- Address: 2 Viale Giulio Emanuele Rizzo, Syracuse, Sicily 96100, Italy
- Hours: Park is open Tuesday-Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm, and Mondays and holidays from 8:30am-12:30pm
- Admission: €10
Ear of Dionysius (Orecchio di Dionisio) Tours
Set in the hills of the Sicilian town of Syracuse is a large cave with the evocative name of the Ear of Dionysius. The name does not, however, refer to the Greek god. The name, Orecchio di Dionisio in Italian, was given to the cave by 16th-century painter Caravaggio, who named it after a vicious fifth-century BCE ruler of Syracuse. He is said to have used the cave as a political prison, and the cave's incredible acoustics gave him the ability to eavesdrop on his enemies. Another legend says he once used the cave as a torture chamber.
While the legends are unlikely to be true, the name stuck. The primary acoustic position in the cave is no longer accessible to visitors due to safety concerns, but the cavern is still an impressive sight.
Practical Info
The Ear of Dionysius is part of a larger archaeological site that also includes a Greek theatre. The park is open Tuesday-Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm, and Mondays and holidays from 8:30am-12:30pm. Admission to the park is €10.
Tours & Tickets
Archaeological Syracuse: Neapolis Park Walking Tour
This 2 hours small-group walking tour will let you discover the Neapolis archaeological park containing Syracuse's most important ancient Greek monuments, part ... Read more
Location: Syracuse, Italy
Duration: 2 hours (approx.)
From USD $29.89
Syracuse Day Trip from Taormina
Spend a day in the sunny city of Syracuse in southeast Sicily on a full-day tour from Taormina! With stunning coastal scenery as well as ancient Greek and ... Read more
Location: Taormina, Italy
Duration: 9 hours (approx.)
From USD $56.04
Full-day Syracuse and Noto tour from Taormina
Departure to Siracusa. The visit begins with the Neapolis archeological park, the most characteristic part of the old Greek city (Greek theatre, Latomia del ... Read more
Location: Taormina, Italy
Duration: 12 hours (approx.)
From USD $58.53
