Chiesa di San Filippo Apostolo — Attraction in Syracuse

Very sad to see the entrance of a Mikve hided between icons of Maria and Jesus... The visit was organised by the (catholic) church and it was not objective at all. We just had the impression to have listened to a lot of lies. For instance, they were constantly speaking about the utilisation of the constructions by the church... But before the Catholic Church stole the premises (probably an old synagogue with its Mikve), it was a jewish place and we heard nothing about that (of course)... Then, they said they only discovered that it was a Jewish Mikve few months ago.... I just don’t believe that. There were Jewish inscriptions, everybody can know it was a Jewish construction, especially the...

This is a review of the subterranean levels not the church above. I've given this 5 stars because I loved it but it's not for everyone. There are 3 flights of step and uneven stairs down to the subterranean tunnels. You have to mind your head and your step! All the visitors apart from us were Italian but the guide spoke to us separately in English which we appreciated. There was just the right amount of information to take in and humour too. I'll be doing further research later because the history of the crypt, the tunnels and the purification pool is fascinating. Each tour is about 25 minutes and costs...

Three of us joined the dual English/Italian-speaking 25 min tour of the underground levels below the church. 5 min prior to the indicated departure time, a cashier opens at the entrance of the church to buy tickets (€5/pers).

The staircase leads down three flights of stairs to the spring at the very bottom. It covers different periods of history from aquadect fresh water usage, the fraternity's burial grounds to WWII air raid shelter. It's guided by local enthusiasts, but not necessarily historical experts.

Beyond the stairs little walking is involved, it takes as long to translate into...