The islet of Ortigia is the historical heart of the city of Syracuse. Within its area of ​​one square kilometer it is possible to admire the architectural beauties of different historical periods: from the first prehistoric settlements, through the numerous remains of ancient Greek Byzantine and Norman. Today Ortigia lives in a brilliant reconstruction of its old charm, finding consensus in the numerous tourists who remain entranced by the rare beauty of Syracuse.

The Archaeological Park Neopolis: built between 1952-55 includes most of the finds of the classic Greek and Roman Syracuse, unifying under one roof area of ​​about 240,000 square meters, the remains of the ancient era. Among other distinguished architectural buildings:

The Roman Amphitheatre from the imperial era (III – IV century AD. C.), which for its greatness was to be superior to others in Sicily. The bottom was dug into the rock, which for the poor quality of its morphology, was hidden from sight. The upper part is elliptical in shape, with very large outer diameters (140 and 119 meters). The amphitheater was unearthed in 1839.

The Altar of Heron II was a huge altar, used in ancient times for the sacrifices offered to the gods. Its lower part is still visible, formed in the ground, while the upper part was lost during the Spanish period.

The Greek Theatre is dated around the second century BC. Literally dug into the rock, it was at the same time among the largest of the Greek era (diameter of 138 meters) with its lower slope (about 19 meters).

After the glories of the classical period, when many of the famous tragedies were performed in Syracuse, the theater underwent significant changes during the Roman domination in an attempt to “reconvert” the structure featured in Latin motifs.

Later falling into disuse, the theater was used by the Spaniards to build other buildings. The excavations brought to light were completed in the first half of the fifties.

The Ear of Dionysius is an artificial cave, resulting from an old aqueduct, more than 23 meters high. The cave owes its name to a writing of Caravaggio, who during a hike in 1608 noticed the resemblance to a human ear. According to legend, Dionysius used to hold prisoners of war in the cave, to overhear their talk of conspiracy: the noise amplification is indeed significant, and would have allowed them to know important information about their enemies.

At the edge of the park remains visible the Necropolis of Groticelli where there are numerous rock-hewn tombs, dating to the Greeks rather than to the Imperial age.

Among others, the Tomb of Archimedes, however, it is only a Roman columbarium (funerary building divided into niches). The real tomb of the mathematician from Syracuse was described by Cicero as a column where there was a sphere and a cylinder.