Sicily · SYRACUSE & ORTIGIA
51 reviewed
Syracuse was once the largest city in the Greek world, and its old heart, the island of Ortigia, is layered stone and sea. Here are the best tours: the ancient theatre and quarries, Ortigia’s lanes and market, boat trips into the sea caves around it. Prices, walking distances, and which to book.
1-hour Ortigia boat tour with a local skipper: sea caves, bridge views, Syracuse port sights, and an optional swim stop for $23.
“Seeing Ortigia from the sea is the way to go, and everyone on this tour group helped make that easy and fun!”
90-minute boat tour from Riva della Posta with Captain Mirko: Ortigia sights, marine caves, snorkeling masks, and a swim stop in clear water.
“Very nice day. Well worth the money. The Captain is so nice. We couldn't find the place and he called us to help us find the pick up place and waited for us. I strongly recommend this tour.”
2-hour boat tour of Ortigia in Siracusa with sea caves, Arethusa Spring, snorkeling, and prosecco plus fruit in a small-group ride.
“Really pleased with the operator- we had a VERY windy day & Captain gave us an option to pass or go out. We agreed to go & waves were enormous- after a quick dip in a secluded area, he took us on the other side of Ortigia where the wind created a calm ride. Lots of fun & the prosecco & fruit were a nice touch!”
Speedboat off Ortigia: sea caves, snorkel masks, fruit and prosecco, plus local stories on a 90-minute Sicily cruise.
“Stefano was a wonderful captain/guide. We had the boat to ourselves and it was a great morning on the water. The refreshments and music added to the experience. We had some time in the crystal clear water near the caves. We loved this excursion!”
Small-group Ortigia boat tour with sea caves and a chance to swim off the boat, plus views of Syracuse landmarks from the water.
“Really enjoyed the tour. Franco was a gentleman - very friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about Ortigia. We enjoyed the opportunity to stop and swim in the water.”
Syracuse: Ortigia sea-cave boat tour with Prosecco. Swim stop, heart-shaped cave, Ortigia monuments, and city views. 1 hour.
“The hour long trip was perfect! We delayed our trip by one day on the advice of the trip provider because of the high sea. That meant we were able to access two of the sea caves which were amazing and not to be missed! Nice touch to have the Prosecco during the trip too. So lovely to see Ortigia from the sea.”
Cruise Ortigia’s coast and sea caves, often with a short swim. English guide, small group, about 1 hour.
“A speedy trip to some caves and around Ortigia. It gives you the chance to see the island and our boat skipper was friendly and gave a good overview of the history of the island.”
Full-day Catania tour to Syracuse, Ortigia, and Noto with brunch, wine, and UNESCO sights plus Sicilian Baroque architecture.
“Another excellent tour with the same company. A minibus tour (max 8 passengers) is so much more satisfying than a big bus load. With a small group and a knowledgeable guide like Andrea you don't only see sights but get an understanding of culture and history. One suggested improvement for these tours is for the driver/guide to have a microphone so that all the shared knowledge and answered questions can be clearly heard by the folks in the back row, over the inevitable traffic and engine noise.”
A 3-hour Ortigia street food walk in Syracuse with one drink included, major market stops, and classic bites from Apollo to cannoli.
“Our guide Maria was amazing. She made us feel like we were walking around like friends exploring the city. Very knowledgeable about the history of her home town! Loved it! Oh and the food was all fabulous!”
Neapolis Archaeological Park tour in Syracuse with a licensed guide: Greek theater views, Latomies, Ear of Dionysius, Roman amphitheater.
“Eva was a very knowledgeable and interesting guide. She also paced the tour appropriately for everyone and allowed plenty of time for photos, stops etc. We love history so it was terrific hearing all the detail in person. Tour was long enough not to be tiring. Loved it!”
Sail from Ortigia through Plemmirio’s sea caves, swim and snorkel, and view Syracuse from the water on a 2-hour boat tour.
“This has been the highlight of our holiday!! Such good value for money for the time spent at sea — we ended up having the boat to ourselves which was so special :) Very accommodating with English translations of the tour, and the swim spots were so beautiful and fun!! The best time! Grazie mille, era molto divertente 😍🤩”
Take a 50-minute transparent-boat tour of Siracusa’s sea caves, with 360° underwater views, a swim stop, and skipper-led sightseeing.
“it was fun and on time . and get to stop for few minutes to swim too”
3-hour Ortigia street-food walk in Syracuse with arancini, impanate, granita or cannoli, market bites, and a local drink.
“Very informative and tasty. Maria Grazie was great and was a fantastic guide.”
2-hour Ortigia sunset cruise with cave-hopping, a Sicilian produce platter, prosecco, and swim time in clear water.
“Great well organised, friendly, plenty of food and drink, good value for money thank you!”
Walk ancient Syracuse, sunlit Ortigia streets, and baroque Noto from Catania with a small group and easy hotel pickup.
“Good mixture of informations by the guide and also quiet time and self exploring time in between. Noto being the highlight,”
