My wife and I spent the entire month of January, 2019 living in Ortigia. Maria Teresa’s ‘Suite 18’ on Via Mille was our ‘home’ . As the weeks went by, and as our travels to other regions of Sicily increased, we came to realize what a very, very special place Ortigia really is ,
and what a lovely space we had to be calling home.
As you walk across the harbor bridge connecting Ortigia from greater Siracusa, the magic starts to happen.
Surrounded by the sea, laced with ancient, narrow streets, and full of intriguing cafes, restaurants, museums and shops, Ortigia presents as a living town, but firmly rooted to its fascinating history. And that’s quite a history. In the epicenter of Ortigia is the Temple of Apollo, dating to the 6th century B.C.
The Duomo Piazza is one of the most magnificent public spaces that we’ve ever seen, though intimate in an amazing way. Hard to describe.
Suite 18 Via Mille was , every day, our quiet and charming retreat. Though accessed from a side street, the apartment itself opens onto a balcony with a dramatic view of the inner harbor.
Imagine sipping your morning cappuccino as the fisherman below gather their nets and set out for the day.
You can see from the apartment photos how delightful this space is. Very modern and comfortable.
Maria Teresa has Airbnb ‘super host’ status. That’s because she is indeed a super host. She greeted us most warmly, provided us with a great deal of local information, attended to questions and concerns almost faster than we could call her, and in every way made our stay a stellar one.
The weather was really excellent, most days in the 50s and 60s. We shopped daily for local vegetables, bread, cheeses , fish and wine, as the street markets are bustling, interesting and relatively inexpensive. All kinds of local color.
A winter visit here was the ticket for us;
cool temperatures, few tourists ( like ourselves) , sea breezes, and great food.
Magic!