# Syracuse: what the Neapolis ticket does not cover

> The Neapolis park costs 14 euros for 240,000 square meters, and it is one site of four. Pantalica lies 40 km out with over 5,000 rock tombs.

URL: https://myitalia.it/towns/siracusa
Last updated: 2026-09-02

The Neapolis park costs €14 and covers 240,000 square meters in the north of Syracuse, but it is one of four sites run by the same authority, and the World Heritage listing includes a plateau 40 km away.

## Inside the park, and what to expect

The Parco archeologico della Neapolis occupies 240,000 square meters and contains the Greek Theater, cut in the 3rd century BC over structures of the 5th, the Roman amphitheater, the Altar of Hieron II, the Latomia del Paradiso with the Ear of Dionysius and the Grotta dei Cordari, and the so called Tomb of Archimedes.

A guided visit runs about two hours, and that is a fair estimate for doing it properly on your own too. The quarries are the surprise: they are shaded and cool, which matters here in July more than any other planning decision.

## €14, and the hours that end early

Admission is €14 full and €7 reduced, and the site opens every day 8:30 am to 7:40 pm, with the ticket office closing at 6:30 pm (2026). Prices in euros.

That gap between the last ticket sold and the last visitor out is the thing to watch: arriving at 6:15 pm buys you a rushed hour. The park is run by the Sicilian Region as part of the authority covering Siracusa, Eloro, the Villa del Tellaro and Akrai, and tickets are sold online through TicketOne. See [the Neapolis park](/attractions/neapolis-siracusa).

## The same authority, three more gates

Your €14 Neapolis ticket does not travel. The archaeological area of Akrai at Palazzolo Acreide opens 8:30 am to 7:30 pm with the desk closing at 7:00 pm, and the Villa del Tellaro keeps the same hours, each on its own admission.

The Castello Eurialo, the Greek fortress on the Epipolae ridge that many itineraries still list, is closed as of September 2026. Check before driving out there, because it is a genuine detour with nothing else at the end of the road.

## Paolo Orsi: closed Monday, short on Sunday

The regional archaeological museum runs Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, with the ticket office closing at 6:00 pm, and Sundays and public holidays 9:00 am to 1:45 pm. Monday it is shut.

Palazzo Cappellani close by, which houses the Museo Gabriele Judica, follows the same Monday closure, opening Tuesday to Saturday 8:30 am to 7:30 pm and Sunday 8:30 am to 1:45 pm. Two museums with one weekly closing day means Monday in Syracuse is a day for Ortigia and the sea, not for collections. See [things to do in Syracuse](/towns/siracusa/things-to-do).

## The listing has two halves, 40 km apart

Syracuse and the rocky necropolis of Pantalica were inscribed in 2005 under criteria ii, iii, iv and vi, and the property has two components: the ancient city, meaning Ortigia and the Neapolis archaeological area, and the Pantalica plateau, 40 km inland.

Pantalica holds over 5,000 tombs cut into the rock faces, dated mainly between the 13th and the 7th centuries BC. It is open country rather than a monument: you need a car, a half day, water and shoes. The city was founded in 743 BC by colonists from Corinth, and the distance between the two halves of the listing is the distance between that colony and the people who were here first. See [Sicily](/regions/sicilia).

## FAQ

### What is inside the Neapolis archaeological park?

240,000 square meters holding the Greek Theater, built in the 3rd century BC on 5th century structures, the Roman amphitheater, the Altar of Hieron II, the Latomia del Paradiso with the Ear of Dionysius and the Grotta dei Cordari, and the so called Tomb of Archimedes.

### How much is the Neapolis park and when does it open?

€14 full and €7 reduced, open every day 8:30 am to 7:40 pm with the ticket office closing at 6:30 pm in 2026. It is run by the Sicilian Region and sold online through TicketOne. A guided visit of the site takes about two hours.

### Does the Neapolis ticket cover the other archaeological sites?

No. The same park authority also runs Akrai at Palazzolo Acreide, open 8:30 am to 7:30 pm with the desk closing at 7:00 pm, and the Villa del Tellaro on the same hours, each with its own ticket. The Castello Eurialo is closed as of September 2026.

### Is the Paolo Orsi museum open on Monday?

No. It runs Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, with the ticket office shutting at 6:00 pm, and Sundays and public holidays 9:00 am to 1:45 pm. Palazzo Cappellani nearby, home to the Museo Gabriele Judica, is also closed on Mondays.

### What is Pantalica and is it worth the trip?

It is half of the World Heritage listing: a limestone plateau 40 km from Syracuse with over 5,000 tombs cut into the rock, mostly between the 13th and 7th centuries BC. It needs a car, a full half day and proper shoes, and there are no ticket desks or shade.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il Parco archeologico della Neapolis occupa 240.000 metri quadrati nella parte settentrionale di Siracusa e comprende il Teatro Greco (III secolo a.C., su impianto del V), l'Anfiteatro romano, l'Ara di Ierone II, la Latomia del Paradiso con l'Orecchio di Dionisio e la Grotta dei Cordari, e la cosiddetta Tomba di Archimede. | [Comune di Siracusa](https://www.comune.siracusa.it/vivere-il-comune/luoghi/copy-2) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| L'Area archeologica della Neapolis di Siracusa, gestita dalla Regione Siciliana, costa 14 euro intero e 7 euro ridotto e apre tutti i giorni dalle 8:30 alle 19:40, con chiusura della biglietteria alle 18:30 (2026). | [Regione Siciliana - Parchi archeologici](https://parchiarcheologici.regione.sicilia.it/siracusa-eloro-villa-tellaro-akrai/biglietti/area-archeologica-della-neapolis/); [doc 2](https://parchiarcheologici.regione.sicilia.it/siracusa-eloro-villa-tellaro-akrai/orari/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il biglietto della Neapolis non copre tutto: il Parco archeologico di Siracusa gestisce anche l'area archeologica di Akrai a Palazzolo Acreide (8:30-19:30, biglietteria fino alle 19:00) e la Villa del Tellaro (8:30-19:30), mentre il Castello Eurialo risulta chiuso (settembre 2026). | [Regione Siciliana - Parchi archeologici](https://parchiarcheologici.regione.sicilia.it/siracusa-eloro-villa-tellaro-akrai/orari/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il Museo archeologico regionale Paolo Orsi di Siracusa e' chiuso il lunedi' e apre da martedi' a sabato 9:00-19:00 (biglietteria fino alle 18:00) e la domenica e i festivi 9:00-13:45; il vicino Palazzo Cappellani, sede del Museo Gabriele Judica, e' anch'esso chiuso il lunedi'. | [Regione Siciliana - Parchi archeologici](https://parchiarcheologici.regione.sicilia.it/siracusa-eloro-villa-tellaro-akrai/orari/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il sito UNESCO 'Siracusa e le necropoli rupestri di Pantalica' e' iscritto dal 2005 con i criteri ii, iii, iv e vi e comprende due componenti: la citta' antica (Ortigia e l'area archeologica della Neapolis) e l'altopiano di Pantalica, a 40 chilometri, dove sono scavate nella roccia oltre 5.000 tombe databili soprattutto fra il XIII e il VII secolo a.C. | [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/siracusa-e-le-necropoli-rupestri-di-pantalica/) | medium | 2099-12-31 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/city.siracusa.1600.jpg
Author: Julian Lupyan. License: CC0 (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en).
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fountain_of_Diana,_Siracusa.jpg

## Other languages

- it: https://myitalia.it/it/paesi/siracusa.md
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- de: https://myitalia.it/de/orte/siracusa.md