Page 360 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

palazzo overlooking the channel between Ortigia and the mainland. Owned and run by

a charming mother-and-son team: Fiora runs cooking courses in her apartment next
door and Friedrich, who has trained as a pizza chef, is opening a pizzeria. Great
home-made breakfasts with abundant fresh fruit are served on a terrace overlooking
the sea. Facilities include mini-laptops in rooms, free wi-fi and bikes for guests’ use.
€125

Ares Via Mirabella 49 0931 461 145, aresbedandbreakfast.it; map. Comfortable
B&B on a quiet street, a skip and a jump from the sea and in the less touristy east side
of Ortigia. Rooms are smart and spotless, there’s a lovely roof terrace, and owner
Enzo will go out of his way to make sure guests have all the information they need on

Ortigia. Breakfast is by voucher at the fabulous Bar del Duomo opposite the cathedral,
just a few minutes’ walk away. €80

Caol Ishka Via Elorina, Contrada Pantanelli 0931 69 057, caolishka.it; map.
Minimalist chic in a cluster of traditional stone farm buildings, all painted the same
lavender-mink grey as the sky at dusk. The rooms have resinated cement floors, and
spacious bathrooms with showerheads the size of soup plates. The grounds are ample,

with a good-sized pool, and there is a superb restaurant. It’s about 2km west of
Siracusa; the little beaches at nearby Isola and boat excursions along the River Ciane
make it an ideal choice for anyone who wants to alternate sightseeing with lazy days
by the beach or pool. €230

Domus Mariae Via Vittorio Veneto 76 0931 24 858,
www.sistemia.it/domusmariae; map. Occupying a former religious school, this three-
star hotel is still owned and run by an order of nuns. Half of the rooms have views to

the sea and all are efficiently maintained, if a little plain. There’s a fitness centre, a
roof terrace, parking and, of course, a chapel. They have expanded across the road,
transforming another convent into a hotel and spa. €160

Giuggiulena Via Pitagora da Reggio 35 0931 468 142, giuggiulena.it; map.
Chic but friendly and relaxed B&B in a clifftop villa, along the eastern seafront of
Siracusa and ideal for families. Flooded with light from floor-to-ceiling windows, the

main living/eating area has a glass cube suspended above the ocean and a bookcase
stuffed with English paperbacks. All six rooms have balconies overlooking the sea,
and you can swim off rocks or forage in rock pools (the hotel has a supply of chairs,
mats and beach shoes), yet Ortigia is just a 15min walk away. Breakfasts are abundant

and delicious, and eaten on a balcony overhanging the sea. €80
Gutowski Lungomare Vittorini 26 0931 465 861, guthotel.it; map. Chic

simplicity and intelligent design make this hotel overlooking the sea on the eastern
edge of Ortigia a good restful choice. It’s worth booking in advance to secure one of
the rooms with private terrace. Great breakfasts, with freshly squeezed orange juice