THE COFFEE

Monkey café

We visited the Monkey Café and were those annoying customers that sat there for a good few hours blogging, ordering coffee, wine and food, not leaving our table till close. However, the staff were very happy to put up with us, and served up easily the best espresso that I found in town. The Café is a definitely relaxed vibe - they have real quick wifi, chargers everywhere, and certainly cater for tourists; every staff member speaks English. While they don’t do specialist coffee or anything, they do make a good americano, and serve up some very, very tasty croissants. Thoroughly recommend this one. (Corso Umberto I, 48, Syracusa)

The drink

Montalto Pub

Easily the best watering hole in Syracuse. The Montalto Pub Located on the island of Ortiaga (connected to the city by a footbridge though), this bar is tucked away down a small alleyway and overlooks a gorgeous plaza. The bar itself is tiny, only a small room with a ladder leading to an upstairs seating area - however, if the weather is good, you’ll be able to sit out on the plaza with your beer, wine or negroni. The prices are fairly reasonable given the part of town you’re in, and the barstaff are attentive, relaxed and make a damn good nergoni. try and arrive at apperitivo hour - the owner provides a seriously good spread. (Via Dei Mergulensi, 5, 96100 Siracusa)

Visiting the Valley of the temples of Selinunute? Read our post about it over here.

THE MEAL

Osteria Mariano

The best meal in Syracuse? Quite possibly. While I didn’t go to every restaurant in town, Osteria Mariano certainly stands out - it’s been recommended by Lonely Planet for close to a decade, was loved by Rick Steves, and lies hidden away in the eastern end of Syracuse. Osteria Mairano specializs in down-home cooking, and serves up meals for around 8-10 euro per course. We opted for the Spaghetti Frutta-Di-Mar, squid ink Linguine and the grilled octopus - all were absolutely sensational - the type of food that could drive a man to tears, should he think on it too long. Try and get there early, this place packs out with locals and tourists alike, and we were lucky to score a table here at 8 pm on a Saturday night.

Looking for a cheaper meal in Syracuce? Check out our post on the best street food in Syracuse over here.

Any questions, comments or concerns? You know what to do - drop us a line in the comments section below!