interested in archaeology, there is an amazing site in Syracuse (right by Ortigia). Have a great trip and eat chocolate in Modica...delicious.

I am leaning towards Modica for sure because i love chocolate. Thinking about going to Antica Dolceria Bonajuto to do their short tour as well.

Prior to our arrival in Ortigia we had plans to take several trips out of the city. Once we arrived however, we could not leave Ortigia! Enjoy your time there. It is very special.

we loved Ortigia, spent 4 nights there on our first Sicily trip, and 3 nights on our second trip. the archeological park is really wonderful, and I strongly recommend getting there right when it opens, before the crowds. note: it will most likely be hot while you are there, be sure your accommodation/hotel has air conditioning!

the only day we took was on our first trip, to the Vendicari Reserve to walk the beach and marsh trails, and then to Marzamemi for lunch - it was a lovely half day. otherwise, we were content to explore the local sights, the archeological museum (not in the park), the ancient mikva, puppet shows and walks all around the perimeter. we even went to the small beach one day for a dip!

we visited Noto on our transit day, first trip, and found it a bit underwhelming. second time around, we stayed in Ragusa for 2 nights and loved the old part of the city as well as the walk to the 'other side' via all those steps.........

you will love all of Sicliy!