Frequently Asked Questions
How to get to Syracuse by car?
Siracusa is 64km (45 miles) south of Catania Airport. From Catania Airport, take the SS114 out to the E45 autostrada and just follow that south to Siracusa.
Siracusa is 210km (131 miles) east of Agrigento. From Agrigento take the coastal SS115 all the way (3 hr.). Or, for a slightly faster (but less scenic) inland route, take the E932 northeast past Caltanisetta to pick up the A19 highway just west of Enna; follow that east to Catania, then to Siracusa.
Siracusa is 260km (162 miles) southeast of Palermo. From Palermo, take the A20 east to the A19 toward Catania. Stay on the A19 through the center of Sicily, turning south at the Catania outskirts onto the E45 to Siracusa.
How to get to Syracuse by ferry
If you’re not flying to Sicily, then you’ll have to take a ferry even if you’re driving or taking the train from elsewhere in Europe. There are dozens of ways to reach Sicily by ferry, though only the passage across the Strait of Messina (accessed through Villa San Giovanni can be done quickly. Other mainland points of departure for ferries include Rome-Civitavecchia, Naples, Salerno, Reggio-Calabria and, more seasonally, Livorno and Genoa. Note that ferry frequency — and prices — will increase in the high summer season.
From Villa San Giovanni, the closest mainland port to Sicily, several ferries a day depart for Messina, just across the Strait of Messina, there are 3 ways of routes departing from Villa San Giovanni: on foot, with cars or by train.
We suggest to check and buy tickets in advance in order to choose the best seats and have better rates.
How to get to Syracuse by plane
Siracusa, a city in East Sicily, does not have an airport, but it’s close to some of the main ones in the region. The closest is the airportof Catania Fontanarossa, which is one of the biggest in Southern Italy. The journey can last a few hours, depending on which city you’re coming from.
Among the other airports near Siracusa, there is also Ragusa-Comiso, which is smaller and a bit further than Catania-Fontanarossa.
How to get to Syracuse by bus
Interbus (tel. +39-095-530-396, www.interbus.it) runs hourly buses (8:40am–8:40pm) between the Catania airport and Siracusa (at Corso Umberto 196).
From Ragusa to Siracusa, AST has 5 buses daily except Sunday 2.5–3 hr.; Interbus runs 7 buses (4 on Sundays)
Interbus runs 3 buses daily (including Sundays) to Siracusa.
How to get around Siracusa city
To get around Siracusa city you have two choices: use the AST urban transportation service. This allows you to reach all the Siracusa’s districts, as well as the sea areas. Please kindly check the website of “AST Siracusa”.
There is also a tourist bus, “The hop-on hop-off bus tour”, where you can get a ticket with 16 differents stops around Siracusa and use it depending on your needs. For this please check the “Siracusa open tour website”.