There is one decision to make here and everything else follows from it.
Stay on Ortigia. The island is where the cathedral square is, where the market is, where almost every restaurant worth eating in is, and where the town comes out to walk in the evening. Sleeping anywhere else means crossing a bridge at midnight to get back to a quieter, cheaper, sadder version of the trip.
That said, there are real reasons the mainland works for some people, and I will give them properly. The wider planning is in my complete guide to Syracuse.
Staying inside the old town
Ortigia’s accommodation is mostly converted: old palazzi turned into small hotels, single floors turned into apartments, courtyards with lemon trees and an open stair up one wall.
What you get. Everything on foot. A five minute walk home from dinner. The island at seven in the morning and again at eleven at night, which are the two hours nobody on a day trip ever sees.
What you pay. Roughly 90 to 180 euros in shoulder season for something good, and expect half as much again in August. Apartments run cheaper and there are a lot of them.
What to watch for. Old buildings, so: stairs and often no lift, thick walls that hold heat, and windows onto narrow lanes where sound carries. Ask about air conditioning specifically rather than assuming.
Which part of the island
The island is a kilometre long, so this matters less than it would elsewhere, but there is a difference.
The northern end, near the bridges, is workaday and a little scruffy, closest to the market, cheapest, and about ten minutes from the cathedral square.
The middle, around the cathedral square, is the prettiest and the noisiest. Lovely to step out into. Less lovely at one in the morning in August when the square is still busy under your window.
The southern end, past the fort, is almost residential and very quiet, and about fifteen minutes from everything.
The western sea wall catches the sunset and has the best views, and rooms facing that way carry a premium.
The view room question
A sea view on Ortigia costs real money and is worth it in fewer cases than you would think.
The island is dense, so many rooms sold as sea view are looking at a slice of water between two buildings. The ones that genuinely front the water are on the western wall and the southern tip, and those you will pay for.
My rule. If you are here two nights, skip it and spend the money on dinner. If you are here four or more, and the room has a terrace rather than a window, take it, because you will actually use it.
The quieter side, just over the bridge
The mainland streets immediately over the bridge are a perfectly good fallback and nobody should feel short changed by them.
Why it works. Cheaper, often by a lot. Newer buildings with lifts and reliable air conditioning. Easier if you have a car, because you can actually park. And it is a genuine five to ten minute walk to the island rather than a trek.
Why it does not. You will cross that bridge four times a day and you will feel it on the fourth. The area is ordinary in a way Ortigia is not.
Who it suits. Anyone driving, anyone travelling with a lot of luggage or limited mobility, anyone visiting in August when the island is both full and expensive, and families who want more space for the money.
Near the station
There is a small cluster of business hotels near the railway station, and I would not.
It is about a fifteen minute walk to the island, the area has nothing to recommend it, and the saving over the mainland streets nearer the bridge is small. The only argument is an early train.
By the beaches
Fontane Bianche and the coast south of the city have resort hotels and holiday apartments, and this is a different trip entirely.
It suits families who want a beach holiday with a city attached. It does not suit anyone whose main interest is Syracuse itself, because you are then twenty minutes from the old town and dependent on a car or a train for every evening.
Practical
Book early for August, and for May and June if the classical drama season is running, because the theatre fills the island.
Ask where a taxi can stop. Ortigia’s lanes are narrow and some places are a genuine walk from the nearest vehicle. With luggage this matters.
Check the lift. Old palazzi frequently have none and the good rooms are frequently on the third floor.
Apartments or hotels
Ortigia has a great many apartments and comparatively few large hotels, and the split matters.
Apartments are cheaper, often larger, and get you a kitchen and sometimes a terrace. They also mean no reception, key handovers by arrangement, and stairs. Good for three nights or more, and good for families.
Small hotels in converted palazzi give you somebody at a desk, breakfast, and usually the roof terrace, which is worth more than it sounds in a town this dense.
Five things to ask before you book
1. Is there a lift? Many old palazzi have none and the good rooms are high up. 2. Where can a taxi stop, and how far is the walk? Some lanes are genuinely inaccessible. 3. Which way do the windows face? A square in August is loud until one in the morning. 4. Is the air conditioning in the bedroom, not just the living space? 5. Is there a roof terrace, and can guests use it in the evening?
Read also: Ortigia, the island old town, where to eat in Syracuse, and my complete guide to Syracuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best area to stay in Syracuse?
Ortigia, the island old town. It holds the cathedral square, the market and almost every good restaurant, and it is where the town comes out in the evening. The mainland streets just over the bridge are a reasonable cheaper alternative and about a ten minute walk away.
Is it better to stay in Ortigia or on the mainland in Syracuse?
Ortigia if the budget allows, because everything worth doing after dark is there. The mainland side makes sense if you are driving, need a lift and reliable air conditioning, are travelling with a family, or are visiting in August when island prices peak.
How much does a hotel in Ortigia cost?
Roughly 90 to 180 euros a night in shoulder season for a good room, rising by around half again in August. Apartments are widely available and generally cheaper, and the mainland side runs noticeably below island prices.
Is a sea view room in Syracuse worth it?
Only sometimes. The island is dense and many rooms sold as sea view show a narrow slice of water. If you are staying two nights, spend the money elsewhere. If you are staying four or more and the room has a usable terrace, it earns its keep.
Do you need a car in Syracuse?
No, and it is a liability in the old town. Ortigia has restricted access and no realistic parking, and the island is walkable end to end in twenty minutes. Hire a car only for day trips to Noto, Marzamemi or Vendicari, and keep it on the mainland side.
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