Siracusa is
your starting point.
Etna, boat trips in Ortigia, Vendicari, Pantalica, Val di Noto. We select local partners and offer you curated tours, often at preferential rates reserved for PhotoGuest guests.
Volcanoes, nature reserves
and sea caves.
From the crater of Etna to the white beaches of Vendicari, from the prehistoric necropolises of Pantalica to the sea caves of Ortigia.
Canyons, volcanoes
and rock-cut necropolises.
Laghetti di Cavagrande del Cassibile
A canyon 500 metres deep carved by the Cassibile river. You walk down on foot to natural pools of crystal-clear water, a refuge in the Sicilian summers. Nature reserve since 1990. The descent requires walking shoes and about 30 minutes.
Oasi di Vendicari
1,512 hectares of unspoilt coastline and 8 km of white beaches with turquoise shallows. Pink flamingos, stilts, cormorants. Inside: the historic tuna fishery, the Byzantine chapel of Cittadella, the Swabian tower. Ideal for snorkelling and birdwatching.
Necropoli di Pantalica
A rock-cut necropolis from the 13th century BC sculpted into the rock by the Anapo and Calcinara rivers. More than 5,000 tombs carved into the canyon walls. Visited on foot along riverside paths: the natural pools in the inlet offer moments of deep intimacy with the stone.
Etna
From Rifugio Sapienza (1,923 m) a cable car climbs to 2,500 m in 15 minutes. From there, off-road vehicles with alpine guides go up to 3,000 m: Valle del Bove, Barbagallo craters, recent lava flows. Lunar atmospheres. Our guests receive a QR code to skip the queue for the cable car.
Gole dell'Alcantara
A columnar basalt canyon up to 50 metres high, carved by a glacial river flowing between prismatic lava formations. You walk through the water between lava walls. Can be combined with Etna or Taormina in the same day.
Golden baroque
and a seaside village.
Noto
Capital of Sicilian baroque, rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake on a new site below. A unified urban masterpiece: churches and aristocratic palaces from the same era, in the same golden limestone. Via Nicolaci is lined with balconies held up by the carved brackets of Palazzo Villadorata: mermaids, lions, horses, cherubs. The Cathedral of San Nicolò, which collapsed in 1996 and was rebuilt over ten years, commands the panoramic staircase. At sunset the stone catches fire with gold.
Marzamemi
A 17th-century fishing village built around a tuna fishery that was once among the largest in the Mediterranean. Piazzetta Regina Margherita overlooking the sea, former fishery warehouses converted into fresh-fish restaurants, open-air cinema in summer. The Frontiera Film Festival in July turns the village into a stage. From here, boats depart for the Isola di Capo Passero, the extreme south-eastern tip of Sicily.
Can be combined with the Oasi di Vendicari on the same trip, with a stop at the Villa Romana del Tellaro (4th-century AD mosaics, free entry and parking).
The baroque triangle
of Val di Noto.
Ragusa Ibla
The old quarter of Ragusa, separated from the upper town by 340 steps and a bridge. A labyrinth of baroque alleys and small squares dominated by the Duomo di San Giorgio: a convex three-tiered facade, among the most dramatic in Sicily. The Giardino Ibleo is the evening promenade of the people of Ragusa, overlooking the valley. Much of the Inspector Montalbano series was filmed here: the Circolo di Conversazione is Montalbano's bar, Piazza Duomo is the square of Vigàta.
Modica
Split across two levels: Modica Alta perched on the ridge, Modica Bassa along the covered riverbed. The Duomo di San Giorgio, at the top of 250 steps, is the pinnacle of Ragusa-area baroque. Famous for its cold-process chocolate made using an Aztec method: grainy, spiced, with no added cocoa butter. The artisan shops on Corso Umberto I offer tastings.
Scicli
The most intimate of the three. Via Francesco Mormina Penna is an unbroken sequence of aristocratic facades in golden stone. Palazzo Beneventano, with its grotesque masks at the corners, is the most photographed baroque palace in eastern Sicily. The Palazzo del Municipio is Montalbano's police station in the TV series. From the Chiesa di San Matteo on the hilltop, the view embraces the entire valley.
All three towns can be visited in a full day. Start in Modica in the morning, climb to Ragusa Ibla for lunch, and end with Scicli in the late afternoon.
Lava baroque,
markets and street food.
Catania
Sicily's second city, rebuilt in black lava stone after the 1693 earthquake. The contrast between dark basalt and white limestone portals is the unmistakeable hallmark of Catanese baroque. Piazza Duomo with the Elephant Fountain — u Liotru, symbol of the city — and the Pescheria, a loud and theatrical fish market every morning. Via Etnea points straight towards the volcano.
Essential street food: arancini, cartocciate, seltzer with lemon and salt at the kiosk. The Teatro Massimo Bellini for opera lovers. In the evenings, the bars of Piazza Teatro and Via Santa Filomena are the heart of the nightlife.
The Greek Theatre
with Etna as the backdrop.
Taormina
The Greek Theatre (3rd c. BC) with Etna framing the stage is Sicily's most iconic image. The cavea carved into the rock still hosts summer performances. Below, Isola Bella, a nature reserve reachable on foot at low tide, is a jewel of Mediterranean biodiversity. Corso Umberto I runs through the pedestrianised centre between Porta Messina and Porta Catania, with historic cafés and sheer-drop panoramas. The Giardini della Villa Comunale, formerly the 19th-century Trevelyan Gardens, offer terraces overlooking the Ionian coast.
Can be combined with the Alcantara Gorge (20 min from Taormina) or with Etna in the same day. The Siracusa–Etna–Taormina circuit is one of the great classics of eastern Sicily.
From Plemmirio
to San Lorenzo.
Area Marina Protetta del Plemmirio
Marine reserve with transparent waters, posidonia meadows and rocky walls. Three zones with increasing levels of protection. Snorkelling and diving among the best in eastern Sicily. Access from various points along the Maddalena peninsula.
Spiaggia dell'Arenella
A sheltered bay of golden sand with a shallow, gently sloping seabed. The easiest beach to reach from the B&B. Organised facilities and a free-access stretch.
Fontane Bianche
The most famous beach on the Siracusa coast: fine white sand and Caribbean-blue water. The name comes from the freshwater springs that bubble up between the rocks.
Partner beach club for our guests
Calamosche
Reachable only on foot (15 min from the car park). Repeatedly voted the most beautiful beach in Italy. No facilities: bring water and a parasol.
San Lorenzo e Santa Maria del Focallo
Kilometres of golden sand between Noto and Ispica, natural dunes, shallow water. Less crowded than Fontane Bianche. Ideal for families with children.
For those who prefer the water: tours of the sea caves of Ortigia and the Plemmirio coast with our partners. From group tours to private charters with skipper, at preferential rates for our guests. Discover the boat tours →
From here,
everything within reach.
All distances are measured from Corso Gelone 7, Siracusa. By car unless otherwise stated.
Beaches, cliffs, boat tours, sea caves, Plemmirio.
500 m deep canyon, natural pools, trekking in the Cassibile.
Baroque UNESCO capital, Via Nicolaci, rebuilt Cathedral.
Nature reserve, pink flamingos, white beaches, historic tuna fishery.
UNESCO rock-cut necropolis, 5,000 tombs from the 13th c. BC, riverside trekking.
Fishing village, seafront square, bluefin tuna, open-air cinema.
UNESCO lava baroque, Pescheria, Via Etnea, street food.
UNESCO baroque, Modica chocolate, San Giorgio, Corso Umberto.
UNESCO Ragusa baroque, Giardino Ibleo, churches in golden stone.
UNESCO baroque, Montalbano filming location, Via Mormina Penna, Palazzo Beneventano.
Active volcano, summit craters, cable car to 2,500 m, lunar landscapes.
Greek Theatre with Etna view, Isola Bella, Corso Umberto, gardens.
These places, experienced from the inside.
A day on the water among the caves of Plemmirio or a guided tour through the streets of the old town: experiences curated for guests staying with us, at preferential rates.
Discover the experiencesSiracusa in the evening,
Sicily during the day.
PhotoGuest is the ideal starting point for exploring south-eastern Sicily. We'll help you plan every excursion at check-in, or write to us in advance.
Contact us →