Day 6: Ortigia
Day 6 of my ultimate itinerary for one week in Sicily without a car is the final day in Sicily. I decided to have a quieter, more relaxing day to look around Ortigia and enjoy the atmosphere.
The streets are all so cute and lovely. I enjoyed just wandering the streets and getting lost, never knowing what I’d find around the next corner.
The sea is never far away in Oritiga, and it’s lovely to walk along the coastline.
The castle at the southern tip of Ortigia is a nice place to walk to, to see the views and learn about the history.
There’s also a few historic sights in Oritiga, such as the Tempio de Apollo and Plaza Archimedes.
The market in Ortigia is also worth visiting. There are stalls selling fresh fish and seafood, as well as fruit, vegetables, nuts, jars of pesto, clothes, and loads of other stuff. It’s a great place to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere.
The Duomo in Ortigia is really impressive, dating back to the 7th century. You can go inside the Duomo as well. The Piazza Duomo is huge as well, and a lovely place to sit for a while.
You can also swim in sea off Ortigia. The beach isn’t huge or particularly pretty, but it’s still a nice place to enjoy a dip in the fresh sea, especially on a hot day.
And of course, no evening in Ortigia is complete without watching the beautiful sunset and the way it lights up the clouds in different colours. And also sipping a glass of wine as the sun sets.
For dinner on my final night, I had amazing fresh pasta with swordfish and cherry tomatoes.
Then after dinner, there was just time for one final walk along the seafront before heading back, ready to get the flight home the next day.
Final thoughts
I really enjoyed my week in Sicily. The food was amazing, and the culture of sitting for a drink as the sun sets before going for dinner was lovely. I also loved the variety of sights, from the Etna volcanic landscape, to ancient temples in Agrigento, pretty streets in Taormina and Noto, and relaxing by the sea in Oritiga. Sicily really does have something for everyone and I’d definitely recommend spending 6 days here to get a taste of the island. I’m already planning a return trip to explore more of the beautiful island of Sicily.
Hope you enjoyed the ultimate itinerary for one week in Sicily without a car! Make sure you check out my other posts about travel in Italy, including trips to the Cinque Terre and Portofino.
Would like to know where you landed? Any suggestions for B& B – or small hostel/hotels?
I flew into Catania. It worked well to stay in Catania for a few days – it’s a great base for doing day trips around the region. There are lots of accommodation choices in Catania, I’d recommend staying in the centre near the market and cathedral. And my second base was Syracuse, staying on the small island of Ortigia. It was easy to get from Syracuse/Ortigia back to Catania for the flight home. Hope that helps, and hope you have an amazing trip!