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built .
Syracuse was , in its heyday , the largest city in the ancient world . It is not difficult to believe walking in its archaeological park today on the edge of the new districts . The huge Greek theatre and the ear of Dionysius , a tall and narrow cave that the tyrant used to listen to the speeches of the prisoners , are just two of the marvels that have survived to this day . But it is the island of Ortigia that won our hearts ; we explore it with an exceptional guide , Francesco di Moto Perpetuo , who gave us many tips to make this journey .
Thanks to Francesco we got lost in the alleys of the Giudecca and in the old Jewish quarter and visit the tub of the Papyri , one of the few places where this plant grows in Europe . When we arrived in Piazza Duomo , our precious guide allowed us to notice the ancient Doric columns incorporated into the structure of the cathedral which make the place of worship unique in its kind . The Maniace castle is located on the southern tip of Ortigia and even if you are not interested in its exhibitions , walking near its ramparts is an unmissable experience due to the views that open onto the Ionian .
We got back in the saddle and headed towards the Iblei mountains along the SS28 which became increasingly narrow as we went up towards the Cavagrande nature reserve . We travelled among dry stone walls in a bucolic landscape where the only traffic was represented by the herds of cattle . We eventually reached the necropolis of the ancient civilisation of Castelluccio , one of the first inhabitants of the island . A gate , closed with a rope and a faded sign , were the only evidence of the archaeological site . As soon as we crossed the entrance a voice called us and we immediately felt guilty of having done something wrong .
It was Salvatore , an over eightyyear-old shepherd who offered himself as a guide among the meadows that hide true wonders such as the one he called the Tomb of the Prince . But the exhibits took a back seat because the real discovery was sharing a piece of life of this gentleman who drives his thirty cows every day and who is not afraid of the imminent dark because his herd will show him the way .
Salvatore , a fine connoisseur of the ancient civilisation told us that it was his father who called the archaeologist Paolo Orsi upon the discovery of the ancient tombs . He encouraged us look into the Church of the Saints which , in general neglect , preserves Byzantine frescoes . The traveller ' s luck lies in whomever he meets , and we had hardly felt as lucky as we did that day .
Noto , an architectural pearl of
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