Ortigia...
Ortigia – Golden, Rustic, and Beautiful…
The rustic and charming city shines like golden light when the sun is at its best, with historic buildings wrapping tightly around the peninsula. Ortigia enchants visitors with its narrow, winding streets, quickly making you think this might just be the coziest city in Sicily. Adding to its allure, the island is surrounded by the sea, where turquoise and deep blue hues truly take your breath away.
A Winter Stay with High Expectations
We arrived in Ortigia in mid-February 2025, right after our two-month stay in Taormina. Our expectations were sky-high since we had heard so much about this city from both friends and strangers. We had also loved our winter stay in Taormina, so we were eager to see what Ortigia had to offer.
For every place we visit, we enjoy varying our accommodation. This time, in Ortigia, we chose a modern and newly renovated apartment in an old building on a quiet side street in the heart of the city. It was quite a contrast to the rustic and charming apartment we had in Taormina’s church square, which we adored. It seemed perfect at first. But it didn’t take long before we missed our balcony at Piazza Duomo in Taormina, where life unfolded before our eyes from morning to night.
Here in Ortigia, the only entertainment came from the neighbor above us—who, possibly heartbroken, played the same song almost every night on repeat. Not quite the lively atmosphere we had hoped for. On top of that, Else suffered from a severe case of food poisoning after dining at one of the local restaurants. It wasn’t exactly the best start to our stay in Ortigia.
The Market – The Heart of Ortigia
To our great delight, we discovered Ortigia’s fantastic food market—one of the city's absolute highlights. Here, farmers, fishermen, and vendors gather to sell the best the land and sea have to offer. On our first visit, we were overwhelmed by the intensity and energy of the place, not to mention the challenge of speaking Italian. The market is loud and lively, with vendors shouting to catch your attention. But after saying “parlo poco italiano” enough times and smiling, we found that people were more than happy to help us. Our fear of not speaking Italian well enough quickly disappeared after just one shopping trip.
Shopping at the market is truly an experience, and we highly recommend setting aside at least half an hour to visit. If you plan to cook, this is the place to buy your ingredients. The quality is higher, and the prices are significantly lower than in the supermarkets.
The Search for the Best Restaurants
Eager to explore the local cuisine, we initially struggled to find standout restaurants. There are certainly many excellent eateries in Ortigia, but the sheer number made it difficult to choose. Many places boast high ratings online, but reviews are subjective—people have different tastes and expectations. Once we found restaurants we truly loved, we preferred to return rather than experiment further. And the spots we found were absolutely fantastic.
When Winter Begins to Loosen Its Grip
As February turned into March, we were thrilled to see more shops and restaurants reopening for the season. The sun started to bring warmth, and we could sit by the pier, enjoying the sea breeze. It felt like summer was just around the corner.
But little did we know how unpredictable Sicily’s winter weather could be. One day, it was 26°C with bright sunshine; the next, it was raining with thunderstorms and a chilly 10°C.
Everyday Challenges in Ortigia
One unexpected challenge in Ortigia was simply running everyday errands. There are two Coop supermarkets on the island, but the selection is limited. Even finding something as simple as a new pair of sneakers turned into a lengthy adventure. We made several trips to Siracusa, the larger city next to Ortigia, in search of proper walking shoes—with little luck. Most shops are located in outlets or malls outside the city, requiring either a car or a bus that runs infrequently. But in the end, after persistent searching online and in person, we finally found a great sports store.
In Taormina, we had easy access to information about events and activities through websites and apps. That made it all the more frustrating to discover that Ortigia had little to no available tourist information in winter. The tourist office was closed, and there were few resources for visitors.
A Beautiful City, But Did It Win Our Hearts?
We explored every charming street, visited the fortress at the tip of the island, admired the stunning cathedral, walked along the waterfront, and sat in every square. Architecturally, Ortigia is breathtaking, especially when the sun is shining. And in the summer, we have no doubt that it’s a fantastic holiday destination.
We spent five weeks in Ortigia, from mid-February to late March. We got to know the city well and met some wonderful people. But while we wouldn’t trade this experience for anything, Ortigia didn’t fully capture our hearts this time. Maybe we visited at the wrong time of year? But that’s the beauty of our journey—it’s about new experiences and discoveries.
Sometimes you win some, sometimes you lose some.
