Private Tour of Syracuse, Ortigia and Noto
Description
The tour starts in Syracuse, one of the oldest cities in Sicily. Visit the ancient Greek Theatre, a well-preserved masterpiece that will transport you back in time. Walk around the island of Ortigia and admire the splendid Cathedral of Syracuse, cross the most evocative places, completely immersing yourself in the thousand-year history of this city. After Syracuse, we will head towards Noto, the pearl of Sicilian baroque. Admire the incredible Baroque architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as you stroll through the streets adorned with ornate churches and palaces. Taste Sicilian cuisine during the gastronomic break, personalized according to your tastes. Travel in style and comfort on a tailor-made tour. Our dedicated driver will make your experience unique. Book now and discover the charm of Syracuse and Noto with a private tour that combines comfort and unparalleled beauty!
Tour Options
Itinerary
It was the homeland of the mathematician Archimedes, who headed its defense during the Roman siege in 212 BC. Syracuse was the capital city of Sicily for centuries, until its conquest by the Arabs in 878. During the visit we will see the fantastic Fonte Aretusa, the Temple of Apollo (one of the oldest Doric temples in Sicily), the Cathedral of Syracuse, all this on the wonderful island of Ortigia, and if you wish also the Archaeological Park of Neapolis.
Noto is famous for being the city of Baroque. Rebuilt after the terrible earthquake of 1693, its historic center is in Baroque style, which attracts millions of visitors for its beauty. Absolutely not to be missed is the famous Cathedral of Noto, in this city you can also taste various local products such as Modica chocolate and our excellent almonds.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
You can choose the pick-up location: a driver will show up directly at the location you specify at the time you choose.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(47)
While Syracuse, Ortigia, and Noto are beautiful destinations, this tour unfortunately did not meet our expectations for a private guided experience. The tour began about 15 minutes late, and communication throughout the day was poor. Because our tour took place on an Italian holiday, traffic was much heavier than usual, resulting in significantly more time spent in the car than sightseeing. We felt that better planning for holiday conditions could have helped maximize our time at the destinations. There were also delays related to parking, and it appeared that parking arrangements had not been planned in advance. In addition, some attractions were closed due to the holiday, which came as a surprise and further limited the experience. We would have expected this to be known ahead of time and reflected in the itinerary. One of our biggest disappointments was the lack of guidance and information provided during the tour. We were expecting insights into the history, culture, and significance of the places we visited, but very little information was shared. Given the amount of time spent driving, there were also missed opportunities to discuss the region, explain the day’s itinerary, or ask about our interests so the experience could be tailored to us. We were also informed that the advertised transport van was unavailable and that the tour would instead take place in the guide’s personal vehicle. While we understand that unexpected issues can arise, this was not what we had booked or expected. Most concerning, however, was the driving. The driver frequently drove at speeds that felt excessive for the road conditions, and at times the driving felt unsafe. Rather than feeling relaxed and able to enjoy the scenery, we often felt uncomfortable during the long periods spent in the car. Overall, the tour lacked the organization, communication, and personalized guiding we expected from a private tour. While we enjoyed seeing Syracuse, Ortigia, and Noto, the quality of the tour itself did not justify the premium price
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry that the experience did not meet your expectations. However, we would like to clarify several points for future readers. The tour took place on a major Italian holiday, a circumstance that naturally resulted in heavier-than-usual traffic throughout the region. Despite this, the itinerary was completed as planned and all scheduled destinations were visited. Regarding parking, this is not something that can be reserved or arranged in advance in the historic centers visited during the tour. Like all drivers operating in these areas, we park in the available public spaces closest to the sites being visited. We would also like to clarify that this experience is not advertised as a guided tour with a licensed tour guide. Nevertheless, throughout the day the driver accompanied guests on foot in several locations and provided historical, cultural and local information far beyond what is required for a transportation service. The vehicle used for the tour was a comfortable 7-seat vehicle fully authorized and regularly used for passenger transportation. At no point was guest comfort compromised. We are also surprised by the comments regarding driving. Passenger safety is our highest priority, and speed limits and traffic regulations were respected throughout the entire tour. Finally, while some businesses and secondary attractions may have adjusted their opening hours due to the holiday, all of the locations and attractions included in the tour itinerary were accessible and visited as planned. We respect your opinion, but we believe this review does not accurately reflect the service that was provided. We remain proud of the dedication shown that day and of the effort made to deliver the full experience despite the exceptional traffic conditions associated with a national holiday.
Fantastic tour loved Noto and the island Our tour guide Manuel was very knowledgable and kept us entertained the entire day ! Highly recommend it
Great experience with Gabriele. Siracusa and Noto were beautiful. The restaurant we stopped at for lunch was great as well. Our guide even had them make a special local pasta I had asked them about. Highly recommend.
Tour guide, Manuel, was basically just a driver to and from Noto and Siracusa. He told us virtually nothing about the history of the locations. Unable to answer any questions. He walked 10 meters ahead of us and would point out “this is a church “ “ this is a statue “. When we stopped at a gelateria he didn’t even notice, just kept walking. Had to text him to come back. Then he took us to the Siracusa Greek archeological site, where he dropped us off to tour it by ourselves. He said to meet him in one hour. Worthless to visit without a guide! No more Tripadvisor tours!
We loved our guide Gabriele. He was very personable and knowledgeable about the areas that he took us to. His car was clean, nice and comfortable. He showed us a lot of great sites and hidden gems in both Syracuse and Noto. I would highly recommend this if you want to get a feel for these areas.
Manuel was our driver. He was very helpful and accommodating with all our requests, spontaneous shifts in plans and very professional. The most important though was that he was very knowledgeable of the history of places visited giving us a lot of accurate information which you would normally only expect from a professional guide. Great tips also given for good food and drinks in the area. Really great experience - would recommend a private tour with Manuel.
Manuel was a lovely guy and was full of knowlege. We were picked up at our hotel on time. We would of loves a little more time in Ortigia as it was amazing.
We spent a very enjoyable day in Noto and Ortygia with Manuel, our tour guide for the day. He took us to some absolutely beautiful sites in Noto including the Cathedral, Theater and Town Hall. The Noto architecture is gorgeous! Then we spent a pleasant visit to Ortygia, visiting the amazing food market, their Cathedral and then a lovely walk along the water to the fortification at the end of the island. Manual shared the interesting local history and took care of our needs during the visit. Both Noto and Ortygia are worth a visit and Manuel is an excellent host!
For future tour goers, this is not a "tour" per se where you will be given much history behind the cities. This is basically a private driver situation to the 3 sites. Gabriele was very nice and offered some facts about some of the places. I just wouldn't call it a tour like the headline suggests. Nonetheless, he offered water, and gave us time in the cities. Siracusa is a dud and would advise people to skip and just see Ortigia as there is not much to Siracusa. I would also opt for a lunch spot on the water in Ortigia to take in the seaside views over the suggested restaurant.
Dear guest, thanks for sharing your experience. In the details of the tour is specified that it's included only a local driver acknowledged in the history of the places, but not a licensed tour guide, this one can be requested and paid separately.
We had a great tour with Manuel. He is very friendly, knowledgeable and polite. He gave us great tips in each place we visited. Highly recommend!
