As I make plans for spending extended time in Polizzi Generosa and travels in Sicily this year I am thinking of my stays in the seductive Ortigia. The tiny island of Ortigia is part of the 'unhurried' city of Siracusa on the blue Ionian Sea in Sicily’s South East and it captures my heart each time I stay.
This feeling begins the minute I drive over the Ponte Nuovo and the Darsena, (the inner docks) lined with small colourful boats of blues, reds and greens and past decorated palazzi of muted pastels.
I want to share three things about Ortigia that help explain this captivation.
They don’t include the glorious classical sites of the Greek theatre, the Roman amphitheatre or the cavernous, made man cave Orecchio di Dionisio (the Ear of Dionysius) which was named by the tempestuous Caravaggio all of which I treasure, revisit and would advise not to miss on a first trip to Siracusa.
The three things I will share bring me be back to Ortigia often. This tiny island with two natural harbours, fountains and a promenade to the Ionian Sea encourages wandering and idling about whilst giving the subtlest of Sicilian history lessons.
No.1 A Sicilian baroque piazza under dark cobalt blue night skies:
To sit at a table in Antico Caffé Minerva on Piazza Duomo, in the heart of Ortigia, under the bluest cobalt sky on a warm summer’s evening anchors me in the Mediterranean. It is a 'stage set' with magical Sicilian baroque buildings breathtaking in their sheer fantasy and form: curves, billowing iron balconies, and mythical creatures atop buildings of golden stone. It helps you to understand high Sicilian baroque architecture in a flash.
No. 2 A dramatic baroque church, time worn Doric columns and Norman lions:
Opposite Caffé Minerva is the dramatic duomo and it's this building, more than any other in Ortigia, which enables an understanding of Sicily’s layered history. (see the edited note below)
Before entering the cool dark interior wander down the side street, Via Minerva and look at the time worn 'fluted' Doric columns. Once part of the 5th century Greek Temple to Athena they were set in the walls of this Christian church in the 7th century.
Then enter the church through the 'rich Baroque' front and as you walk in look to the right to the high reaching iron gates and look at the perfection in the shadowed pattern cast on the stone floor.
Once inside the cool darkness of the interior, the Greek origins are to be discovered.
Along the sides follow the rows of majestic Doric columns, first with your eyes and then touch the smooth worn cool stone. Along with the Greek baptismal font sitting on 'Norman bronze lions' and Byzantine apses there is a lot to be savoured.
Before you, is evidence of Sicily’s many invaders whose inclusion of existing pieces of previous conquerors’ architectural glory has left a legacy which makes for a great understanding of Sicily.
No. 3 A laidback hotel looking out over the sea to the Levant:
Hotel Gutkowski, nostalgic in the fading golden light has an exotic address on Ortigia’s eastern waterfront on Via Lungomare di Levante. It looks towards the mysterious Levant and 'borders the Arab Quarter' of Ortigia, a myriad of narrow streets with inner courtyards which today still gives a strong feel of Sicilian Arab life.
The pale blue buildings which make up Gutkowski, once houses of fishermen, are home to one of the most wistful, laidback hotels in Ortigia. Choose a room with a small balcony and listen to the sea as you sleep.
The promenade of Lungomare di Levante is so full of atmosphere, almost mystery and is made for strolling. Hotel Gutkowski is only 10 minutes or so from Piazza Duomo and all the wonderful sites of Ortigia: the fountain of Aretusa, the Temple of Apollo, an art gallery in the Catalan Gothic masterpiece, Palazzo Bellomo which houses Antonella da Messina’s "Annunciation" from the 15th century and elegant terraces to the seafront.
The Hotel's café, Caffé Gutkowski, a door or so down, is fabulous in summer for an aperitivo and dinner where the food is seasonal and modern Sicilian.
To dine outside in the summer and soak up the night sea air is part of what Ortigia is about.
Below is a quote from Sicilian writer, Leonardo Sciascia, which captures the essence of Siracusa;
“Siracusa is a highly civilised restful city in which superimposed cultures and styles overlap in such a manner that the profundity of Sicilian history is luminously clear” Leonardo Sciascia in 'Baroque spirit of a place and its people' - New York Times (9 June 1985).
Salve
Suzanne.
Edited 21/12/2015: Leonardo Sciascia's article 'Baroque spirit of a Place and its People' New York Times (9/6/1985) was where I first read of Sciascia's wonderful idea of how the overlapping layers in Siracusa help in understanding the depth of Sicily's history. His article, read at the time of writing the blog was inspirational and is where the quote at the end of the original blog came from.
Insight Guides, 'Sicily' provided some background reading. Suzanne
