Things to Do at Syracuse University Campus

Syracuse University's campus spreads across 270 acres on a hill overlooking the city, where red brick buildings and tree-lined quads create a classic collegiate atmosphere that has educated students since 1870. The campus centers around the Quad, a large green space surrounded by academic buildings including Hendricks Chapel with its distinctive limestone facade and Crouse College's Romanesque architecture. Walking the campus paths, you can hear students discussing assignments on steps outside the library and smell coffee from the various cafes tucked into academic buildings. Campus tours are free and offered daily by the admissions office, though parking costs $8-15 per day in university lots. Visit during the academic year when the campus is fully active and you can appreciate the energy of 21,000 students pursuing degrees in over 200 academic programs.

Syracuse is about an hour south of Catania by car or bus, making it an easy day trip or stopover if you're flying into Catania airport. The train from Catania takes a bit longer but gives you nice coastal views. Once you're in Syracuse, most everything is walkable, though you might want to take a local bus between the archaeological park and Ortigia if you're not up for the 20-minute walk. Ortigia itself is connected to the mainland by bridges, so you can walk right onto the island .