Santa Lucia’s hometown of Siracusa inspires me with its layers of history and its charming alleyways, like this one pictured, on the island of Ortigia. Think of Ortigia like Manhattan Island is to New York City. It is the ancient, fortified, island center of what became perhaps the most splendid city of Magna Graecia, ancient Greater Greece.

Today’s structures on Ortigia not only date back to ancient times (For example, like the Temple of Apollo that I wrote about earlier this week.), but also to the medieval and baroque eras.