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Fonte Aretusa
Fonte Aretusa
4
About
Today the myth of Alfeo and Aretusa lives on in the heart of the island of Ortigia in a pool of fresh water, home to papyrus and ducks, that flows into the salty waters of the Great Harbour of Siracus.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles1,269 reviews
Excellent
466
Very good
447
Average
272
Poor
63
Terrible
21

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Leif B
Pietarsaari, Finland3,079 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
On our guided tour our guide pointed also out this natural spring on the island of Ortygia and the told us about the myth of the nymph Arethusa. The Fountain of Arethusa is a natural spring on the island of Ortygia in the historical centre of the city of Syracuse in Sicily. According to Greek mythology, this freshwater fountain is the place where the nymph Arethusa, the patron figure of ancient Syracuse, returned to earth's surface after escaping from her undersea home in Arcadia.
Written 5 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robert Stalker
Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Masha and Stefano are two of the best tour guides that I have ever encountered along with Enrico Bonamano in Venice. They love their islands and their enthusiasm is infectious and contagious. They weave the ancient legends into their narrative with considerable expertise.
Written 4 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

phat_dawg_21
Alpharetta, GA17,370 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
The myth/legend is a bit complicated, but in short, this is where nymph Arethusa escaped underground captivity and bubbled up to the surface as a freshwater spring. In her escape, she traveled underground from Arcadia in Greece to this point. A legend of the period, still told in Sicily today, is that a wooden cup tossed into the River Alpheius in Greece will reappear in the Fountain of Arethusa in Syracuse.

The papyrus plants are unusual in Europe. The basin is full of plants and fish, the ducks add interest.
Written 4 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicolazzo
Lugano, Switzerland5,167 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Friends
the Fonte Aretusa in Oritigia is an interesting corner of the oldest part of the city of Syracuse. A small freshwater oasis in which papyrus plants dominate. Visiting Oritigia and the promenade towards the port is worth a stop.
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Written 26 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ondadimare
Italy17,810 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
…in Ortigia…you cannot miss seeing this Fonte Aretusa!!…a body of water located in the oldest part of the city!!…this magical place has been a source of inspiration for many important poets and writers!!…yes he says that it was also at risk of drying up several times!!...even the earthquakes had an influence with the flow of water!!...and then the drought!!...and the work for the construction of the bridge!!...you can go inside see the papyrus growing...one of the rare ones that grows in Europe!!...one of the most famous myths is that of the nymph Arethusa!!...who, to escape her suitor who was Alpheus!!...asked for help from Artemis who wrapped her in a cloud...dissolving the young girl in a spring on the Lido of Ortigia!!...and so you disappear!!...but Alpheus in turn asked for help and was transformed into a river!!...so then born from Greece and crossing the Ionian Sea! !...he arrived at Fonte Aretusa!!...and found his beloved!!...one of the fantastic Sicilian legends!!...the Alfeo seafront takes its name from this river divinity!!...today Fonte Aretusa is the heart of Ortigia!! …a meeting place!!…and then take a walk along the seafront!!…and stop to eat or drink something in one of the many places along the way!!…absolutely worth seeing!!…
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Written 8 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sasha K
Petah Tiqwa, Israel502 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Solo
Fonte Aretusa, a fresh water spring, spring on the island of Ortigia.
Arethusa was the name of one of the nymphs-companions of Artemis. One day, a beautiful nymph bathed after hunting in the waters of the Alpheus River. The river god fell in love with Aretuza and rushed after her in the form of a devil. To save Arethusa from Alpheus, Artemis turned her into an underground river. However, Alpheus, in turn, also turned to the gods with a request to allow him to unite with his beloved. The celestials helped the impressionable lover and returned him to his former appearance. Since then, the waters of the two rivers meet on the island of Ortigia - exactly in the place called the source of Arethusa.
According to mythology, it is the place where the nymph Arethusa, the patroness of Syracuse, returned to the surface of the Earth after escaping from her underwater home in Arcadia.
One of the most visited places in Syracuse.
The Arethusa Fountain is considered one of the symbols of the city.
It's better to get there at sunset. The view is beautiful!
Written 23 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roby e Lucy da Sant'Anastasia (Na)
Sant'Anastasia, Italy7,336 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
Those who arrive here for the first time, after leaving Piazza Duomo, are enchanted by the beauty of the view of the port and the sea of Syracuse. It will certainly have been a public holiday but we can guarantee you that on 25 April 2024 there were lots and lots of people. The sun certainly played its part on this day of celebration and everything seems more beautiful to the eye. This small green space, with corners that were completely cool at 11:00, has inspired many writers and artists over the centuries, such as Pindar, Ovid and D'Annunzio and created myths around its origins, such as that of the god Alphaeus and the nymph Arethusa. The Fonte Aretusa itself, a source of fresh water, due to the Hyblean water table, which flows on the shores of the sea, holds a group of wild papyrus which, together with those of the Ciane and Anapo rivers, constitute the only wild papyrus forest in all of Europe .
Hello from Roby and Lucy from Sant'Anastasia (Naples)
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Written 4 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

laczkozsu
Debrecen, Hungary2,377 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023
This famous water is south of the cathedral by the sea. It has an interesting mythological story about the river god and a sea nymph, Aretusa. We walked there and saw the swimming ducks, gray mullets and papyrus plants. It’s worth some photos.
Written 21 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daniele64
Genoa, Italy2,219 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
Characteristic ancient spring with a legendary history in the heart of Ortigia. The fresh water flows a few meters from the salt water of the port of Syracuse and is now in a curious nineteenth-century architectural structure in the shape of a large well , very scenic , on the bottom of which grow papyrus and roam geese , fish , swans and ducks ( but unfortunately also mice ! ) . Unfortunately, when we were there, you could not go down the low walkway that surrounds it, which I think rarely happens.
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Written 17 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matthew P
London, UK6,296 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Couples
A lovely little tranquil place among the tourist chaos above. Loads of fish swimming and ducks that nest there. You cannot get down to the waters edge as the gate was locked. You can see the spring bubbling up and keeping the water fresh. Lovely place to while away a few minutes.
Written 5 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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FONTE ARETUSA (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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