Ortigia - Sicily

At the end of June 2023, we visited Sicily. In the first days of July, we arrived in Syracuse. We stayed on the island of Ortygia. A small island connected to Syracuse by two small bridges. Its name comes from the ancient Greek word ortyx meaning quail. The island was first inhabited by the ancient Sicilians before the arrival of Greek colonists in the 8th century BC, who established Syracuse as one of the most important cities of Greater Greece. Time on this historic island seems to have stood still. The picturesque town of Ortygia keeps its ancient Greek traditional color unchanged. The old buildings, the cobbled alleys, the Byzantine castle of Maniaki with its romantic atmosphere compose a charming whole in Ortygia. It hospitably welcomes tourists with its ancient buildings, culinary feasts and wonderful residents, offering a magnificent view of both the Mediterranean Sea and the Ionian Sea. Its scattered monuments reflect its turbulent history, Greeks, Arabs, Romans all passed through this wonderful place, leaving their mark. Wandering through the alleys, we discovered an awesome store, Fico Original Design, with its particularly creative owner, Mr. Massimo, who designs unique pieces by combining materials such as leather, fabric with a unique feast of colors. A wide variety of bags, perfumes, clothing, shoes and of course Sicilian Coppola caps with designs beyond all expectations and breaking fashion clichés. Hearty and warm towards us, innovative in his favorite work but more of a particularly creative and talented artist. Everything was great but we particularly liked his creations on leather bags with rotary dial and phone handles. We honored him by purchasing some of the artwork and hope that in the future if we manage to visit him, he will pleasantly surprise us.