Page 357 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

where the plant grows wild. Boat cruises operate between early March and
November from the bridge over the Ciane, a 5km signposted drive from Siracusa on
the SS115; you can also take bus #21, #22 or #23 from Piazza Pancali. There are
daily departures between 10am and 6pm, with tickets costing around €10 per person
(minimum three people); call 346 159 9635 or 368 729 6040 for information.
As well as the river, you’ll also see the scant but evocative remains of the

Olympieion, or Tempio di Giove Olimpico, a Doric temple built in the first half of
the sixth century BC. The hillock the ruin stands on, a vital strategic point in
classical times, was often occupied by Siracusa’s enemies when the city was under
attack. The pestilential air of the Lysimelia marshes below saved the day on more
than one occasion, infecting the hostile armies with malaria.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SIRACUSA

By train Siracusa is at the beginning of two train lines: the main line running up to
Catania, Taormina and Messina, and a little branch line to Gela via Noto, Sampieri,
Scicli, Modica, Ragusa and several other small Baroque towns. The city’s train

station is on the mainland at the end of Via Francesco Crispi. You can walk from here
to Ortigia in around 20min, and there’s a taxi rank outside the station. Depending on
the financial circumstances of local bus company AST, there may or may not be free
shuttle minibuses to Ortigia, leaving every 15min or so from a bus stop, a couple of
minutes’ walk away on (the second parallel street) Via Rubino.

Destinations Catania (7–11 daily; 1hr 15min); Lentini (7–11 daily; 45min); Messina
(7–9 daily; 3hr); Modica (4 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 45min); Noto (7 daily Mon–Sat; 1

daily Sun; 30min); Ragusa (2 daily Mon–Sat; 2hr); Sampieri (4 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr
20min); Scicli (4 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 25min).

By bus All regional buses stop across the road from the train station, on the parallel
streets Corso Umberto I and Via Rubino. AST ( 0931 462 711,
aziendasicilianatrasporti.it) has services to and from Lentini, Catania, Comiso,
Ispica, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, Sortino and Vittoria; while Interbus

( 0931 66 710, interbus.it) runs to Avola, Catania, Noto, Pachino and Palermo.

Destinations Avola (7 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 40min); Catania (1–2 hourly; 1hr
25min); Catania airport (6–7 daily; 1hr 15min); Ferla (1 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 35min);
Lentini (11 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr–1hr 30min); Modica (8 daily Mon–Sat, 3 daily Sun;
1hr 45min–3hr); Noto (12 daily Mon–Sat, 4 daily Sun; 55min); Pachino (6 daily Mon–
Sat, 2 daily Sun; 1hr 20min); Palazzolo Acreide (1–2 hourly Mon–Sat, 2 daily Sun;

1hr 10min–2hr 15min); Palermo (3 daily; 3hr 20min); Piazza Armerina (1 daily Mon–
Sat; 4hr); Ragusa (4 daily Mon–Sat, 2 daily Sun; 2hr 15min–3hr); Sortino (Mon–Sat
10 daily; 1hr 15min).